12. "Behold , I have taken the LEVITES from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the LEVITES shall be mine:

13. for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am The LORD."

14. The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

15. "Count the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward."

16. Moses counted them according to The LORD's word, as he was commanded.

17. These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18. These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.

19. The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20. The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi.These are the families of the LEVITES according to their fathers' houses.

21. Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22. Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those who were counted of them were seven thousand five hundred.

23. The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.

24. The prince of the fathers' house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

25. The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

26. and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.

27. 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 are the families of the Kohathites.

28. According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand six hundred, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary.

29. The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.

30. The prince of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

31. Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.

32. Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the LEVITES, with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.

33. Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari.

34. Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.3:34+ 22,000, rounded to 2 significant digits. (The sum of the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites given above is 22,300.)

35. The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.

36. The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,

37. the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.

38. Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

39. All who were counted of the LEVITES, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the commandment of The LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

40. The LORD said to Moses, "Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41. You shall take the LEVITES for me (I am The LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the LEVITES instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel."

42. Moses counted, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43. All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were counted of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

44. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

45. "Take the LEVITES instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the LEVITES instead of their livestock; and the LEVITES shall be mine. I am The LORD.

14. Thus you shall separate the LEVITES from among the children of Israel, and the LEVITES shall be mine.

15. "After that, the LEVITES shall go in to do the service of the Tent of Meeting: and you shall cleanse them, and offer them as a wave offering.

16. For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me.

17. For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself.

18. I have taken the LEVITES instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

Behold, I myself have taken your brothers the LEVITES from among the children of Israel. They are a gift to you, dedicated to The LORD, to do the service of the Tent of Meeting.