The Sons of Aaron
1 When the Lord talked with Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 Aaron's four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, 3 were the ones to be ordained as priests. 4 But the Lord killed Nadab and Abihu in the Sinai Desert when they used fire that was unacceptable in their offering to the Lord. And because Nadab and Abihu had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests with their father Aaron.
The Duties of the Levites
5 The Lord said to Moses:
6 Assign the Levi tribe to Aaron the priest. They will be his assistants 7 and will work at the sacred tent for him and for all the Israelites. 8 The Levites will serve the community by being responsible for the furnishings of the tent. 9 They are assigned to help Aaron and his sons, 10 who have been appointed to be priests. Anyone else who tries to perform the duties of a priest must be put to death.
11-13 Moses, I have chosen these Levites from all Israel, and they will belong to me in a special way. When I killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians, I decided that the first-born sons in every Israelite family and the first-born males of their flocks and herds would be mine. But now I accept these Levites in place of the first-born sons of the Israelites.
The Levites Are Counted
14 In the Sinai Desert the Lord said to Moses, 15 “Now I want you to count the men and boys in the Levi tribe by families and by clans. Include every one at least a month old.” 16 So Moses obeyed and counted them.
17 Levi's three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, had become the heads of their own clans. 18 Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei. 19 Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. These were the sons and grandsons of Levi, and they had become the leaders of the Levite clans.
21 The two Gershon clans were the Libnites and Shimeites, 22 and they had 7,500 men and boys at least one month old. 23-24 The Gershonites, under the leadership of Eliasaph son of Lael, were to camp on the west side of the sacred tent. 25 Their duties at the tent included taking care of the tent itself, along with its outer covering, the curtain for the entrance, 26 the curtains hanging inside the courtyard around the tent, as well as the curtain and ropes for the entrance to the courtyard and its altar. The Gershonites were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.
27 The four Kohath clans were the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and the Uzzielites, 28 and they had 8,600 men and boys at least one month old. 29-30 The Kohathites, under the leadership of Elizaphan son of Uzziel, were to camp on the south side of the sacred tent. 31 Their duties at the tent included taking care of the sacred chest, the table for the sacred bread, the lampstand, the altars, the objects used for worship, and the curtain in front of the most holy place. The Kohathites were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.
32 Eleazar son of Aaron was the head of the Levite leaders, and he made sure that the work at the sacred tent was done.
33 The two Merari clans were the Mahlites and the Mushites, 34 and they had 6,200 men and boys at least one month old. 35 The Merarites, under the leadership of Zuriel son of Abihail, were to camp on the north side of the sacred tent. 36-37 Their duties included taking care of the tent frames and the pieces that held the tent up: the bars, the posts, the stands, and its other equipment. They were also in charge of the posts that supported the courtyard, as well as their stands, tent pegs, and ropes. The Merari clans were responsible for setting these things up and taking them down.
38 Moses, Aaron, and his sons were to camp in front of the sacred tent, on the east side, and to make sure that the Israelites worshiped in the proper way. Anyone else who tried to do the work of Moses and Aaron was to be put to death.
39 So Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord and counted the Levites by their clans. The total number of Levites at least one month old was 22,000.
The Levites Are Accepted as Substitutes for the First-Born Sons
40 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a list and count the first-born sons at least one month old in each of the Israelite families. 41 They belong to me, but I will accept the Levites as substitutes for them, and I will accept the Levites' livestock as substitutes for the Israelites' first-born livestock.”
42 Moses obeyed the Lord and counted the first-born sons; 43 there were 22,273 of them.
44 Then the Lord said, 45 “The Levites will belong to me and will take the place of the first-born sons; their livestock will take the place of the Israelites' first-born livestock. 46 But since there are more first-born sons than Levites, the extra 273 men and boys must be bought back from me. 47 For each one, you are to collect five pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. 48 This money must then be given to Aaron and his sons.”
49 Moses collected the silver from the extra 273 first-born men and boys, 50 and it amounted to 1,365 pieces of silver, weighed according to the official standards. 51 Then he gave it to Aaron and his sons, just as the Lord had commanded.
بنو هرون
1 وهذِهِ مَواليدُ هرونَ وموسى يومَ كلَّمَ الرّبُّ موسى في جبَلِ سيناءَ. 2 هذِهِ أسماءُ بَني هرونَ: نادابُ البِكْرُ، ثُمَّ أبـيهو وألعازارُ وإيثامارُ. 3 هؤلاءِ مُسِحُوا وكُرِّسوا لِخِدمةِ الكهَنوتِ. 4 وماتَ نادابُ وأبـيهو لأنَّهما قرَّبا نارا غَيرَ مُقدَّسةٍ أمامَ الرّبِّ في برِّيَّةِ سيناءَ، وما كانَ لهما بَنونَ. وكانَ ألعازارُ وإيثامارُ يقومانِ بِـخدمةِ الكهَنوتِ بِمحضَرِ هرونَ أبـيهِما.
