Numbers

Tells about the Israelites' 40 years in the desert, including their travels and the census of their tribes.

Chapter 3

1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

*This is about Aaron and Moses when God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, telling their story at that time.

2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

*These are Aaron's sons' names: Nadab, who was born first, then Abihu, followed by Eleazar and Ithamar.

3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

*These are Aaron's priest sons, who were anointed and set apart for serving as priests.

4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.

*Nadab and Abihu passed away while offering unusual fire to God in the Sinai desert. They didn't have kids. Eleazar and Ithamar took over as priests, observed by their dad, Aaron.

5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

*Bring the Levite group close and introduce them to Aaron, the priest, so they can help him with his tasks.

7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

*They will take care of God's responsibility and the responsibility for everyone in the group at the tent where we all meet, to help with the tasks at the tent.

8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

*They will take care of all the items for the tent of the group, and look after the needs of the Israelite people, to help with the work at the tent.

9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

*You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons, as they belong entirely to him from the people of Israel.

10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

*You must choose Aaron and his sons for the priest job. They will do their duties. Anyone not from that group trying to do the job will be punished with death.

11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

*And I, indeed, have chosen the Levites from the Israelite children in place of all the firstborn born from the womb among the Israelites. So, the Levites belong to me.

13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

*Because I chose all firstborns as special; when I judged all firstborns in Egypt, I set apart for myself all firstborns in Israel, people and animals; they belong to me; I am God.

14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying,

15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

*Count the Levites' kids based on their family groups. Include all males one month or older.

16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

*Moses counted the people as the Lord instructed him, following his orders.

17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

*These were Levi's sons and their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

*These are the sons of Gershon and their family groups: Libni and Shimei.

19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

*And the children of Kohath's family were Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

*The descendants of Merari, divided into groups, were Mahli and Mushi. This is how the Levite family groups were organized based on their ancestors.

21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

*From Gershon came the Libnite family and the Shimite family; these are the groups of the Gershonites.

22 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

*Those counted from them, based on all male's total, from one month old and up, were exactly seven thousand five hundred.

23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.

*The Gershonite families will set up their camp side the dwelling, towards the west side.

24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

*The leader of the family in the group of Gershonites is Eliasaph, son of Lael.

25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

*The Gershonites' job in the worship place was to take care of the structure, the outer cover, and the doorway curtain for the main tent.

26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

*The curtains around the court area, the door's curtain, those near the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes for everything needed there.

27 And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

*The verse says that the Kohath group had four families: the Amramites, the Izeharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites. These are all the families in the Kohath group.

28 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

*In total, there were 8,060 male caretakers of the sanctuary, aged one month or older.

29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

*The Kohath family members will set up their camp on the southern side of the tabernacle.

30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

*The leader of the main family group of the Kohathites will be Elizaphan, who is Uzziel's son.

31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

*Their job will be to take care of the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the tools for worship, the curtain, and everything related to their work.

32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

*Eleazar, Aaron's son and a priest, will lead the top Levites and watch over those who take care of the sanctuary.

33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

*The Mahlites and Mushites were part of the Merari family. These two groups made up Merari's families.

34 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

*Those counted from the males, age one month and up, totaled six thousand and two hundred.

35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

*The leader of the Merari family's group was Zuriel, son of Abihail; they set up their camp by the tabernacle on the north side.

36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

*The sons of Merari will take care of the tabernacle's boards, bars, pillars, sockets, and all its tools. They will also look after everyone who helps with these items.

37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

*And the support columns around the court, along with their base connectors, their fastening rods, and their tie strings.

38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

*But those near the front of the tent facing east, by the congregation's tent eastward, will be Moses, Aaron, and his sons. They will watch over the sanctuary for the protection of the Israelite children. Anyone not part of this group who gets too close will be killed.

39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.

*All Levites counted by Moses and Aaron, as ordered by God, in their families, included all boys one month or older - there were 22,000 of them.

40 And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

*And God told Moses, count all the firstborn boys of the Israeli people who are one month or older, and write down their names.

41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

*You will choose the Levites for me (I am the Lord) in place of all the firstborn children of Israel, and the Levites' animals in place of all the firstborn animals of the children of Israel.

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

*Moses counted, as the Lord told him, all the firstborn children of Israel.

43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

*All the firstborn boys, one month old and older, among those counted, totaled twenty-two thousand two hundred and thirty-three.

44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

*And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

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

*Replace all firstborn children of Israel with the Levites, and exchange the Levites' animals for theirs. The Levites will belong to me, as I am the LORD.

46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

*For those being saved from the 263 firstborn children of Israel, who are more than the Levites.

47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

*You shall take five shekels per person at the head, taking them according to the sanctuary's shekel value; the shekel equals twenty gerahs.

48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

*And you shall give the money used for redeeming the extra ones to Aaron and his sons.

49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

*Moses got extra redemption money from those not redeemed by the Levites.

50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

*From the firstborn of the Israelites, he collected money - 1,335 shekels, according to the sanctuary's shekel.

51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

*Moses gave the money from those who were saved to Aaron and his children, following God's instructions, just like God told Moses to do.

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