12
Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of all the firstborn that open the womb among the sons of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine;
13
because all the firstborn
are mine; from the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both of men and of animals; they shall be mine: I
am the LORD.
14
The LORD also spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15
Number the sons of Levi by the houses of their fathers, by their families; thou shalt number every male from a month old and upward.
16
And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.