The Levites
1This is the account of the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke to Moses at Mount Sinai.
2The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab the firstborn and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4Nadab and Abihu, however, died before the Lord when they made an offering with unauthorised fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
5The Lord said to Moses, 6‘Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle. 8They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. 9Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.3:9 Most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text; some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also 8:16) to me 10Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.’
11The Lord also said to Moses, 12‘I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, 13for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.’
14The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, 15‘Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.’ 16So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
17These were the names of the sons of Levi:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
18These were the names of the Gershonite clans:
Libni and Shimei.
19The Kohathite clans:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
20The Merarite clans:
Mahli and Mushi.
These were the Levite clans, according to their families.
21To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans.
22The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500.
23The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle.
24The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
25At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes – and everything related to their use.
27To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans.
28The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600.3:28 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts 8,300
The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.
29The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle.
30The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
31They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use.
32The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.
33To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.
34The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 6,200.
35The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail.
They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
36The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, 37as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.
38Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, towards the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting.
They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites.
Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.
40The Lord said to Moses, ‘Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names. 41Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.’
42So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.
44The Lord also said to Moses, 45‘Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord. 46To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47collect five shekels3:47 That is, about 58 grams for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. 48Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.’
49So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,3:50 That is, about 16 kilograms according to the sanctuary shekel. 51Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.
Alevi
1Iyi ndi mbiri ya banja la Aaroni ndi Mose pa nthawi yomwe Yehova anayankhula ndi Mose pa phiri la Sinai.
2Mayina a ana aamuna a Aaroni anali Nadabu, woyamba kubadwa, Abihu, Eliezara ndi Itamara. 3Amenewa ndi mayina a ana aamuna a Aaroni, ansembe odzozedwa omwe anapatulidwa kuti azitumikira ngati ansembe. 4Koma Nadabu ndi Abihu, anagwa nafa pamaso pa Yehova pamene ankapereka nsembe ndi moto wachilendo pamaso pa Yehova mʼchipululu cha Sinai. Iwowo analibe ana aamuna. Choncho Eliezara ndi Itamara ndiwo amene ankatumikira ngati ansembe nthawi imene Aaroni abambo awo anali moyo.
5Yehova anati kwa Mose, 6“Bweretsa fuko la Levi ndipo ulipereke kwa Aaroni wansembe kuti lizimutumikira. 7Azigwira ntchito yothandiza iyeyo ndi gulu lonse ku tenti ya msonkhano pogwira ntchito ya ku Chihema. 8Azisamalira zipangizo zonse za mu tenti ya msonkhano, ndipo azigwirira ntchito Aisraeli potumikira mu tenti. 9Pereka Alevi kwa Aaroni ndi kwa ana ake aamuna. Amenewa ndiwo Aisraeli amene aperekedwa kwa iye kwathunthu. 10Usankhe Aaroni ndi ana ake aamuna kuti azitumikira pa ntchito ya unsembe. Koma wina aliyense woyandikira malo opatulika aphedwe.”
11Yehova anawuzanso Mose kuti, 12“Pakati pa Aisraeli onse ndatenga Alevi kulowa mʼmalo mwa mwana wamwamuna aliyense woyamba kubadwa kwa amayi a Chiisraeli. Alevi ndi anga, 13pakuti ana onse oyamba kubadwa ndi anga. Nditakantha ana onse oyamba kubadwa mu Igupto, ndinadzipatulira ndekha mwana aliyense woyamba kubadwa mu Israeli, wa munthu ndi nyama. Azikhala anga. Ine ndine Yehova.”
14Yehova anawuza Mose mʼchipululu cha Sinai kuti, 15“Werenga Alevi monga mwa mabanja awo ndi mafuko awo. Werenga mwamuna aliyense kuyambira wa mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo.” 16Choncho Mose anawawerenga potsatira zomwe Yehova anamulamulira.
17Mayina a ana aamuna a Levi ndi awa:
Geresoni, Kohati ndi Merari.
18Mayina a ana a Geresoni potsata mabanja awo ndi awa:
Libini ndi Simei.
19Ana a Kohati potsata mabanja awo ndi awa:
Amramu, Izihari, Hebroni ndi Uzieli.
20Ana a Merari potsata mabanja awo ndi awa:
Mali ndi Musi.
Amenewa ndiwo anali mabanja a Alevi monga mwa makolo awo.
21Kwa Geresoni kunali banja la Alibini, banja la Asimei. Amenewa ndiwo anali mabanja a Ageresoni. 22Chiwerengero cha amuna onse amene anawawerenga a mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo chinali 7,500. 23Mabanja a Ageresoni azimanga misasa yawo kumadzulo, kumbuyo kwa Chihema. 24Mtsogoleri wa mabanja a Ageresoni anali Eliyasafu mwana wa Laeli. 25Ntchito imene Ageresoni anapatsidwa ku tenti ya msonkhano inali yosamalira Chihema ndi tenti, pamodzi ndi zophimbira zake, katani ya pa khomo la ku tenti ya msonkhano, 26ndi makatani wotchinga bwalo, katani ya pa chipata cholowera ku bwalo lozungulira Chihema ndi guwa lansembe, zingwe ndi zonse zokhudzana ndi ntchito yawo.
