The Wilderness Years

And those encamping before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting, at the east, are Moses and Aaron, and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the sons of Israel, and the stranger who cometh near is put to death.

All those numbered of the Levites whom Moses numbered--Aaron also--by the command of Jehovah, by their families, every male from a son of a month and upward, are two and twenty thousand.

And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Number every first-born male of the sons of Israel from a son of a month and upward, and take up the number of their names;

and thou hast taken the Levites for Me (I am Jehovah), instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of every firstling among the cattle of the sons of Israel.'

And Moses numbereth, as Jehovah hath commanded him, all the first-born among the sons of Israel.

And all the first-born--male--by the number of names, from a son of a month and upward, of their numbered ones, are two and twenty thousand two hundred and seventy and three.

And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,

`Take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites have been Mine; I am Jehovah.

`And from those ransomed of the two hundred and seventy and three (who are more than the Levites) of the first-born of the sons of Israel,

thou hast even taken five shekels a-piece by the poll--by the shekel of the sanctuary thou takest; twenty gerahs the shekel is ;

and thou hast given the money to Aaron, and to his sons, whereby those over and above are ransomed.'

And Moses taketh the ransom money from those over and above those ransomed by the Levites;

from the first-born of the sons of Israel he hath taken the money, a thousand and three hundred and sixty and five--by the shekel of the sanctuary;

and Moses giveth the money of those ransomed to Aaron, and to his sons, according to the command of Jehovah, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.

And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying,

`Take up the sum of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, by their families, by the house of their fathers;

from a son of thirty years and upward, even till a son of fifty years, every one going in to the host, to do work in the tent of meeting.

`This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the holy of holies:

that Aaron and his sons have come in, in the journeying of the camp, and have taken down the vail of the hanging, and have covered with it the ark of the testimony;

and have put on it a covering of badger skin, and have spread a garment completely of blue above, and have placed its staves.

`And on the table of the presence they spread a garment of blue, and have put on it the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the cups of the libation, and the bread of continuity is on it,

and they have spread over them a garment of scarlet, and have covered it with a covering of badger skin, and have placed its staves,

and have taken a garment of blue, and have covered the candlestick of the lamp, and its lights, and its snuffers, and its snuff-dishes, and all its oil vessels wherewith they minister to it;

and they have put it and all its vessels unto a covering of badger skin, and have put it on the bar.

`And on the golden altar they spread a garment of blue, and have covered it with a covering of badger skin, and have placed its staves;