Bible Verses About The Levites: Taken instead of the first-born of Israel

The LORD said to Moses, “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

You shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”

Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

All the firstborn males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD.

For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me.

For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself.

I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.