Numbers 3:13-23

13 because all the first borne are myne: for ye same daye that I smote all the fyrstborne in the lande of Egipte I halowed vnto me all the firstborne in Ysrael both man and beest and myne they shall be: for I am the Lorde.

14 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai sayenge:

15 Numbre the childern of Leui in ye housses of their fathers and Kynredes all yt are males from a moneth olde and aboue.

16 And Moses numbred them at the worde of the Lorde as he was comauded.

17 And these are ye names of ye childre of Leui: Gerson Cahath and Merari.

18 And yese are the names of the childern of Gerson in their kynredes: Libni and Semei.

19 And the sones of Cahath in their kynredes were Amram. Iezehar. Hebron and Vsiel.

20 And the sonnes of Merari in their kynredes were Maheli and Musi. These are the kynredes of Leui in the housses of their fathers.

21 And of Gerson came the kynred of ye Libnites and the Semeites which are the kynredes of the Gersonites.

22 And ye summe of them (when all the males were tolde) from a moneth olde and aboue were .vij. thousande and fyue hundred.

23 And the kynredes of the Gersonites pitched behynde the habitacion westwarde.

Numbers 3:13-23 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.