Numbers 3:41
“And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.”
Numbers 3:41 in 7 translations
- KJVKing James Version
- And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
- DRADouay–Rheims
- And thou shalt take the Levites to me for all the firstborn of the children of Israel, I am the Lord: and their cattle for all the firstborn of the cattle of the children of Israel:
- ASVAmerican Standard Version
- And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am Jehovah) instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel:
- DARBYDarby
- And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am Jehovah) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites, instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
- WEBThe World English Bible
- You shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.
- YLTYoung's Literal Translation
- and thou hast taken the Levites for Me (I am Jehovah), instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of every firstling among the cattle of the sons of Israel.'
- BPVBiblePics Version
- And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
Context: Numbers 3
39All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
40And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
42And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
43And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
About Numbers 3: The Levites
A second census is taken of the Levites, and their duties in serving the Tabernacle are outlined.
Commentary
In Numbers 3, we see the Lord instructing Moses to take a census of the Levites, who were to serve as the priests of Israel. The Lord commands that all males from the age of one month and older were to be counted. The Lord then instructs Moses to assign the Levites to the service of the tabernacle, and to assign them to the various tasks of the tabernacle. The Lord also commands that the Levites were to be redeemed from the other tribes of Israel, and that they were to be given to Aaron and his sons as a special gift from the Lord.