Numbers 4

¹ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron:

² "Take a census of the Kohathites, a subgroup of the Levites, by their clans and families.

³ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years old who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

⁴ This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things.

⁵ When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the shielding curtain, and cover the ark of the covenant law with it.

⁶ Then they are to put a covering of fine leather over it, spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert the carrying poles.

⁷ They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and set on it the plates, dishes, bowls, and jars for drink offerings; the bread that is always there is to remain on it.

⁸ Over these they are to spread a scarlet cloth, cover that with fine leather, and insert the carrying poles.

⁹ They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and all the jars of oil used to supply it.

¹⁰ Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of fine leather and put it on a carrying frame.

¹¹ Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover that with fine leather, and insert the carrying poles.

¹² They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with fine leather, and put them on a carrying frame.

¹³ They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it.

¹⁴ Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the utensils of the altar. They are to spread a covering of fine leather over it and insert the carrying poles.

¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things the Kohathites are to carry from the tent of meeting.

¹⁶ Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to be responsible for the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil. He is to be responsible for the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."

¹⁷ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

¹⁸ "Do not let the Kohathite clans be cut off from among the Levites.

¹⁹ So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each of them their work and what they are to carry.

²⁰ But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."

²¹ The LORD said to Moses,

²² "Take a census of the Gershonites also, by their families and clans.

²³ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years old who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

²⁴ This is the service of the Gershonite clans as they work and carry their loads:

²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, its covering and the outer covering of fine leather, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting,

²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the ropes, and all the equipment used in their service. The Gershonites are to do everything that needs to be done with these things.

²⁷ All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign to them as their responsibility everything they are to carry.

²⁸ This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

²⁹ Count the Merarites by their clans and families.

³⁰ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years old who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

³¹ As part of all their service at the tent of meeting, they are responsible for carrying the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and bases,

³² as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment, and everything related to their use. Assign to each man by name the items he is responsible to carry.

³³ This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

³⁴ Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families.

³⁵ All the men from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,

³⁶ counted by their clans, came to 2,750.

³⁷ This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command through Moses.

³⁸ The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families.

³⁹ All the men from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,

⁴⁰ counted by their clans and families, came to 2,630.

⁴¹ This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command.

⁴² The Merarites were counted by their clans and families.

⁴³ All the men from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,

⁴⁴ counted by their clans, came to 3,200.

⁴⁵ This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command through Moses.

⁴⁶ So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families.

⁴⁷ All the men from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting

⁴⁸ numbered 8,580.

⁴⁹ At the LORD's command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry. So they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.