Les fonctions des Qehatites
1L’Eternel parla à Moïse et à Aaron et dit : 2Fais le recensement des descendants de Qehath d’entre les fils de Lévi, selon leurs familles et leurs groupes familiaux, 3depuis l’âge de trente ans jusqu’à celui de cinquante ans, c’est-à-dire de tous ceux qui seront recrutés pour accomplir quelque tâche dans la tente de la Rencontre.
4Voici quelle est la tâche des Qehatites dans la tente de la Rencontre : ils auront la responsabilité des objets très saints. 5Lorsqu’on lèvera le camp, Aaron et ses fils descendront le voile de séparation, ils en couvriront le coffre de l’acte de l’alliance, 6puis ils mettront par-dessus une couverture de peau de dauphin sur laquelle ils étendront une étoffe entièrement teinte de pourpre violette ; ensuite, ils fixeront les barres servant à transporter le coffre4.6 Voir Ex 26.1-14 ; 27.9-16.. 7Ils étendront également une étoffe de pourpre violette sur la table des pains qui sont exposés devant moi4.7 Voir Lv 24.5-9., ils y mettront les plats, les coupes, les bols et les gobelets pour la libation. Quant au pain de l’oblation perpétuelle, il restera sur la table. 8Ils étendront sur ces objets une étoffe de rouge éclatant, et recouvriront le tout d’une couverture de peau de dauphin, puis ils y fixeront les barres pour le transport. 9Ils prendront une étoffe de pourpre violette et ils recouvriront le chandelier, ses lampes, ses pincettes, ses mouchettes et tous les récipients d’huile destinés à son service. 10Ils l’envelopperont avec tous ses accessoires dans une housse de peau de dauphin, et déposeront le tout sur un brancard. 11Ils déploieront une étoffe de pourpre violette sur l’autel d’or, et ils le recouvriront d’une couverture de peau de dauphin ; puis ils y fixeront les barres pour le transport. 12Ils prendront tous les objets dont on se sert pour officier dans le sanctuaire, ils les mettront dans une étoffe de pourpre violette, et les envelopperont d’une couverture de peau de dauphin, puis ils les déposeront sur un brancard. 13Ils ôteront les cendres grasses de l’autel4.13 L’autel des holocaustes (Ex 27.1-8). La cuve de bronze n’est pas mentionnée (comme dans 3.31). et étendront par-dessus une étoffe de pourpre écarlate 14sur laquelle ils poseront tous les instruments utilisés pour le service de l’autel : les encensoirs, les fourchettes, les pelles à cendres et les bassines ; puis ils étendront par-dessus le tout une couverture de peau de dauphin et fixeront les barres pour le transport.
15Quand Aaron et ses fils auront fini de couvrir le sanctuaire et tous ses ustensiles, au moment du départ du camp, les Qehatites viendront pour les transporter. Ils ne toucheront pas directement au sanctuaire, car ils seraient mis à mort. Telle est la responsabilité des Qehatites concernant la tente de la Rencontre.
16Quant à Eléazar, fils du prêtre Aaron, il sera responsable de l’huile du chandelier, de l’encens aromatique, de l’offrande perpétuelle et de l’huile d’onction ; il assurera la supervision de tout le tabernacle, de tout ce qui s’y trouve, tant du sanctuaire que de ses accessoires.
17L’Eternel parla à Moïse et Aaron et dit : 18N’exposez pas le groupe des familles des Qehatites à être retranché du milieu des lévites. 19Voici la manière dont vous agirez à leur égard pour qu’ils vivent et ne soient pas frappés de mort lorsqu’ils s’approcheront des objets très saints : Toi, Aaron et tes fils, vous entrerez et vous assignerez à chacun sa tâche en lui indiquant ce qu’il devra transporter. 20Ils ne doivent jamais entrer seuls pour regarder le sanctuaire, ne fût-ce qu’un instant, car ils mourraient.
Les fonctions des Guershonites
21L’Eternel parla à Moïse et dit : 22Fais aussi le recensement des descendants de Guershôn, selon leurs groupes familiaux et leurs familles. 23Tu compteras tous les hommes âgés de trente à cinquante ans, tous ceux qui seront recrutés pour effectuer une tâche quelconque dans la tente de la Rencontre.
