Numbers 3

These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

This is the lineage of Aaron and Moses, traced back to the day when God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai with profound intensity.

And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Here are the cherished sons of Aaron; the eldest, Nadab, followed by Abihu, Eleazar, and the youngest, Ithamar.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

These are the names of Aaron's sons, the chosen priests who were blessed and dedicated to serve in the sacred office.

And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.

Nadab and Abihu died in God's presence when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord in the Sinai wilderness. They left no offspring behind. Meanwhile, their brothers Eleazar and Ithamar faithfully served as priests, under the watchful eye of their father, Aaron.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

The Lord passionately communicated with Moses, expressing,

Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

Draw the Levi tribe close, let them stand before Priest Aaron, ready to serve him with devotion.

And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

They are entrusted to care for and serve the entire community at the sacred meeting tent.

And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

They must safeguard all the sacred items of the meeting place, and take responsibility for the people of Israel, serving faithfully in the sanctuary.

And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

You shall entrust the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are completely dedicated to him, chosen from all the children of Israel.

And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

You must choose Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to perform this sacred duty must face death.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

The Lord passionately communicated with Moses, expressing,

And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

I have chosen the Levites from all the Israelites, in place of the firstborn. They are special to me, they are mine.

Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

Every firstborn belongs to me, for when I struck down Egypt's firstborn, I set apart Israel's firstborn, both humans and animals, as sacred to me. They are mine. I am the Lord.

And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

In the solitude of Sinai's wilderness, the LORD passionately communicated with Moses, expressing,

Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

Count the sons of Levi, according to their ancestral homes and clans. Include every boy, starting from just one month old.

And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

Moses, following God's command, diligently counted them as instructed by the Lord.

And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

These were the cherished sons of Levi, known by their unique names; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

Here are the names of Gershon's sons, each one a unique part of their family tree; Libni and Shimei.

And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

The Kohath family line included Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel, each with their own families.

And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

The descendants of Merari, namely Mahli and Mushi, belonged to the Levite clan, tracing their lineage back to their forefathers' household.

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

The Libnites and the Shimites, they were the cherished families born from Gershon's lineage.

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

Counting all the males, from just a month old and above, their total number came to seven thousand and five hundred.

The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.

The Gershonite families will set up their tents to the west, behind the sacred tabernacle.

And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

Eliasaph, Lael's son, will be the respected leader of the Gershonite family.

And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

The sons of Gershon are entrusted with the responsibility of the community tent, including its structure, cover, and the curtain at its entrance.

And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

The drapes of the courtyard, the veil for the entrance near the sacred tent and altar, and the ropes used for its service, all around.

And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

From Kohath came the clans of Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. These were the proud families descended from Kohath.

In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

Among all the males, a total of 8,600, aged one month and above, were passionately dedicated to safeguarding the sacred sanctuary.

The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

The descendants of Kohath should set up their tents on the southern side of the sacred tent.

And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Elizaphan, Uzziel's son, will be the respected leader of the Kohathite family clans.

And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

Their duty is to care for the sacred ark, table, lampstand, altars, and all the holy vessels used in worship, including the curtain and everything involved in their service.

And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

Eleazar, Aaron's son and a priest, will lead the Levites, overseeing those responsible for safeguarding the sanctuary.

Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

From Merari sprang two families - the Mahlites and the Mushites. These were the proud clans of Merari.

And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

Counting all the males, even those as young as a month old, they totaled 6,200.

And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

Zuriel, son of Abihail and leader of Merari's clan, was tasked to set up their tents on the northern side of the sacred tabernacle.

And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

The sons of Merari are entrusted with the sacred duty of caring for the tabernacle's structure - its boards, bars, pillars, and bases, along with all the tools used in its service.

And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

They also care for the sturdy pillars around the courtyard, with their bases, their pegs, and their ropes.

But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Moses, Aaron, and his sons will camp on the east side, in front of the meeting tent, carrying out the duties of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Any outsider who approaches must be put to death.

All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.

Moses and Aaron, following God's command, counted all the Levite men, even those as young as a month old. Their total number was 22,000.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

The LORD gently instructed Moses, "Count every firstborn male child in Israel, starting from a month old. Record each of their names."

And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

Choose the Levites for me, says the Lord, in place of the firstborn children of Israel. Their livestock will replace the firstborn livestock of the Israelites.

And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

With a sense of duty, Moses diligently counted all the firstborn of Israel's children, just as God had instructed him.

And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

Every firstborn male, counted by name and aged one month and above, totaled to 22,273.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

The Lord passionately communicated to Moses, expressing,

Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.

Choose the Levites over all the firstborn of Israel's children, and their livestock over others. The Levites belong to me, for I am the Lord.

And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

For those 273 firstborn children of Israel, who outnumber the Levites, awaiting their redemption;

Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

For each person, you should collect five shekels, using the sanctuary's standard of measurement. Remember, one shekel equals twenty gerahs.

And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

You must give the necessary money to Aaron and his sons to redeem those who are extra in number.

And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

With deep compassion, Moses collected the extra redemption money from those who were not saved by the Levites.

Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

He collected the payment from the eldest children of Israel; a total of 1,365 sacred shekels.

And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Moses, with a sense of duty and obedience, handed over the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, just as God had instructed him to do.