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Bamidbar 3

Bamidbar chapter 3 in the Qadmoni reader. Read the full chapter text with direct verse references and continue into the interactive reader.

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3:1

The Generation of the Priests

These also are the generations of Aharon and Mushah in the day that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spake with Mushah in mount Siynay.
3:2
And these are the names of the sons of Aharon; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3:3
These are the names of the sons of Aharon, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
3:4
And Nadab and Abihu died before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, when they offered strange fire before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, in the wilderness of Siynay, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aharon their father.
3:5

The Appointment of the Lawiym

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spake unto Mushah, saying,
3:6
"Bring the tribe of Lawiy near, and present them before Aharon the priest, that they may minister unto him."
3:7
"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."
3:8
"And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Yashar'al, to do the service of the tabernacle."
3:9
"And thou shalt give the Lawiym unto Aharon and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Yashar'al."
3:10
"And thou shalt appoint Aharon and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death."
3:11

The Law of Substitution

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spake unto Mushah, saying,
3:12
"And I, behold, I have taken the Lawiym from among the children of Yashar'al instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Yashar'al: therefore the Lawiym shall be mine;"
3:13
"Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Mitzrayim I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Yashar'al, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄."
3:14

The Census of the Lawiym

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spake unto Mushah in the wilderness of Siynay, saying,
3:15
"Number the children of Lawiy after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them."
3:16
And Mushah numbered them according to the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, as he was commanded.
3:17
And these were the sons of Lawiy by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
3:18
And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
3:19
And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Chabrun, and Uzziel.
3:20
And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Lawiym according to the house of their fathers.
3:21

The Family of Gershon

Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
3:22
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.
3:23
The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
3:24
And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
3:25
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,
3:26
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.
3:27

The Family of Kohath

And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Chabrunites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
3:28
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.
3:29
The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
3:30
And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
3:31
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.
3:32
And Eleazar the son of Aharon the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Lawiym, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
3:33

The Family of Merari

Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
3:34
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.
3:35
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.
3:36
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,
3:37
And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
3:38

The East Gate

But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Mushah, and Aharon and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Yashar'al; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
3:39
All that were numbered of the Lawiym, which Mushah and Aharon numbered at the commandment of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
3:40

The Redemption Protocol

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 said unto Mushah, "Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Yashar'al from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names."
3:41
"And thou shalt take the Lawiym for me (I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Yashar'al; and the cattle of the Lawiym instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Yashar'al."
3:42
And Mushah numbered, as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Yashar'al.
3:43
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.
3:44

The Redemption Price for the Surplus

And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 spake unto Mushah, saying,
3:45
"Take the Lawiym instead of all the firstborn among the children of Yashar'al, and the cattle of the Lawiym instead of their cattle; and the Lawiym shall be mine: I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄."
3:46
"And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Yashar'al, which are more than the Lawiym;"
3:47
"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:)"
3:48
"And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aharon and to his sons."
3:49
And Mushah took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Lawiym:
3:50
Of the firstborn of the children of Yashar'al took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
3:51
And Mushah gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aharon and to his sons, according to the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 commanded Mushah.