Numbers 3:10-20

10 Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to do the priests' duties must be put to death."

11 The LORD said to Moses,

12 "Out of all the Israelites, I have taken the Levites to be substitutes for every firstborn male offspring among them. The Levites are mine,

13 because every firstborn is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set apart as holy every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They will be mine. I am the LORD."

14 The LORD said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,

15 "Count the Levites by households and families. Count every male who is at least one month old."

16 So Moses did what the LORD said and registered them as he had been commanded.

17 Gershon, Kohath, and Merari were the sons of Levi.

18 Libni and Shimei were the sons of Gershon. Their families were named after them.

19 Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel were the sons of Kohath. Their families were named after them.

20 Mahli and Mushi were the sons of Merari. Their families were named after them. These were the households of Levite families.

Numbers 3:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 3

In this chapter an account is given of the genealogy of the priests and Levites, and of the gift of the Levites to the priests, of the numbering of them, and the service they were to perform; and first of the priests, the sons of Aaron, Nu 3:1-4; and then of the Levites, as given unto them, to wait upon them, and assist them, Nu 3:5-10; and these were taken instead of the firstborn, Nu 3:11-13; and ordered to be numbered, which was done accordingly by their families, Nu 3:14-20; and the sum of each is given, and the particular work assigned to them; of the Gershonites, Nu 3:21-26; of the Kohathites, Nu 3:27-32; of the Merarites, Nu 3:33-38; the sum total of them is given, Nu 3:39; then the firstborn of the children of Israel, from a month old are ordered to be numbered, and were, Nu 3:40-43; and these appearing to be more in number than the Levites, by two hundred seventy three a direction is given that the two hundred seventy three should be redeemed at the rate of five, shekels apiece, and the money paid to Aaron and his sons, Nu 3:44-48; which was accordingly done, Nu 3:49-51.