Numbers

¹The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

²"Take a census of the Kohathites from among the Levites, by their clans and families,"

³"counting all men between thirty and fifty years of age who are eligible to serve in the work at the tent of meeting."

⁴"This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting — the care of the most holy things."

⁵"When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and cover the ark of the covenant law with it."

⁶"Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a solid blue cloth over that, and put the poles in place."

⁷"Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, bowls and pitchers for the drink offering; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it."

⁸"Over these they are to spread a scarlet cloth, cover that with durable leather, and put its poles in place."

⁹"They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers, its trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it."

¹⁰"Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of durable leather and put it on a carrying frame."

¹¹"Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with durable leather and put its poles in place."

¹²"They are to take all the articles used for ministry in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with durable leather, and put them on a carrying frame."

¹³"They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it."

¹⁴"Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar — the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. They are to spread a covering of durable leather over it and put its poles in place."

¹⁵"After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting."

¹⁶"Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is responsible for the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil. He is in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."

¹⁷The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

¹⁸"See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites."

¹⁹"Do this for them so they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry."

²⁰"But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."

²¹The LORD said to Moses,

²²"Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans."

²³"Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting."

²⁴"This is the service of the Gershonite clans in serving and carrying:"

²⁵"They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, its covering, the outer covering of durable leather on top, the curtain for the entrance to the tent of meeting,"

²⁶"the courtyard curtains, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, the ropes, and all the equipment used in their service. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things."

²⁷"All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry."

²⁸"This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

²⁹"Count the Merarites by their clans and families."

³⁰"Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting."

³¹"As part of all their service at the tent of meeting, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and bases,"

³²"the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, along with all the equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry."

³³"This is the service of the Merarite clans as they do all their work at the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

³⁴Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families.

³⁵All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,

³⁶counted by their clans, were 2,750.

³⁷This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command through Moses.

³⁸The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families.

³⁹All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,

⁴⁰counted by their clans and families, were 2,630.

⁴¹This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command.

⁴²The Merarites were counted by their clans and families.

⁴³All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,

⁴⁴counted by their clans, were 3,200.

⁴⁵This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command through Moses.

⁴⁶So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families.

⁴⁷All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting

⁴⁸numbered 8,580.

⁴⁹At the LORD's command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry. Thus they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.