The Wilderness Years

All the firstborn males belong to me, because on the day that I killed all the firstborn males in the land of Egypt, I separated for myself all the firstborn males in Isra'el, both human and animal. They are mine; I am ADONAI."

ADONAI said to Moshe in the Sinai Desert,

"Take a census of the tribe of Levi by clans and families. Count every male a month old or over."

Moshe counted them in the manner ADONAI had said, as he had been ordered.

The names of the sons of Levi were Gershon, K'hat and M'rari.

The names of the sons of Gershon were Livni and Shim'i; they fathered their respective clans;

likewise the sons of K'hat -'Amram,Yitz'har, Hevron and 'Uzi'el -

and the sons of M'rari -Machli and Mushi. These fathered the clans of the L'vi'im.

Gershon fathered the clans of Livni and Shim'i; these were the Gershon clans.

Of them, 7,500 males a month old and over were counted.

The Gershon clans were to camp behind the tabernacle, toward the west.

The chief of the Gershon clan was Elyasaf, the son of La'el.

In connection with the tent of meeting, the descendants of Gershon were to be in charge of the following: the tabernacle itself, its inner and outer coverings, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting,

the curtains surrounding the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and the altar, all the fixtures and ropes for these items, and their maintenance.

K'hat fathered the clans of 'Amram, Yitz'har, Hevron and 'Uzi'el; these were the K'hat clans.

Of them, 8,600 males a month old and over were counted; they were in charge of the Holy Place.

The K'hat clans were to camp next to the tabernacle, toward the south.

The chief of the K'hat clan was Elitzafan the son of 'Uzi'el.

They were responsible for the ark, the table, the menorah, the altars, the utensils the cohanim use when they serve in the Holy Place, the curtain, and everything involved with the maintenance of these things.

El'azar the son of Aharon the cohen was first among the chiefs of the L'vi'im and supervised those in charge of the Holy Place.

M'rari fathered the clans of Machli and Mushi; these were the M'rari clans.

Of them, 6,200 males a month old and over were counted.

The chief of the M'rari clan was Tzuri'el the son of Avichayil. They were to camp next to the tabernacle, toward the north.

The M'rari clans were assigned responsibility for the frames of the tabernacle, along with its crossbars, posts, sockets and fittings, together with their maintenance;

also the posts of the surrounding courtyard, with their sockets, pegs and ropes.