24Voici quelle sera la tâche des familles des Guershonites, ce qu’ils auront à faire et à transporter : 25ils porteront les tentures du tabernacle ainsi que la tente de la Rencontre avec sa couverture et la bâche de peau de dauphin qui se met par-dessus, le rideau de l’entrée de la tente de la Rencontre, 26les toiles du parvis, avec le rideau de la porte du parvis, qui entourent le tabernacle et l’autel, leurs cordages et tous les ustensiles qui en dépendent. Ils feront tout le travail qui s’y rapporte. 27Ils feront tout leur service sous la direction d’Aaron et de ses fils, pour porter ce qu’ils doivent et accomplir leurs tâches ; vous leur indiquerez tout ce qu’ils auront à transporter. 28Tel est le service des familles des Guershonites concernant la tente de la Rencontre. Ils l’accompliront sous la direction d’Itamar, fils du prêtre Aaron.
Les fonctions des Merarites
29Tu feras aussi le recensement des descendants de Merari, par familles et par groupes familiaux. 30Tu compteras tous les hommes âgés de trente à cinquante ans, ceux qui seront recrutés pour effectuer une tâche quelconque dans la tente de la Rencontre.
31Voici quelles parties de la tente de la Rencontre ils auront pour tâche de transporter : les planches du tabernacle, ses traverses, ses piliers, ses socles, 32les piliers qui entourent le parvis, leurs socles, leurs piquets, leurs cordages, ainsi que tous les outils nécessaires à leur montage. Vous attribuerez à chacun nominativement les objets qu’il aura pour tâche de transporter. 33Tel est le service des familles des Merarites, c’est là leur travail concernant la tente de la Rencontre. Ils l’accompliront sous la direction d’Itamar, fils du prêtre Aaron.
Le compte des lévites en service
34Moïse, Aaron et les chefs de la communauté firent le recensement des Qehatites, par familles et par groupes familiaux ; 35ils dénombrèrent tous les hommes âgés de trente à cinquante ans, ceux qui devaient être recrutés pour accomplir une tâche quelconque dans la tente de la Rencontre. 36L’effectif total de leurs familles était de 2 750. 37Tel fut le contingent des familles des Qehatites qui avaient tous un service à effectuer dans la tente de la Rencontre. Moïse et Aaron en firent le recensement comme l’Eternel l’avait ordonné à Moïse.
38-41Les descendants de Guershôn recensés de la même manière étaient au nombre de 2 630 ; 42-45ceux des descendants de Merari : 3 200. 46Le nombre total des lévites recensés par Moïse, Aaron et les chefs d’Israël, par familles et par groupes familiaux, 47âgés de trente à cinquante ans, et qui devaient être recrutés pour accomplir leur tâche dans la tente de la Rencontre, 48était de 8 580. 49Sur l’ordre de l’Eternel, Moïse assigna à chacun le service qu’il devait accomplir et ce qu’il devait transporter, comme l’Eternel le lui avait ordonné.
The Families of Kohath
1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2“Count the Levites who belong to the families of Kohath. Make a list of them family by family. 3Count all the men 30 to 50 years old. Those are the men who must come and serve at the tent of meeting.
4“Here is the work the men of Kohath must do at the tent of meeting. They must take care of the things that are very holy. 5When the camp is ready to move, Aaron and his sons must go into the tent. They must take down the curtain that hides the ark where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. They must cover the ark with the curtain. 6Then they must cover that with strong leather. They must spread a solid blue cloth over the leather. And they must put the poles in place.
7“They must spread a blue cloth over the table for the holy bread. They must put the plates, dishes and bowls on the cloth. They must also put the jars for drink offerings on it. The bread that is always kept there must remain on it. 8They must spread a bright red cloth over everything. Then they must cover that with the strong leather. And they must put the poles of the table in place.
9“They must get a blue cloth. With it they must cover the lampstand that gives light. They must also cover its lamps, trays and wick cutters. And they must cover all its jars. The jars are for the olive oil used in the lampstand. 10Then Aaron and his sons must wrap the lampstand and all the things used with it. They must cover it with the strong leather. And they must put it on a frame to carry it.
