Duties of the Levites

Numbers 3

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 h "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, i as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. 9 And j you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are k wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and l they shall guard their priesthood. But if m any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death."

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 "Behold, n I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for o all the firstborn are mine. p On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord."

14 And the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 "List the sons of Levi, by fathers' houses and by clans; q every male from a month old and upward you shall list." 16 So Moses listed them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded. 17 r And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: s Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their clans: t Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans: u Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers' houses.

21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 1 7,500. 23 v The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers' house of the Gershonites. 25 And the w guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved x the tabernacle, y the tent with z its covering, a the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 b the hangings of the court, c the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and d its cords - all the service connected with these.

27 To Kohath belonged the clan of the e Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 with f Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers' house of the clans of the Kohathites. 31 And their guard duty involved g the ark, h the table, i the lampstand, j the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and k the screen; all the service connected with these. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.

33 To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. 34 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. 35 And the chief of the fathers' house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 l And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the m frames of the tabernacle, n the bars, o the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; 37 also p the pillars around the court, with their bases and q pegs and r cords.

38 Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, s guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect 2 the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were t 22,000.

  1. Cross References
    Numbers 1:50
    But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle.
    Numbers 8:6
    Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them.
    Numbers 18:2
    And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.
  2. Cross References
    Numbers 8:11
    And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the Lord.
    Numbers 8:15
    And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering.
    Numbers 8:24
    This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting.
    Numbers 8:26
    They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.
  3. Cross References
    Numbers 8:19
    And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.
    Numbers 18:6
    And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
  4. Cross References
    Numbers 8:16
    For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
  5. Cross References
    Numbers 18:7
    And you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
    Romans 12:7
    If service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching.
  6. Cross References
    Numbers 3:38
    Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death.
    Numbers 1:51
    When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.
  7. Cross References
    Numbers 3:41
    And you shall take the Levites for me - I am the Lord - instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.
    Numbers 8:16
    For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
    Numbers 18:6
    And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 13:2
    "Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine."
  9. Cross References
    Numbers 8:17
    For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself.
    Exodus 13:12
    You shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord 's.
    Exodus 13:15
    For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.
  10. Cross References
    Numbers 3:39
    All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the Lord, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000.
    Numbers 26:62
    And those listed were 23,000, every male from a month old and upward. For they were not listed among the people of Israel, because there was no inheritance given to them among the people of Israel.
    Numbers 1:47
    But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe.
  11. Cross References
    Numbers 26:57
    This was the list of the Levites according to t...
    Genesis 46:11
    The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
    Exodus 6:16
    These are the names of the sons of Levi accordi...
    1 Chronicles 6:1
    The sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
    1 Chronicles 6:16
    The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.
    1 Chronicles 23:6
    And David organized them in divisions correspon...
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 6:17
    The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans.
    1 Chronicles 6:17
    And these are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.
    1 Chronicles 23:7
    The sons of Gershon were Ladan and Shimei.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 6:18
    The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the years of the life of Kohath being 133 years.
    1 Chronicles 6:2
    The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
    1 Chronicles 6:18
    The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
    1 Chronicles 23:12
    The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
  14. Cross References
    Exodus 6:19
    The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations.
    1 Chronicles 6:19
    The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their fathers.
    1 Chronicles 23:21
    The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 1:53
    But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.
  16. Cross References
    Numbers 4:24 - 26
    This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens:
  17. Cross References
    Exodus 25:9
    Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
  18. Cross References
    Exodus 26:7
    You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make.
    Exodus 36:14
    He also made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains.
  19. Cross References
    Exodus 26:14
    And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and a covering of goatskins on top.
  20. Cross References
    Exodus 26:36
    You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.
  21. Cross References
    Exodus 27:9
    You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side.
  22. Cross References
    Exodus 27:16
    For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases.
  23. Cross References
    Numbers 3:37
    Also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.
    Exodus 35:18
    The pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords.
    Exodus 39:40
    The hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting.
  24. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 26:23
    Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites -
  25. Cross References
    Exodus 6:22
    The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
    Leviticus 10:4
    And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp.
  26. Cross References
    Exodus 25:10
    They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
  27. Cross References
    Exodus 25:23
    You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
  28. Cross References
    Exodus 25:31
    You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.
  29. Cross References
    Exodus 27:1
    You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.
    Exodus 30:1
    You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.
  30. Cross References
    Exodus 26:36
    You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework.
  31. Cross References
    Numbers 4:31 - 32
    And this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases.
  32. Cross References
    Exodus 26:15
    You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.
  33. Cross References
    Exodus 26:26
    You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of the one side of the tabernacle.
  34. Cross References
    Exodus 26:32
    And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver.
    Exodus 26:37
    And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.
  35. Cross References
    Exodus 27:10
    Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
  36. Cross References
    Exodus 27:19
    All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.
  37. Cross References
    Numbers 3:26
    The hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords - all the service connected with these.
  38. Cross References
    Numbers 1:53
    But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony.
  39. Cross References
    Numbers 3:22
    Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 7,500.
    Numbers 3:28
    According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary.
    Numbers 3:34
    Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200.
    Numbers 3:46 - 49
    And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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