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,

from 20 years and upward. You and Aaron are to register everyone in Israel who is able to go to war, company by company.

One man from each tribe is to accompany you, each man being the leader of his ancestral house.

"Here is a list of names of the men who are to assist you:

They assembled the entire community together during the second month. Then they recorded their ancestries, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as well as the names of the men 20 years old and above individually,

The genealogies of the descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Simeon's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Gad's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Judah's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Issachar's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Zebulun's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Joseph's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Manasseh's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Benjamin's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Dan's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Asher's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The genealogies of Naphtali's descendants were recorded individually, according to their tribes and ancestral houses, as were the names of all the men 20 years and above who could serve in the army.

The descendants of Levi were not counted according to their ancestral houses

"Be sure not to number or count the tribe of Levi with the rest of the Israelis.

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."

"The encampment of Judah is to settle east toward the sunrise under their standard. The leader of Judah is to be Amminadab's son Nahshon.

"The tribe of Issachar is to encamp beside Judah. The leader of Issachar is to be Zuar's son Nethanel.

"Next is to be the tribe of Zebulun. The leader of Zebulun is to be Helon's son Eliab.

All those numbered by division in the camp of Judah total 186,400. They are to be the first to travel."

"Toward the south is to be the division of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of Reuben is to be Shedeur's son Elizur.

"The tribe of Simeon is to camp beside Reuben. The leader of Simeon is to be Zurishaddai's son Shelumiel.

"Next is to be the tribe of Gad. The leader of Gad is to be Deuel's son Eliasaph.

All those numbered by division in the camp of Reuben total 151,450. They are to be the second to travel."

"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."

"Toward the west is to be the division of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of Ephraim is to be Ammihud's son Elishama.

"The tribe of Manasseh is to encamp beside them. The leader of Manasseh is to be Pedahzur's son Gamaliel.

"Next is to be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of Benjamin is to be Gideoni's son Abidan.

All those numbered by division in the camp Ephraim total 108,100. They are to be the third to travel."

"Toward the north is to be the division of the camp of Dan under their standard. The leader of Dan is to be Ammishaddai's son Ahiezer.

"The tribe of Asher is to encamp beside them. The leader of Asher is to be Ochran's son Pagiel.

"Next is to be the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of Naphtali is to be Enan's son Ahira.

All those numbered by division in the camp of Dan total 157,600. They are to be the last to travel under their standards."

Here is a summary of the census of the Israelis according to the tribes of their ancestral houses: All the divisions in the camps numbered 603,550,

This is a record of the genealogies of Aaron and Moses current as of the day on which the LORD addressed Moses on Mount Sinai.

Nadab and Abihu died in the LORD's presence when they offered unauthorized fire before him in the Sinai wilderness. Since they didn't have their own children, Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests under the authority of Aaron their father.

"Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them to Aaron the priest so they may serve him.

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.

Assign the descendants of Levi to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelis.

Appoint Aaron and his sons so that they are to take responsibility for their priesthood. Any unauthorized person who approaches it is to be put to death."

"I'm taking the descendants of Levi for myself from among the Israelis in place of every first-born who opens the womb. The descendants of Levi belong to me

because all the first-born belong to me. When I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated all the first-born in Israel for myself from human beings to livestock. They belong to me, since I am the LORD."

"Number the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral houses and tribes, numbering every male from a month old and above."

So Moses numbered them according to the instruction of the LORD, as he had been commanded.

These are names of Gershon's descendants according to their families: Libni and Shimei.

These are the names of Kohath's descendants according to their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Merari's descendants according to their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the descendants of Levi according to their ancestral house.

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,

all the males a month old and above numbered 8,600. They were tasked to the care of the sanctuary.

Their duties pertained to the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, and all the curtains in use.

The chief of all the leaders of the descendants of Levi was Aaron the priest's son Eleazar. He was assigned to oversee those who were in charge of the services of the sanctuary.

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.

As the LORD had instructed, everyone counted by Moses and Aaron from the descendants of Levi, according to their tribe, all males from a month old and above numbered 22,000.

All the first-born males according to the list of their names from a month old and above numbered 22,273.

"Separate the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel and the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of their livestock. The descendants of Levi belong to me, since I am the LORD.

You are to pay a ransom for the 273 first-born Israelis who exceed the census number of the descendants of Levi,

Then give the money meant for ransom of their excess to Aaron and his sons."

So Moses took the ransom money to account for the difference in the total number of those redeemed by the descendants of Levi.

From the firstborn of the Israelis, Moses took money amounting to 1,365 shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary.

Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and his sons according to the LORD's instructions, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

"Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the descendants of Levi according to their tribes and ancestral houses

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 the camp is about to travel, Aaron and his sons are to come and take down the veil of the curtain and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it.

They are to set a leather-dyed skin covering over it, cover it with a pure blue cloth, and then insert its poles.

"They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and on top of it the dishes, pans, bowls, pitchers for drink offerings, and the bread of presence are to be on it continually.

They are to spread over them a scarlet cloth and a leather-dyed skin covering and then insert its poles.

"They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand for the light with its lamp, lamp-snuffers, censer, and all the utensils for its oil with which they minister.

Then they are to put them with all the other utensils on the leather-dyed skin covering and set them on the beams for transport.

"On the golden altar, they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with a leather-dyed skin covering, and then insert its poles.

Then they are to take all the utensils for service with which they minister at the sanctuary, set them on the blue cloth, cover them with the leather-dyed skin covering, and then set them on the beams for transport.

They are also to remove the ashes on the altar and spread a purple cloth over it.

Then they are to put all the instruments with which they minister there trays, forks, shovels, bowls, and all the utensils of the altar. They are to spread over it a leather-dyed skin covering and then insert its poles.

"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."

"You are not to eliminate the tribe of the families of the descendants of Kohath from the descendants of Levi.

But do this for them so that they may live and not die when they approach the Most Holy Place: Aaron and his sons are to go in and set specific responsibilities for each of them to carry out.

But they are not to go in to see the sanctuary as it is being covered, so they won't die."

"Take a census of the descendants of Gershon according to their ancestral house and tribes.

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."

"These are the responsibilities that the descendants of Gershon are to have:

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.

The descendants of Gershon are to carry out the instructions of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign them their responsibilities to carry out.

"For the descendants of Merari, number them according to their tribes and ancestral houses

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,

the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, their pegs, their ropes, and all the utensils for all their services. Assign the utensils by name to each person whose responsibility it will be to carry them.

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."

Moses, Aaron, and the congregational leaders numbered the descendants of Kohath according to their tribes and ancestral houses

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