27Kwa Kohati kunali mabanja a Amramu, Aizihara, Ahebroni ndi Auzieli. Awa ndiye anali mabanja a Akohati. 28Chiwerengero cha amuna onse a mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo chinali 8,600. Akohati ankagwira ntchito yosamalira malo wopatulika. 29Mabanja a ana a Kohati ankamanga misasa yawo kummwera kwa Chihema. 30Mtsogoleri wa magulu a mabanja a Kohati anali Elizafani mwana wa Uzieli. 31Iwo ankagwira ntchito yosamalira Bokosi la Chipangano, tebulo, choyikapo nyale, maguwa, zipangizo za kumalo wopatulika zimene ansembe ankagwiritsa ntchito, katani, ndi zonse zomwe ankagwiritsa ntchito. 32Mtsogoleri wamkulu wa Alevi anali Eliezara mwana wa Aaroni wansembe. Iye anasankhidwa kukhala woyangʼanira omwe ankasamalira malo wopatulika.
33Kwa Merari kunali banja la Mali ndi banja la Musi. Amenewa ndiye anali mabanja a Amerari. 34Chiwerengero cha amuna onse kuyambira a mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo chinali 6,200. 35Mtsogoleri wa magulu a mabanja a Amerari anali Zuriyeli mwana wa Abihaili. Iwo ankamanga misasa yawo kumpoto kwa Chihema. 36Amerari anapatsidwa ntchito yosamalira mitengo ya chihema, nsichi zake, mizati yake, matsinde ake, ndi zida zake zonse, ndi zonse zomwe ankagwiritsa ntchito, 37pamodzi ndi mizati yozungulira bwalo ndi matsinde ake, zikhomo za chihema ndi zingwe zake.
38Mose ndi Aaroni ndi ana ake aamuna ankamanga misasa yawo kummawa kwa chihema, kuyangʼana kotulukira dzuwa, kutsogolo kwa tenti ya msonkhano. Anali ndi ntchito yosamalira malo wopatulika mʼmalo mwa Aisraeli. Aliyense woyandikira malo wopatulika ankayenera kuphedwa.
39Alevi onse amene Mose ndi Aaroni anawawerenga potsatira lamulo la Yehova monga mwa magulu a mabanja awo, amuna onse kuyambira a mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo anali 22,000.
40Yehova anawuza Mose kuti, “Werenga ana onse aamuna oyamba kubadwa mu Israeli, omwe ali ndi mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo ndipo ulembe mndandanda wa mayina awo. 41Unditengere Alevi onse mʼmalo mwa ana oyamba kubadwa onse a Aisraeli, ndiponso ziweto zazimuna za Alevi mʼmalo mwa ziweto zonse zazimuna zoyamba kubadwa za Aisraeli. Ine ndine Yehova.”
42Choncho Mose anawerenga ana aamuna onse oyamba kubadwa a Aisraeli monga momwe Yehova anamulamulira. 43Chiwerengero chonse cha ana aamuna oyamba kubadwa kuyambira a mwezi umodzi kapena kupitirirapo chinali 22, 273.
44Ndipo Yehova anawuzanso Mose kuti, 45“Tenga Alevi mʼmalo mwa ana aamuna oyamba kubadwa onse a Aisraeli, ndiponso zoweta zonse za Alevi mʼmalo mwa zoweta za Aisraeli. Alevi ndi anga. Ine ndine Yehova. 46Pofuna kuwombola ana aamuna 273 oyamba kubadwa a Aisraeli amene anaposa chiwerengero cha aamuna a fuko la Levi, 47utenge masekeli asanu pa munthu aliyense. Masekeliwo akhale ofanana ndi masekeli a ku malo wopatulika, kumene sekeli imodzi imakwanira magera makumi awiri. 48Ndalama zimenezi uzipereke kwa Aaroni ndi ana ake aamuna kuti ukhale mtengo woombolera Aisraeli woonjezerawo.”
49Choncho Mose anatenga ndalama zowombolera zija kuchokera kwa Aisraeli amene chiwerengero chawo chinaposa chiwerengero cha omwe anawomboledwa ndi Alevi. 50Anatenga masekeli a siliva okwana 1,365 molingana ndi masekeli a ku malo opatulika, kuchokera kwa ana aamuna oyamba kubadwa a Aisraeli. 51Mose anapereka ndalama zowombolera zija kwa Aaroni ndi ana ake aamuna monga mwa mawu amene Yehova analamulira.