11“They must spread a blue cloth over the gold altar for burning incense. They must cover that with the strong leather. And they must put the poles of the altar in place.
12“They must get all the things used for serving in the sacred tent. They must wrap them in a blue cloth. They must cover that with the strong leather. Then they must put those things on a frame to carry them.
13“They must remove the ashes from the bronze altar for burnt offerings. They must spread a purple cloth over it. 14Then they must place all the tools on it. The tools are used for serving at the altar. They include the pans for carrying ashes. They also include the meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Aaron and his sons must cover the altar with the strong leather. And they must put its poles in place.
15“Aaron and his sons must cover all the holy things that belong to the holy tent. Only then are the men of Kohath to come and carry everything. They must do so only when the camp is ready to move. But they must not touch the holy things. If they do, they will die. The men of Kohath must carry everything in the tent of meeting.
16“Eleazar the priest will be in charge of the olive oil for the light. He is the son of Aaron. Eleazar will be in charge of the sweet-smelling incense. He will be in charge of the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He will be in charge of the entire holy tent. He will also be in charge of everything in it. That includes all the things that belong to the tent.”
17The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, 18“Make sure that the Kohath families are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19I want them to live and not die when they come near the very holy things. So here is what you must do for them. Aaron and his sons must go into the sacred tent and tell each man what to do. They must tell each man what to carry. 20But the men of Kohath must not go in and look at the holy things. They must not look at them even for a moment. If they do, they will die.”
The Families of Gershon
21The Lord said to Moses, 22“Count the families of Gershon. Make a list of them family by family. 23Count all the men 30 to 50 years old. Those are the men who must come and serve at the tent of meeting.
24“Here is how the families of Gershon must serve. They must carry things. 25They must carry the curtains of the holy tent of meeting. They must carry its covering and the outside covering of strong leather. They must carry the curtains that cover the entrance to the tent of meeting. 26They must carry the curtains of the courtyard. The courtyard is all around the holy tent and altar. They must carry the curtain for the entrance. They must carry the ropes. They must also carry all the supplies used for any purpose in the tent. The families of Gershon must do everything that needs to be done with those things. 27All their work must be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. That includes carrying and everything else they do. Aaron and his sons must tell them what to carry. And that will be their work. 28It is what the families of Gershon must do at the tent of meeting. They must work under the direction of Ithamar the priest. He is the son of Aaron.
The Families of Merari
29“Count the families of Merari. Count them family by family. 30Count all the men 30 to 50 years old. Those are the men who must come and serve at the tent of meeting. 31Here is the work they must do at the tent of meeting. They must carry the frames of the holy tent. They must carry its crossbars, posts and bases. 32They must also carry the posts of the courtyard. The courtyard is all around the holy tent. And they must carry the bases for the posts as well as their tent stakes and ropes. They must also carry all the supplies and everything connected with their use. Tell each man exactly what to carry. 33That is the work the families of Merari must do at the tent of meeting. They must work under the direction of Ithamar the priest. He is the son of Aaron.”
Counting the Families of the Levites
34Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the men of Kohath. They counted them family by family.
35They counted all the men from 30 to 50 years old. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. 36There were 2,750 men. They were counted family by family. 37That was the total of all the men in the families of Kohath who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them. They did just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
38The men of Gershon were counted family by family.
39All the men from 30 to 50 years old were counted. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. 40There were 2,630 men. They were counted family by family. 41That was the total of the men in the families of Gershon who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them. They did just as the Lord had commanded.
42The men of Merari were counted family by family.
43All the men from 30 to 50 years old were counted. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. 44There were 3,200 men. They were counted family by family. 45That was the total of the men in the families of Merari. Moses and Aaron counted them. They did just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
46So Moses and Aaron counted all the Levites. The leaders of Israel helped them. They counted the Levites family by family. 47All the men from 30 to 50 years old were counted. They were the men who came and served at the tent of meeting. They were also supposed to carry it. 48The total number of men was 8,580. 49Everything was done as the Lord had commanded through Moses. Each man was given his work. And each one was told what to carry.
So they were counted, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
