Numbers 3:27-51

Of Kohath were the families of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites. The males who were numbered, every male from a month old and upward totaled 8,600, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, and the leader of the fathers’ households of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Now their responsibilities involved the ark, the table [on which the bread of the Presence was placed], the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the curtain, and all the service concerning them. Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, was chief of the leaders of the Levites; he supervised those who performed the duties of the sanctuary. Of Merari were the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these are the families of Merari. The males who were numbered, every male from a month old and upward totaled 6,200. The leader of the fathers’ households of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. The Merarites were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. Now the appointed responsibilities of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets or bases, and all the equipment, and all the service concerning them, and the pillars around the courtyard with their bases and their pegs and their cords (tent ropes). Now those to camp before the tabernacle toward the east, before the Tent of Meeting, toward the sunrise, were to be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for whatever was required of the Israelites; and the layman (non-Levite) who approached [the sanctuary] was to be put to death. All the men of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the LORD, by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names. You shall take the Levites for Me instead of and as a substitute for all the firstborn among the Israelites. I am the LORD; and you shall take the cattle of the Levites instead of and as a substitute for all the firstborn among the cattle of the Israelites.” So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the Israelites, just as the LORD had commanded him; and all the firstborn males from a month old and upward as numbered were 22,273 [273 more than the Levites]. Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the Levites [for Me] instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. And the Levites shall be Mine. I am the LORD. For the ransom (redemption price) of the 273 of the firstborn of the Israelites who outnumber the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece, per head, you shall take them in terms of the sanctuary shekel (the shekel is twenty gerahs), and give the money, the ransom (redemption price) of those who outnumber the Levites to Aaron and to his sons.” So Moses took the ransom (redemption) money from those who were in excess, beyond those ransomed by the Levites; from the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money in terms of the sanctuary shekel, 1,365 shekels. Then Moses gave the ransom money to Aaron and to his sons at the command of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.