In the Sinai desert, the LORD spoke to Moses inside the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month of the second year after they had left the land of Egypt. He said,

Instead, appoint the descendants of Levi over the Tent of Meeting, all the vessels, and everything in it. They are to carry the tent and all the vessels in it. They are to attend to it and camp around it.

Whenever the tent is ready for travel, the descendants of Levi are to take it down. When it's time to encamp, the descendants of Levi are to set it up. Any unauthorized person who approaches it is to be executed.

Then the Israelis are to encamp around the tent, arranged according to their company and the standard of their army.

But the descendants of Levi are to encamp on all sides of the Tent of Meeting so that divine wrath won't fall on the congregation of Israel. The descendants of Levi are to take care of the Tent of Meeting."

"Every single Israeli is to encamp beneath his standard with the emblem of his ancestral house. The Israelis are to encamp in front of and surrounding the Tent of Meeting."

"Then the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the descendants of Levi in the middle of the camps. They are to travel just as they have camped, each as designated under his standard."

They are to take care of his needs and the needs of the whole congregation at the Tent of Meeting by performing duties at the tent.

They are to take charge of the utensils at the Tent of Meeting and meet the needs of the Israelis by performing duties on behalf of the tent.

The families of the descendants of Gershon encamped behind the tent toward the west.

The duties of the descendants of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting pertained to the tent, the tent covering, the curtain to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

the hangings at the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance of the courtyard that surrounded the tent, the altar, and all of the tent cords in use.

The descendants of Kohath encamped beside the tent toward the south.

The leader of the tribe and family of Merari was Abihail's son Zuriel. The descendants of Merari encamped beside the tent toward the north.

The duties of the caretakers from the descendants of Merari included the boards of the tent, its bars, crossbars, sockets, all its utensils for their services,

the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, pegs, and tent cords.

In front of the tent and east of the Tent of Meeting, Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's sons encamped facing the east. They were tasked to perform the duties of the sanctuary and care for the needs of the Israelis. Any unauthorized person who approached was to be executed.

from 30 years and older through the age of 50 years, from everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.

"Here's what the descendants of Kohath are to do regarding the Tent of Meeting and what's inside the Most Holy Place:

"When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the utensils of the sanctuary, and the camp is about to travel, then the descendants of Kohath are to come and carry them, but they are not to touch the most sacred objects, so they won't die. These are the duties of the descendants of Kohath at the Tent of Meeting."

"Now the duty of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest is to maintain the oil for the light, the spiced incense, the daily offerings, and the oil for anointing, to carry out all the duties of the tent and the sanctuary, and to maintain its utensils."

Count their number from between 30 to 50 years old, including everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting."

They are to carry the curtain of the tent, the covering of the Tent of Meeting, the dyed leather covering that goes over it, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tent, the altar, the ropes, all the service utensils, and everything made for them. This is to be their service area.

This is the work of the tribes of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting their duties under the supervision of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

from 30 to 50 years old as you count them, including everyone who can enter service and perform work at the Tent of Meeting.

This is to be their area of responsibility to carry out with respect to their service at the Tent of Meeting: the board of the tent, its bars, its crossbars, its sockets,

This is the work of the tribes of the descendants of Merari with reference to their service at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron the priest's son Ithamar."

from 30 to 50 years old that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.

from the tribe of the descendants of Kohath, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the LORD had said, under the supervision of Moses.

from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.

from the tribes of the descendants of Gershon, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the LORD had said.

from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.

from 30 to 50 years old, who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting

The priest is to put some holy water into an earthen vessel, take some dust from the floor of the tent, and put it into the water.

On the eighth day, he is to bring two turtledoves or two pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

"This is the law of the Nazirite: When the days of his consecration are completed, he is to come to the entrance at the Tent of Meeting.

The Nazirite is then to shave his head of consecration at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He is to take the lock of his head of consecration and set it over the fire where the peace offering for sacrifice is.

The same day that Moses finished setting up, anointing, and consecrating the tent and its utensils, he also anointed and consecrated the altar and its utensils.

They brought their offering into the LORD's presence, consisting of six covered carts and twelve oxen one cart each from two leaders and an ox from each one. After they presented them in front of the tent,

"Take these gifts from them and use them in service at the Tent of Meeting. Present them to the descendants of Levi, distributing them to each person according to his work."

When Moses entered the Tent of Meeting to speak with the L ORD, he heard a voice speaking to him above the Mercy Seat over the Ark of the Testimony. He spoke to him from between the two cherubim.

He may minister to his brothers at the Tent of Meeting by keeping watch, but he is not to engage in service. This is how you are to act with respect to the obligations of the descendants of Levi."

On the same morning that the tent was set up, a cloud covered the tent, that is, the Tent of Testimony, and in the evening fire appeared over the tent until morning.

Whenever the cloud above the tent ascended, the Israelis would travel and encamp in the place where the cloud settled.

According to whatever the LORD said, the Israelis would travel. According to whatever the LORD said, they would camp as long as the cloud remained over the Tent of Meeting.

