The Wilderness Years

These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

Then the Gershonites were numbered 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 and families totaled 2,630.

These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command.

And the Merarites were numbered by their clans and families,

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

The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200.

These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses.

So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites

from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting.

And the number of men was 8,580.

At the LORD’s command they were numbered through Moses and each one was assigned his work and burden, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body.

You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”

So the Israelites did this, sending such people outside the camp. They did just as the LORD had instructed Moses.

And the LORD said to Moses,

“Tell the Israelites that when a man or woman acts unfaithfully against the LORD by committing any sin against another, that person is guilty

and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution, add a fifth to its value, and give all this to the one he has wronged.

But if the man has no relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest along with the ram of atonement, by which the atonement is made for him.

Every sacred contribution the Israelites bring to the priest shall belong to him.

Each man’s sacred gifts are his own, but whatever he gives to the priest will belong to the priest.”

Then the LORD said to Moses,

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that if any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him