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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Numbers 3 ESV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/numbers/3.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/numbers/3-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ESV</a> > Numbers 3</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../numbers/2.htm" title="Numbers 2">◄</a> Numbers 3 <a href="../numbers/4.htm" title="Numbers 4">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/numbers/3.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">The Sons of Aaron</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>But Nadab and Abihu died before the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> when they offered unauthorized fire before the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.</p> <p class="heading">Duties of the Levites</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>And the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>.”</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>And the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>“List the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by clans; every male from a month old and upward you shall list.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>So Moses listed them according to the word of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, as he was commanded. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>And the sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And the sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew their listing was">a</a></sup></span> 7,500. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service connected with these.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Kohathites. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>And their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service connected with these. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>And the chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew guard">b</a></sup></span> the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000.</p> <p class="heading">Redemption of the Firstborn</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-40.htm"><b>40</b></a></span>And the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> said to Moses, “List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-41.htm"><b>41</b></a></span>And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>—instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-42.htm"><b>42</b></a></span>So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> commanded him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-43.htm"><b>43</b></a></span>And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-44.htm"><b>44</b></a></span>And the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> spoke to Moses, saying, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-45.htm"><b>45</b></a></span>“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-46.htm"><b>46</b></a></span>And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-47.htm"><b>47</b></a></span>you shall take five shekels<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams">c</a></sup></span> per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram">d</a></sup></span>), <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-48.htm"><b>48</b></a></span>and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-49.htm"><b>49</b></a></span>So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-50.htm"><b>50</b></a></span>From the firstborn of the people of Israel he took the money, 1,365 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/numbers/3-51.htm"><b>51</b></a></span>And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, as the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> commanded Moses.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">22</span> Hebrew <i>their listing was</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">38</span> Hebrew <i>guard</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">47</span> A <i class="catch-word-plural">shekel</i> was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams<br /><span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">47</span> A <i class="catch-word-plural">gerah</i> was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram<br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 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