The Duties of the Kohathite Clans
1 The Lord told Moses and Aaron:
2-3 Find out how many men between the ages of 30 and 50 are in the four Levite clans of Kohath. Count only those who are able to work at the sacred tent.
4 The Kohathites will be responsible for carrying the sacred objects used in worship at the sacred tent. 5 When the Israelites are ready to move their camp, Aaron and his sons will enter the tent and take down the curtain that separates the sacred chest from the rest of the tent. They will cover the chest with this curtain, 6 and then with a piece of fine leather, and cover it all with a solid blue cloth. After this they will put the carrying poles in place.
7 Next, Aaron and his sons will use another blue cloth to cover the table for the sacred bread. On the cloth they will place the dishes, the bowls for incense, the cups, the jugs for wine, as well as the bread itself. 8 They are to cover all of this with a bright red cloth, and then with a piece of fine leather, before putting the carrying poles in place.
9 With another blue cloth they will cover the lampstand, along with the lamps, the lamp snuffers, the fire pans, and the jars of oil for the lamps. 10 All of this will then be covered with a piece of fine leather and placed on a carrying frame.
11 The gold incense altar is to be covered with a blue cloth, and then with a piece of fine leather, before its carrying poles are put in place.
12 Next, Aaron and his sons will take blue cloth and wrap all the objects used in worship at the sacred tent. These will need to be covered with a piece of fine leather, then placed on a carrying frame.
13 They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and cover it with a purple cloth. 14 On that cloth will be placed the utensils used at the altar, including the fire pans, the meat forks, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. All of this will then be covered with a piece of fine leather, before the carrying poles are put in place.
15 When the camp is ready to be moved, the Kohathites will be responsible for carrying the sacred objects and the furnishings of the sacred tent. But Aaron and his sons must have already covered those things so the Kohathites won't touch them and die.
16 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest will be in charge of the oil for the lamps, the sweet-smelling incense, the grain for the sacrifices, and the olive oil used for dedications and ordinations. Eleazar is responsible for seeing that the sacred tent, its furnishings, and the sacred objects are taken care of.
17-20 The Kohathites must not go near or even look at the sacred objects until Aaron and his sons have covered those objects. If they do, their entire clan will be wiped out. So make sure that Aaron and his sons go into the tent with them and tell them what to carry.
The Duties of the Gershonite Clans
21 The Lord said to Moses:
22-23 Find out how many men between the ages of 30 and 50 are in the two Levite clans of Gershon. Count only those who are able to work at the sacred tent.
24 The Gershonites will be responsible 25 for carrying the curtains of the sacred tent, its two outer coverings, the curtain for the entrance to the tent, 26 the curtains hanging around the courtyard of the tent, and the curtain and ropes for the entrance to the courtyard. The Gershonites are to do whatever needs to be done to take care of these things, 27 and they will carry them wherever Aaron and his sons tell them to. 28 These are the duties of the Gershonites at the sacred tent, and Ithamar son of Aaron will make sure they do their work.
The Duties of the Merarite Clans
29-30 The Lord said:
Moses, find out how many men between 30 and 50 are in the two Levite clans of Merari, but count only those who are able to work at the sacred tent.
31 The Merarites will be responsible for carrying the frames of the tent and its other pieces, including the bars, the posts, and the stands, 32 as well as the posts that support the courtyard, together with their stands, tent pegs, and ropes. The Merarites are to be told exactly what objects they are to carry, 33 and Ithamar son of Aaron will make sure they do their work.
The Levites Are Counted Again
34-49 Moses, Aaron, and the other Israelite leaders obeyed the Lord and counted the Levi tribe by families and clans, to find out how many men there were between the ages of 30 and 50 who could work at the sacred tent. There were 2,750 Kohathites, 2,630 Gershonites, and 3,200 Merarites, making a total of 8,580. Then they were all assigned their duties.
