Numbers 3:5–37

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi^j and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.^k They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community^l at the tent of meeting by doing the work^m of the tabernacle. They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;ⁿ they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him. Appoint Aaron^o and his sons to serve as priests;^p anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”^q

The Lord also said to Moses, “I have taken the Levites^r from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^s of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^t for all the firstborn are mine.^u When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”^v

The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,^w “Count^x the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”^y So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

These were the names of the sons of Levi:^z

Gershon,^a Kohath^b and Merari.^c

These were the names of the Gershonite clans:

Libni and Shimei.^d

The Kohathite clans:

Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.^e

The Merarite clans:^f

Mahli and Mushi.^g

These were the Levite clans, according to their families.

To Gershon^h belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites;ⁱ these were the Gershonite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle.^j The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle^k and tent, its coverings,^l the curtain at the entrance^m to the tent of meeting,ⁿ the curtains of the courtyard^o, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,^p and the ropes^q—and everything^r related to their use.

To Kohath^s belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites;^t these were the Kohathite^u clans. The number of all the males a month old or more^v was 8,600. The Kohathites were responsible^w for the care of the sanctuary.^x The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side^y of the tabernacle. The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan^z son of Uzziel. They were responsible for the care of the ark,^a the table,^b the lampstand,^c the altars,^d the articles^e of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain,^f and everything related to their use.^g The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar^h son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsibleⁱ for the care of the sanctuary.^j

To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites;^k these were the Merarite clans.^l The number of all the males a month old or more^m who were counted was 6,200. The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.ⁿ The Merarites were appointed^o to take care of the frames of the tabernacle,^p its crossbars,^q posts,^r bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use,^s as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard^t with their bases, tent pegs^u and ropes.