The Wilderness Years

Next will be the tribe of Benjamin. The leader of the Benjamites is Abidan son of Gideoni,

and his division numbers 35,400.

The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Ephraim is 108,100; they shall set out third.

On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard:

The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, and his division numbers 62,700.

The tribe of Asher will camp next to it. The leader of the Asherites is Pagiel son of Ocran,

and his division numbers 41,500.

Next will be the tribe of Naphtali. The leader of the Naphtalites is Ahira son of Enan,

and his division numbers 53,400.

The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”

These are the Israelites, numbered according to their families. The total of those counted in the camps, by their divisions, was 603,550.

But the Levites were not counted among the other Israelites, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; they camped under their standards in this way and set out in the same way, each man with his clan and his family.

This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.

They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.

They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites.

So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,