1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, and to Aaron, saying, 2 Take the summe of the sonnes of Kohath from among the sonnes of Leui, after their families, and houses of their fathers, 3 From thirtie yeere olde and aboue, euen vntill fiftie yeere olde, all that enter into the assemblie to do the worke in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 4 This shall be the office of the sonnes of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation about the Holiest of all. 5 When the hoste remoueth, then Aaron and his sonnes shall come and take downe the couering vaile, and shall couer the Arke of the Testimonie therewith. 6 And they shall put thereon a couering of badgers skinnes, and shall spread vpon it a cloth altogether of blewe silke, and put to the barres thereof: 7 And vpon ye table of shew bread they shall spread a cloth of blewe silke, and put thereon the dishes, and the incense cups, and goblets, and couerings to couer it with, and the bread shall be thereon continually: 8 And they shall spread vpon them a couering of skarlet, and couer the same with a couering of badgers skinnes, and put to the barres thereof. 9 Then they shall take a cloth of blewe silke, and couer the candlesticke of light with his lampes and his snuffers, and his snuffedishes, and al the oyle vessels thereof, which they occupie about it. 10 So they shall put it, and all the instruments thereof in a couering of badgers skinnes, and put it vpon the barres. 11 Also vpon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blewe silke, and couer it with a couering of badgers skinnes, and put to the barres thereof. 12 And they shall take all the instruments of the ministerie wherewith they minister in the Sanctuarie, and put them in a cloth of blew silke, and couer the with a couering of badgers skinnes, and put them on the barres. 13 Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth vpon it, 14 And shall put vpon it all the instruments thereof, which they occupie about it: the censers, the fleshhookes and the besomes, and the basens, euen al the instruments of the altar and they shall spread vpon it a couering of badgers skinnes, and put to the barres of it. 15 And when Aaron and his sonnes haue made an ende of couering the Sanctuarie, and al the instruments of the Sanctuarie, at the remouing of the host, afterward the sonnes of Kohath shall come to beare it, but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they dye. This is the charge of the sonnes of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 16 And to the office of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest pertaineth the oyle for the light, and the sweete incense and the dayly meat offring, and the anointing oyle, with the ouersight of all the Tabernacle, and of all that therein is, both in the Sanctuarie and in all the instruments thereof. 17 And the Lord spake vnto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 18 Ye shall not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Leuites: 19 But thus do vnto them, that they may liue and not die, when they come neere to the most holy things: let Aaron and his sonnes come and appoynt them, euery one to his office, and to his charge. 20 But let them not goe in, to see when the Sanctuarie is folden vp, lest they die. 21 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 22 Take also ye summe of the sonnes of Gershon, euery one by the houses of their fathers throughout their families: 23 From thirtie yere old and aboue, vntil fiftie yere old shalt thou nomber them, al that enter into the assemblie for to do seruice in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 24 This shall be the seruice of the families of the Gershonites, to serue and to beare. 25 They shall beare the curtaines of the Tabernacle, and the Tabernacle of the Congregation, his couering, and the couering of badgers skinnes, that is on hie vpon it, and the vayle of the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation: 26 The curtaines also of the court, and the vaile of the entring in of the gate of the court, which is neere the Tabernacle and neere the altar round about, with their cordes, and all the instruments for their seruice, and all that is made for them: so shall they serue. 27 At the commandement of Aaron and his sonnes shall all the seruice of the sonnes of ye Gershonites bee done, in all their charges and in all their seruice, and ye shall appoynt them to keepe all their charges. 28 This is the seruice of the families of the sonnes of the Gershonites in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and their watch shall be vnder the hande of Ithamar the sonne of Aaron the Priest. 29 Thou shalt nomber the sonnes of Merari by their families, and by the houses of their fathers: 30 From thirty yere olde and aboue, euen vnto fiftie yere olde shalt thou nomber the, all that enter into the assemblie, to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 31 And this is their office and charge according to all their seruice in the Tabernacle of the Congregation: the boardes of the Tabernacle with the barres thereof, and his pillars, and his sockets, 32 And the pillars rounde about the court, with their sockets and their pinnes, and their cords, with all their instruments, euen for all their seruice: and by name ye shall recken the instruments of their office and charge. 33 This is the seruice of the families of the sonnes of Merari, according to all their seruice in the Tabernacle of the Congregation vnder the hand of Ithamar the sonne of Aaron the Priest. 34 Then Moses and Aaron and the princes of the Congregation nombred the sonnes of the Kohathites, by their families and by the houses of their fathers, 35 From thirtie yeere olde and aboue, euen vnto fiftie yere olde, all that enter into the assemblie for the seruice of the Tabernacle of ye Congregation. 36 So the nombers of the throughout their families were two thousande, seuen hundreth and fiftie. 37 These are the nombers of the families of the Kohathites, al that serue in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which Moses and Aaron did nomber according to the commandement of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 38 Also the nombers of the sonnes of Gershon throughout their families and houses of their fathers, 39 From thirtie yere olde and vpwarde, euen vnto fiftie yere olde: all that enter into the assemblie for the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Cogregation. 40 So the nombers of them by their families, and by the houses of their fathers were two thousand sixe hundreth and thirtie. 41 These are the nombers of the families of the sonnes of Gershon: of all that did seruice in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did nomber according to the commandement of the Lord. 42 The nombers also of the families of the sonnes of Merari by their families, and by the houses of their fathers, 43 From thirtie yeere olde and vpwarde, euen vnto fiftie yeere olde: all that enter into the assemblie for the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 44 So the nombers of them by their families were three thousand, and two hundreth. 45 These are the summes of ye families of the sonnes of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron nombred according to the commandement of the Lord, by the hand of Moses. 46 So all the nombers of the Leuites, which Moses, and Aaron, and the princes of Israel nombred by their families and by the houses of their fathers, 47 From thirtie yere olde and vpward, euen to fiftie yeere olde, euery one that came to doe his duetie, office, seruice and charge in the Tabernacle of the Congregation. 48 So the nombers of them were eight thousand, fiue hundreth and foure score. 49 According to the commandement of the Lord by the hand of Moses did Aaron nomber them, euery one according to his seruice, and according to his charge. Thus were they of that tribe nombred, as the Lord commanded Moses.