Os coatitas
1Então o Senhor disse a Moisés e a Aarão: 2“Tomem a soma do grupo familiar de Coate, da tribo de Levi. 3Serão contados todos os do sexo masculino, entre 30 e 50 anos, capazes de trabalharem na tenda do encontro.
4Estes são os seus deveres quanto às coisas santas: 5Quando o acampamento for chamado a deslocar-se, Aarão e os filhos entrarão primeiramente na tenda do encontro e descerão o véu, cobrindo a arca do testemunho com ele. 6Seguidamente, cobrirão o próprio véu com a coberta de peles de couro fino4.6 Acerca deste tipo de pele, o termo hebraico tem significado incerto. Pode significar couro à base de pele de um animal mamífero marinho, provavelmente o dugongo, ou significar um tipo fino e duradouro de couro à base de animais que foram domesticados. e, sobre esta, um pano azul. Porão ainda as varas na arca.
7Depois deverão estender igualmente um pano azul sobre a mesa, na qual está exposto o pão da Presença, e colocarão os pratos, as colheres, as taças, os jarros, e também o pão sobre esse tecido. Porão em cima disso tudo um pano carmesim; 8e finalmente uma coberta pele de couro fino. Então enfiarão as varas de transporte nos lados da mesa.
9Depois disso, cobrirão o candelabro com um pano azul, assim como as lâmpadas, os apagadores, os espevitadores e o reservatório de azeite. 10Todo este conjunto de objetos será depois coberto com peles de couro fino, feito o seu acondicionamento, será colocado sobre uma armação, para ser transportado.
11Deverão depois estender um pano azul sobre o altar de ouro, cobri-lo com uma pele de couro fino, e pôr as varas nos seus cantos.
12Todos os outros utensílios do tabernáculo deverão ser acondicionados num tecido azul, cobertos com pele de couro fino, e postos numa armação de transporte.
13Hão de ser tiradas as cinzas do altar e este será coberto com um pano de púrpura. 14Todos os utensílios do altar devem ficar sobre ele; braseiros, garfos, pás, bacias e outros recipientes, e uma coberta de peles de couro fino, estendida sobre eles. Finalmente, as varas de transporte serão enfiadas lateralmente, nos seus lugares.
15Quando Aarão e os seus filhos tiverem terminado esta tarefa, os homens de Coate chegar-se-ão e carregarão os embrulhos, levando-os para onde o acampamento se deslocar. Mas não deverão tocar nos objetos sagrados, senão morrerão. Esta é portanto a sagrada tarefa dos descendentes de Coate na tenda do encontro.
16Eleazar, filho de Aarão, terá a responsabilidade do azeite para a iluminação, do incenso aromático, da oferta diária de cereais, do azeite da unção; na realidade, terá até a supervisão de todo o tabernáculo; tudo ali estará à sua responsabilidade.”
17Então o Senhor disse a Moisés e a Aarão: 18“Atenção que as famílias dos coatitas não se destruam a si mesmas! 19Para que eles não morram quando transportam as coisas santas, farás o seguinte: Aarão e os seus filhos entrarão e indicarão a cada um o que deve transportar. 20No entanto, eles nunca deverão entrar no santuário, nem sequer por um momento, nem olhar para os objetos sagrados; senão morrerão.”
Os gersonitas
21Disse mais o Senhor a Moisés: 22“Toma o número dos gersonitas da tribo de Levi 23todos os homens entre 30 e 50 anos, capazes para o trabalho sagrado com a tenda do encontro. 24Serão estas as suas funções: 25levarão as cortinas do tabernáculo, mais propriamente o conjunto da tenda do encontro, com as cobertas, as peles de couro fino, a cortina da porta; 26e ainda as cortinas do pátio e as da entrada deste; também deverão transportar as suas cordas e todos os acessórios respetivos. 27São plenamente responsáveis por tudo isto que foi referido. Aarão ou os seus filhos deverão indicar-lhes as tarefas; 28mas os gersonitas serão diretamente responsáveis perante Itamar, sacerdote, filho de Aarão.
Os meraritas
29Agora, conta os homens do grupo das famílias descendentes de Merari, da tribo de Levi, 30entre 30 e 50 anos, capazes para o serviço da tenda do encontro. 31Quando a tenda do encontro tiver de ser deslocada, deverão transportar toda a armação, as bases, 32as tábuas, assim como a estrutura envolvente do pátio, com as suas bases, estacas, cordas, e tudo o resto que esteja relacionado com isso e que sirva para a sua conservação. Distribui as tarefas por cada homem, notando o seu nome. 33A divisão de Merari será igualmente responsável perante Itamar, filho de Aarão.”
As divisões de levitas são contadas
34Moisés, Aarão e os outros chefes tomaram o número dos homens da divisão de Coate, 35dos que tinham entre 30 e 50 anos, capazes para o serviço da tenda do encontro; 36e acharam que havia um total de 2750. 37Tudo isto foi feito para dar cumprimento às instruções do Senhor a Moisés.
38-48Idêntica contagem foi feita à divisão de Gerson, totalizando 2630 indivíduos. Quanto à de Merari, contaram-se 3200.
Moisés, Aarão e os chefes de Israel acharam que todos os levitas entre 30 e 50 anos, aptos para o serviço da tenda do encontro e para o seu transporte, constituíam um total de 8580 pessoas. 49Este censo foi realizado em resposta às ordens do Senhor a Moisés, o qual indicou para cada um a sua função e o que devia transportar.
The Kohathites
1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2‘Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age 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. 5When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. 6Then they are to cover the curtain with durable leather,4:6 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals; also in verses 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 25 spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
7‘Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it. 8They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with durable leather and put the poles in place.
9‘They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the oil used to supply it. 10Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.
11‘Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with durable leather and put the poles in place.
12‘They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with durable 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. 14Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of durable leather and put the poles in place.
15‘After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.
16‘Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.’
17The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18‘See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19So 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 into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.’
The Gershonites
21The Lord said to Moses, 22‘Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
24‘This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25they are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. 27All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. 28This 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.
The Merarites
29‘Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32as 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 the specific things he is to carry. 33This 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.’
The numbering of the Levite clans
34Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families.
35All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 36counted by clans, were 2,750. 37This 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.
38The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families.
39All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. 41This 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.
42The Merarites were counted by their clans and families.
43All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44counted by their clans, were 3,200. 45This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.
46So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. 47All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting 48numbered 8,580. 49At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.
Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.
