Numbers 4

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1. 1The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron:
2. 2"Take a census of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, organized by their families and ancestral households.
3. 3Count every man between 30 and 50 years old who is eligible to serve and do the work in the Tent of Meeting.
4. 4The Kohathites' responsibility in the Tent of Meeting involves the most holy objects.
5. 5When the camp is ready to move, Aaron and his sons must go in first and take down the inner curtain, then use it to cover the ark of the testimony.
6. 6Then they shall put a covering of badgers’ skins over it, spread a cloth wholly of blue over it, and put in its poles.
7. 7On the table of showbread, they shall spread a blue cloth and place on it the dishes, spoons, bowls, and covers for covering. The continual bread shall remain on it.
8. 8Then they must spread a scarlet cloth over everything, cover it with a sealskin covering, and insert the carrying poles.
9. 9They must take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand along with its lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and all the oil containers used to tend it.
10. 10Then they must wrap the lampstand and all its equipment in a sealskin covering and place it on a carrying frame.
11. 11Over the golden altar, they must spread a blue cloth, cover it with a sealskin covering, and insert its carrying poles.
12. 12They must gather all the utensils used for service in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with a sealskin covering, and place them on a carrying frame.
13. 13They must remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
14. 14On top of that, they must place all the altar's equipment — the firepans, meat hooks, shovels, and basins — everything used at the altar. Then they must spread a sealskin covering over it all and insert the carrying poles.
15. 15Once Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all its furnishings and the camp is ready to move out, the Kohathites may come to carry these things. But they must not touch any of the holy objects, or they will die. These are the items the Kohathites are responsible to carry from the Tent of Meeting.
16. 16Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is personally responsible for the oil for the lampstand, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He also has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it — the sanctuary and all its furnishings."
17. 17The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron:
18. 18"Don't let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites.
19. 19Here's what you must do so they can live and not die when they come near the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons must go in first and assign each man his specific task and what he is to carry.
20. 20The Kohathites must never go in to look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die."
21. 21The LORD spoke to Moses:
22. 22"Take a census of the Gershonites as well, organized by their ancestral households and families.
23. 23Count every man between 30 and 50 years old who is eligible to serve and do the work in the Tent of Meeting.
24. 24Here is what the Gershonite families are responsible to do and carry:
25. 25They must carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with its covering, the sealskin covering that goes over it, and the screen for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
26. 26They must also carry the courtyard hangings, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard gate surrounding the tabernacle and altar, all the ropes, and every piece of equipment needed for their work. They are responsible for all the service connected to these items.
27. 27Everything the Gershonites do — every load they carry and every task they perform — must be directed by Aaron and his sons. You must assign them specific responsibility for everything they are to carry.
28. 28This is the work assigned to the Gershonite families at the Tent of Meeting. Their duties fall under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
29. 29Now count the Merarites, organized by their families and ancestral households.
30. 30Count every man between 30 and 50 years old who is eligible to serve and do the work of the Tent of Meeting.
31. 31Here is what they are responsible to carry as part of their service at the Tent of Meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and bases,
32. 32the posts around the courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, along with all the related equipment and everything needed for their work. Assign each man by name the specific items he is responsible to carry.
33. 33This is the work assigned to the Merarite families — all their duties at the Tent of Meeting, under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."
34. 34Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their families and ancestral households.
35. 35They counted every man between 30 and 50 years old who was eligible to serve and work at the Tent of Meeting.
36. 36The total for the Kohathite families was 2,750.
37. 37This was the count of the Kohathite families — everyone who served at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
38. 38The Gershonites were also counted by their families and ancestral households.
39. 39Every man between 30 and 50 years old who was eligible to serve and work at the Tent of Meeting was counted.
40. 40The total for the Gershonite families was 2,630.
41. 41This was the count of the Gershonite families — everyone who served at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them just as the LORD had commanded.
42. 42The Merarites were counted by their families and ancestral households.
43. 43Every man between 30 and 50 years old who was eligible to serve and work at the Tent of Meeting was counted.
44. 44The total for the Merarite families was 3,200.
45. 45This was the count of the Merarite families. Moses and Aaron counted them just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.
46. 46So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel completed the census of all the Levites, organized by their families and ancestral households.
47. 47Every man between 30 and 50 years old who was eligible to serve — whether in ministry duties or carrying loads at the Tent of Meeting —
48. 48came to a grand total of 8,580.
49. 49Each man was counted and assigned his specific task and load, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. This is how the census was completed, exactly as the LORD had ordered.