Bamidbar 3

1. These also are the toldot of Aharon and Moshe in the yom that Hashem spoke with Moshe in Mt. Sinai.

2. And these are the shmot of the Bnei Aharon: Nadav the bechor, and Avihu, Eleazar, and Itamar [Vayikra 10].

3. These are the shmot of the Bnei Aharon, the kohanim hameshuchim whose hand he filled [i.e., ordained] to be kohen [Shemot 29; Vayikra 8].

4. And Nadav and Avihu died before Hashem, when they offered eish zarah (unauthorized fire) before Hashem, in the midbar of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Itamar ministered in the kohen’s office in the sight of Aharon their av [Vayikra 10].

5. And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

6. Bring the tribe of Levi near [i.e., present them as offerings are presented], and present them before Aharon HaKohen, that they may minister unto him [i.e., help, be of service to him].

7. And they [the Levi’im] shall be shomer mishmeret (watch the watch, keep the guard duty) for him and for the mishmeret kol HaEdah (duty of the whole Congregation) before the Ohel Mo’ed, to do avodat HaMishkan (the work, service of the Mishkan).

8. And they shall be shomer mishmeret over kol klei Ohel Mo’ed (all the vessels, furnishings of the Ohel Mo’ed) for the Bnei Yisroel, doing the avodat HaMishkan (work of the Mishkan).

9. And thou shalt give the Levi’im unto Aharon and to his banim; they are wholly given unto him from among the Bnei Yisroel.

10. And thou shalt appoint Aharon and his banim; they shall be shomer to watch over their kehunah; the zar that encroach shall be put to death.

11. And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

12. And I, hinei, I have taken the Levi’im from among the Bnei Yisroel instead of all the bechor that openeth the womb among the Bnei Yisroel; therefore the Levi’im shall be Mine;

13. Because all the bechor are Mine; for on the yom that I struck down all the bechor in Eretz Mitzrayim I set apart as kodesh unto Me all the bechor in Yisroel, both man and beast: Mine shall they be: I am Hashem.

14. And Hashem spoke unto Moshe in the midbar of Sinai, saying,

15. Count the Bnei Levi by the bais of their avot, by their mishpekhot; every zachar from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

16. And Moshe numbered them according to the command of Hashem, as he had been commanded.

17. And these were the Bnei Levi by their shmot: Gershon, Kehat, and Merari.

18. And these are the shmot of the Bnei Gershon by their mishpekhot: Livni, and Shimei.

19. And the Bnei Kehat by their mishpekhot: Amram, Yitzhar, Chevron, and Uzziel.

20. And the Bnei Merari by their mishpekhot: Machli and Mushi. These are the mishpekhot of the Levi’im according to the bais of their avot.

21. To Gershon belonged the mishpakhat of the Livni and the mishpakhat of the Shimi: these are the mishpekhot of the Gershoni.

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

23. The mishpekhot of the Gershoni shall encamp behind the Mishkan westward.

24. And the Nasi of the bais av of the Gershoni shall be Elyasaph ben Lael.

25. And the mishmeret of the Bnei Gershon in the Ohel Mo’ed is as follows: the Mishkan, and the Ohel, the covering thereof, and the curtain at the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed,

26. And the curtains of the khatzer, and the curtain for the entrance of the khatzer, which is around the Mishkan, and around the mizbe’ach; and the cords of it for kol avodah thereof.

27. And to Kehat belonged the mishpakhat of the Amrami, and the mishpakhat of the Yitzhari, and the mishpakhat of the Chevroni, and the mishpakhat of the Uzzieli: these are the mishpekhot of the Kehati.

28. In the number of all the zachar, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, shomrei mishmeret haKodesh.

29. The mishpekhot of the Bnei Kehat shall encamp on the southward side of the Mishkan.

30. And the Nasi bais av of the mishpekhot of the Kehati shall be Elitzaphan ben Uzziel.

31. And their guard duty shall be: the Aron and the Shulchan, and the Menorah, and the Mizbechot, and the vessels of HaKodesh (the Holy Place) wherewith they minister, and the curtain, and all the avodah thereof.

32. And Eleazar ben Aharon HaKohen shall be Nasi over the Nasi’ei HaLevi’im, and have the oversight of them that do guard duty over HaKodesh (the Holy Place).

33. To Merari belonged the mishpakhat of the Mahli, and the mishpakhat of the Mushi: these are the mishpekhot of Merari.

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

35. And the Nasi bais av of the mishpekhot of Merari was Tzuriel ben Avichayil; these shall encamp on the side of the Mishkan northward.

36. And under the guard duty charge of the Bnei Merari shall be: the frames of the Mishkan, and the crossbars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the bases thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

37. And the pillars of the khatzer round about, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords.

38. And those that encamp in front of the Mishkan toward the east, even in front of the Ohel Mo’ed eastward, shall be Moshe, and Aharon and his banim, shomrim mishmeret HaMikdash (standing guard duty over the holy area) on behalf of the Bnei Yisroel; and the zar that shall encroach shall be put to death.

39. All that were counted of the Levi’im, which Moshe and Aharon numbered at the command of Hashem, by their mishpekhot, all the zakhar from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.

40. And Hashem said unto Moshe, Count all the bechor of the zakhar of the Bnei Yisroel from a month old and upward, and calculate the total by their shmot.

41. And thou shalt take the Levi’im for Me—I am Hashem—instead of all the bechor among the Bnei Yisroel; and the cattle of the Levi’im instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the Bnei Yisroel.

42. And Moshe counted, as Hashem commanded him, all the bechor among the Bnei Yisroel.

43. And it came about that all the bechor zakhar by the number of shmot, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

44. And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,

45. Take the Levi’im instead of all the bechor among the Bnei Yisroel, and the cattle of the Levi’im instead of their cattle; and the Levi’im shall be Mine: I am Hashem.

46. And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the bechor of the Bnei Yisroel, which are more than the Levi’im;

47. Thou shalt even take five shekels for each one individually, after the shekel of HaKodesh shalt thou take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs) [Vayikra 27:6];

48. And thou shalt give the kesef, wherewith those over and above them [the Levi’im] is to be redeemed, unto Aharon and to his banim.

49. And Moshe took the kesef hapidyom of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levi’im;

50. Of the bechor of the Bnei Yisroel collected he the kesef; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of HaKodesh;

51. And Moshe gave the kesef hapidyom unto Aharon and to his banim, according to the command of Hashem, as Hashem commanded Moshe.