11Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORDspoke with Moses on MountSinai.
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2These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
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These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the 3anointedpriests, whom he [a]ordained* to serve as priests.
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4But Nadab and Abihudiedbefore the LORD when they offeredstrangefirebefore the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they hadnochildren. So Eleazar and Ithamarserved as priests[b]in the lifetime of their fatherAaron.
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"Now, behold, I 10have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israelinstead of every11firstborn, the firstissue of the wombamong the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall be Mine.
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"For 12all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struckdownall the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the LORD."
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Then the LORDspoke to Moses13in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
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"14Number the sons of Levi by their fathers'households, by their families; everymale from a monthold and upward you shall number."
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So Mosesnumbered them according to the word of the LORD, just as he had been commanded.
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15These then are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.
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These are the names of the 16sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei;
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and the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel;
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and the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers'households.
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Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites.
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Their numbered men, in the numbering of everymale from a monthold and upward, even their numbered men were 7,500***.
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The families of the Gershonites were to campbehind the tabernaclewestward,
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and the leader of the fathers'households of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.
Duties of the Priests
25 Now 17the duties of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle and 18the tent, its covering, and 19the screen for the doorway of the tent of meeting,
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and 20the hangings of the court, and 21the screen for the doorway of the courtwhich is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords, according to all the service concerning them.
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Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites and the family of the Izharites and the family of the Hebronites and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.
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In the numbering of everymale from a monthold and upward, there were 8,600**, performing the duties of the sanctuary.
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The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the southwardside of the tabernacle,
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and the leader of the fathers'households of the Kohathitefamilies was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
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Now 22their duties involved 23the ark, 24the table, 25the lampstand, 26the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service concerning them;
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and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the chief of the leaders of Levi, and had the oversight of those who perform the duties of the sanctuary.
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Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari.
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Their numbered men in the numbering of everymale from a monthold and upward, were 6,200**.
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The leader of the fathers'households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to 27camp on the northwardside of the tabernacle.
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Now the appointedduties of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its equipment, and the service concerning them,
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and the pillarsaround the court with their sockets and their pegs and their cords.
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Now those who were to 28campbefore the tabernacleeastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but 29the laymancomingnear was to be put to death.
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All the numbered men of the Levites, whomMoses and Aaronnumbered at the command of the LORD by their families, everymale from a monthold and upward, were 22,000**.
Firstborn Redeemed
40 Then the LORDsaid to Moses, "30Numbereveryfirstbornmale of the sons of Israel from a monthold and upward, and make a list of their names.
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"You 31shall take the Levites for Me, I am the LORD, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levitesinstead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel."
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So Mosesnumberedall the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him;
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and all the firstbornmales by the number of names from a monthold and upward, for their numbered men were 3222,273*****.
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"33Take the Levitesinstead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the LORD.
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"34For the ransom of the 273** of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excessbeyond the Levites,
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you shall take35fiveshekelsapiece, per head; you shall take them in 36terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (37the shekel is twentygerahs ),
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and give the money, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons."
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So Mosestook the ransommoney from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites;
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from the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the money in terms of the shekel of the sanctuary, 1,365****.
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Then Mosesgave the ransommoney to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of the LORD, just as the LORD had commandedMoses.