When the cloud over the tent remained for a longer time, the Israelis did what the LORD had instructed and didn't travel.

There were times when the cloud remained over the tent for a number of days. They camped in accordance with the LORD's instructions and they traveled in accordance with the LORD'S instructions.

Whether for two days, a month, or for longer periods, whenever the cloud would remain above the tent, the Israelis would remain in camp, not traveling. But whenever it ascended, then they would travel.

On the twentieth day of the second month in the second year, the cloud was lifted up from the Tent of Meeting,

The tent was taken down, and the descendants of Gershon and Merari carried the tent.

Then the descendants of Kohath, carrying the sanctuary, set out, since the tent was to be set up before they arrive.

Then the LORD told Moses, "Gather together for me 70 men who are elders of Israel, men whom you know to be elders of the people and officers over them. Then bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them stand there with you.

So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He gathered 70 men from the elders of the people and stationed them around the tent.

Now two men had remained in camp. One was named Eldad and the other was named Medad. When the spirit rested on them, since they were among those who were listed but had not gone out to the tent, they stayed behind and prophesied in the camp.

All of a sudden, the LORD told Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, "The three of you are to come out to the Tent of Meeting." So the three of them went out.

Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. So both of them went forward.

but when the cloud ascended from the tent, Miriam had become leprous, as white as snow! Aaron turned toward Miriam, and she had leprosy!

Suddenly, the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all of the Israelis. "How long will this people keep on spurning me and refusing to trust me, despite all the miracles that I've done among them?" the LORD asked Moses.

Is it such an insignificant thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelis to draw you to himself, appointing you to do the work of the tent of the LORD and to stand before the community to minister to them?

So each man took his censer, put fire coals inside of it, placed incense in it, and then stood at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, accompanied by Moses and Aaron.

When Korah had assembled the entire community in opposition to Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the entire community.

When the community gathered together against Moses and Aaron, they turned toward the Tent of Meeting. All of a sudden, a cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.

Then Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting.

Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting after the slaughter had been restrained.

"Then lay them there in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Ark of the Covenant where I'll meet with you.

Then Moses laid out the rods in the LORD'S presence, inside the Tent of Testimony.

The next morning, Moses went to the Tent of Testimony and the rod of Aaron of the tribe of Levi had burst into bloom! It sprouted buds, bloomed blossoms, and produced fully ripe almonds!

Anyone who comes near or approaches the LORD's tent is to die. Are all of us going to die?"

Moreover, bring your brothers from your father's tribe of Levi with you, so they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you stand in the presence of the Tent of Testimony.

They are to take care of your concerns and all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But they're not to approach the holy vessels or the altar. That way, neither you nor they will die.

They are to join you to maintain services related to the Tent of Meeting, for all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But no unauthorized person is to approach you.

Notice that I've taken your brothers, the descendants of Levi, from among the Israelis, giving them to you as a gift from the LORD to perform the service of the Tent of Meeting.

As to the descendants of Levi, certainly I've given all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for their services that they perform at the Tent of Meeting.

Therefore, the Israelis need no longer come to the Tent of Meeting, so they won't suffer the consequences of their sin and die.

The descendants of Levi are to perform the service of the Tent of Meeting and they are to bear their iniquity. This is to be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that they are not to receive an inheritance among the Israelis,

You and your household may eat it anywhere, because it's a reward to you in return for your services at the Tent of Meeting.

Then Eleazar the priest is to take blood from it with his finger and sprinkle the blood in front of the Tent of Meeting.

Anyone who comes in contact with a dead person (that is, with the corpse of a human being who has died), but who does not purify himself, defiles the LORD's tent. That person is to be eliminated from Israel, because the water of impurity wasn't sprinkled on him. He remains unclean and his uncleanness will remain with him.

"This is the procedure to follow when a man dies in his tent: Everyone who enters the tent and everyone in it is to remain unclean for seven days.

A clean person is to take some hyssop, dip it in water, and then sprinkle it on the tent, on every vessel, and on whoever was there (that is, on whoever touched the bones, the killed person, or the dead body, including whoever dug the grave).

Then Moses and Aaron went into the presence of the community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell on their faces. Then the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

That very moment, one of the Israelis arrived, bringing to his brothers one of the Midianite women, right in front of Moses and the entire community of Israel, while they were weeping at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting!

followed the Israeli man inside his tent, and impaled the two of them the Israeli man and the woman right through both of them and into her abdomen. Then the plague infecting the Israelis was brought to a halt. Nevertheless,

Moses, Eleazar the priest, the elders, and the entire community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, stood before them, and said,

Then take half the share of the Israelis, one drawn out of every 50 people, cattle, donkeys, flocks, and from every animal, then give to the descendants of Levi who maintain the service of the LORD's tent."

Moses took a portion drawn from every 50 Israelis, including from both human and animals, and gave them to the descendants of Levi who maintained the LORD's tent, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Moses and Eleazar took the gold from the captains of thousands and hundreds and brought it to the Tent of Meeting, to serve as a memorial to the Israelis in the LORD's presence.