اللاّويّون خدّام للكهنة
5 وكلَّمَ الرّبُّ موسى فقالَ: 6 «قَدِّمْ سِبْطَ لاوي لِـيَقِفوا بَينَ يدَيِ هرونَ الكاهنِ ويَخدِموهُ 7 ويتَوَلَّوا عَنهُ وعَنِ الجماعةِ حِراسةَ خَيمةِ الاجتِماعِ ويَقوموا بِـخدمةِ المَسكِنِ، 8 ويُحافِظوا على جميعِ أمتِعَةِ خَيمةِ الاجتِماعِ، ويَنوبوا عَنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ في ما هوَ مطلوبٌ مِنهُم في خِدمةِ المَسكِنِ. 9 وأوكِلِ اللاَّويِّينَ إلى هرونَ وبَنيهِ، فَهُم مَوهوبونَ لَه هِبَةً مِنْ بَينِ بَني إِسرائيلَ. 10 وخَصِّصْ هرونَ وبَنيهِ لِخِدمةِ الكهَنوتِ، ومَنِ اقْتَرَبَ لِخِدمتِهِ سِواهُم يُقْتَلْ».
11 وكلَّمَ الرّبُّ موسى فقالَ: 12 «أخذْتُ اللاَّويِّينَ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ بدَلَ كُلِّ بِكْرٍ فاتِـحِ رَحِمٍ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ، فيكونُ اللاَّويُّونَ لي، 13 لأنَّ كُلَّ بِكْرٍ هوَ لي، يومَ أهلَكْتُ كُلَّ بِكْرٍ في أرضِ مِصْرَ. قدَّسْتُ لي كُلَّ بِكْرٍ في إِسرائيلَ مِنَ النَّاسِ والبَهائمِ. فَهُم لي يكونونَ أنا الرّبُّ».
إحصاء بني لاوي
14 وكلَّمَ الرّبُّ موسى في برِّيَّةِ سيناءَ فقالَ: 15 «تَعُدُّ بَني لاوي بِـحسَبِ عائلاتِهِم وعشائرِهِم، كُلُّ ذَكَرٍ مِنْ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا». 16 فعَدَّهُم موسى كما أمرَهُ الرّبُّ. 17 وهؤلاءِ بَنو لاوي بأسمائِهِم: جَرشونُ وقَهاتُ ومَراري. 18 وهذانِ اسْمَا ابنَي جَرشونَ بِـحسَبِ عَشائرِهِما: لِبْني وشِمْعي. 19 وبَنو قَهاتَ بِـحسَبِ عشائرِهِم: عَمْرامُ ويصهارُ وحبرونُ وعُزِّيئيلُ. 20 وابنا مَراري بِـحسَبِ عشائرِهِما: مَحْلي وموشي. تِلكَ عشائِرُ اللاَّويِّينَ بِـحسَبِ عائلاتِهِم.
21 لجَرشونَ عشيرةُ لِبْني وعَشيرةُ شِمْعي، 22 والمَعدُودونَ مِنهُما بإحصاءِ كُلِّ ذَكَرٍ مِنِ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا سَبعَةُ آلافٍ وخَمسُ مئةٍ. 23 وهاتانِ العَشيرَتانِ تَنزِلانِ وراءَ المَسكِنِ جِهَةَ الغربِ، 24 والرَّئيسُ علَيها ألياسافُ بنُ لابِلَ. 25 وما يَحرُسُه بَنو جِرشونَ في خَيمةِ الاجتِماعِ هوَ المَسكِنُ، والخَيمَةُ وغِطاؤُها، وسِتارُ بابِ خَيمةِ الاجتِماعِ، 26 وسُجوفُ الرِّواقِ وسِتارُ بابِهِ الّذي حَولَ المَسكِن وحَولَ المذبَحِ مُحيطا بِهِما، والحِبالُ الّتي لتِلكَ كُلِّها.
27 ولِقَهاتَ عَشيرةُ العِمراميِّين وعَشيرَةُ اليِصْهاريِّينَ وعَشيرةُ الحَبرونيِّينَ وعَشيرةُ العُزِّيئيليِّينَ، 28 والمَعدُودونَ مِنها بإحصاءِ كُلِّ ذَكَرٍ مِنْ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا ثمانيةُ آلافٍ وسِتُّ مئةٍ. وهُم يَقومونَ بِـحراسةِ الأواني المُقدَّسةِ. 29 ويَنزِلونَ إلى جانبِ المَسكِنِ جِهةَ الجنوبِ، 30 والرَّئيسُ علَيهم أليصافانُ بنُ عُزِّيئيلَ. 31 وما يَحرِسونَه هوَ تابوتُ العَهدِ والمائِدةُ والمَنارةُ والمذبَحانِ وأمتِعةُ القُدْسِ الّتي يَخدِمونَ بِها والسِّتارُ وما يتعَلَّقُ بِـخِدمةِ تِلكَ كُلِّها.
