The Wilderness Years

They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.

Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,

and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.

When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

“Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites.

In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry.

But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.”

And the LORD said to Moses,

“Take a census of the Gershonites as well, by their families and clans,

from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport:

They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.

All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.

This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families,

from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.

This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases,

and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families,

everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

And those numbered by their clans totaled 2,750.