The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to minister as priests; anyone else who tries to elbow his way in will be put to death."
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Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”
11 God spoke to Moses:
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The LORD also said to Moses,
12 "I have taken the Levites from among the People of Israel as a stand-in for every Israelite mother's firstborn son. The Levites belong to me.
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“I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,
13 All the firstborn are mine - when I killed all the firstborn in Egypt, I consecrated for my own use every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They belong to me. I am God."
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for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.”
14 God spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai:
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The LORD said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,
15 "Count the Levites by their ancestral families and clans. Count every male a month old and older."
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“Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”
16 Moses counted them just as he was instructed by the mouth of God.
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So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the LORD.
17 These are the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
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These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
18 These are the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.
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These were the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shimei.
19 The sons of Kohath by clan: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
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The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
20 The sons of Merari by clan: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of Levi, family by family.
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The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, according to their families.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.