32 ورئيسُ رؤساءِ اللاَّويِّينَ، ألعازارُ بنُ هرونَ الكاهنِ، يكونُ رقيـبا على القائِمينَ بِـحِراسةِ المَقْدِسِ.
33 ولِمَراري عَشيرةُ المَحْلَوِيِّينَ وعَشيرةُ الموشَوِيِّينَ، 34 المَعدُودونَ مِنهُما بإحصاءِ كُلِّ ذَكَرٍ مِنِ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا سِتَّةُ آلافٍ ومِئتانِ. 35 والرَّئيسُ علَيهِم صُورِيئيلُ بنُ أبـيحائيلَ، وهُم ينزِلونَ إلى جانِبِ المَسكِنِ جِهةَ الشَّمالِ. 36 وما يتَوكَّلُ بَنو مَراريَ على حِراستِهِ هوَ ألواحُ المَسكِنِ وعوارِضُهُ وأعمِدتُهُ وقواعِدُه وكُلُّ أمتِعَتِه وما يتعلَّقُ بِـخِدمةِ تِلكَ كُلِّها، 37 وأعمِدَةُ الرِّواقِ الّتي حَوالَيهِ وقواعِدُها وأوتَادُها وحِبالُها.
38 وينزِلُ أمامَ المَسكِنِ، تُجاهَ خيمةِ الاجتِماعِ جِهةَ المشرِقِ، موسى وهرونُ وبَنوهُ لِحراسةِ المكانِ المُقَدَّسِ عَنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ. ومَنِ اقتَرَبَ مِنهُ سِواهُم يُقتَلُ. 39 جميعُ عدَدِ اللاَّويِّينَ الّذينَ عَدَّهُم موسى وهرونُ كما أمرَ الربُّ، على حسَبِ عشائرِهِم، مِنِ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا، اثنانِ وعِشرونَ ألفا.
اللاّويّون فداء كل بكر
40 وكلَّمَ الرّبُّ موسى فقالَ: «تَعُدُّ كُلَّ بِكْرٍ ذَكَرٍ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ مِنِ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا وتُسَجِّلُهُم بأسمائِهِم. 41 واجْعَلِ اللاَّويِّينَ لي أنا الرّبُّ بدَلَ كُلِّ بِكْرٍ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ، واجْعَلْ بَهائِمَ اللاَّويِّينَ بدَلَ كُلِّ بِكْرٍ مِنْ بَهائِمِ بَني إِسرائيلَ. 42 فعَدَّ موسى كُلَّ بِكْرٍ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ، كما أمرَهُ الرّبُّ. 43 فكانَت جُملَةُ المَعدُودينَ مِنَ الأبكارِ الذُّكورِ المُسَجَّلينَ بأسمائِهِم مِنِ ابنِ شهرٍ فصاعِدا اثنَينِ وعِشرينَ ألفا ومئَتَينِ وثَلاثةً وسَبعينَ.
44 وكلَّمَ الرّبُّ موسى فقالَ: 45 «إجْعَلِ اللاَّويِّينَ بدَلَ كُلِّ بِكْرٍ مِنْ بَني إِسرائيلَ وبَهَائِمَ اللاَّويِّينَ بدَلَ بَهائمِهِم فيصيرَ اللاَّويُّونَ لي أنا الرّبُّ. 46 وأمَّا فِداءُ المئَتَينِ والثَّلاثةِ والسَّبعينَ الزَّائِدينَ على اللاَّويّينَ مِنْ بُكورِ بَني إِسرائيلَ 47 فتأخُذُ خمسةَ مَثاقيلَ مِنَ الفِضَّةِ لِكُلِّ نفْسٍ مِنهُم، كُلُّ مِثقالٍ بالسِّعرِ الرَّسميِّ عِشرونَ دِرهَما، 48 وتدفعُ الفِضَّةَ إلى هرونَ وبَنيه فِداءَ الزَّائِدينَ علَيهِم». 49 فأخذَ موسى الفِضَّةَ مِنَ الزَّائِدينَ على الّذينَ افْتَداهُمُ اللاَّويُّونَ 50 مِنْ بُكُورِ بَني إِسرائيلَ. أخذَها موسى ألفا وثلاثَ مئةٍ وخمسةً وسِتِّينَ مِثقالا بالوَزنِ الرَّسميِّ 51 ودفَعَها إلى هرونَ وبَنيهِ، كما أمرَ الرّبُّ.
