Numbers 3:39–51

³⁹The total number of all the Levite males one month old or older that Moses enrolled by clans at the command of the Lord, was 22,000.

The Levites Take the Place of the First-Born Sons

^40–41The Lord said to Moses, “All of Israel’s firstborn sons belong to me. So register by name every firstborn male Israelite, one month old or older. But in place of them I claim all the Levites as mine! I am the Lord! I also claim the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock.” ⁴²Moses obeyed, and registered all the firstborn males ⁴³one month old or older; the total was 22,273.

⁴⁴The Lord said to Moses, ⁴⁵“Now dedicate the Levites as mine in place of all the firstborn Israelite sons, and dedicate the livestock of the Levites in place of the firstborn of the Israelites’ livestock. ⁴⁶Since the firstborn Israelite sons outnumber the Levites by 273, you must buy back the extra sons. ⁴⁷For each one pay five pieces of silver, according to the official standard, ⁴⁸and give this money to Aaron and his sons.” ⁴⁹Moses obeyed and took ⁵⁰the 1,365 pieces of silver ⁵¹and gave them to Aaron and his sons.