The Sons of Aaron
(Leviticus 10:1–7)
This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. Exo 6:20Exo 6:16Exo 6:27Gen 10:1Gen 2:4Gen 5:1Lev 25:1Lev 27:34
These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Exo 6:23Num 26:601Ch 24:11Ch 6:3Exo 28:1 These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. Exo 28:41Lev 8:1-9Lev 8:12Lev 8:30Exo 29:1-37Exo 40:13Exo 40:15Heb 7:28
Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized 1fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron. Lev 10:1-2Num 26:61
The Duties of the Levites
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. Deu 10:8Deu 33:8-9Exo 32:26-29Mal 2:4Num 1:49-53Num 16:9-11Num 18:1-7Num 2:17 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle. Num 1:50Num 8:11Num 8:151Ch 23:28-321Ch 26:201Ch 26:221Ch 26:26Num 3:32 They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle. 1Ch 26:20-28Ezr 8:24-30Isa 52:11Num 10:17Num 10:21Num 4:15Num 4:28Num 4:33
Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him 2from among the Israelites. Num 8:19Eph 4:11Eph 4:8Num 18:6-7 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.” Num 1:51Num 3:38Num 18:7Rom 12:71Ti 4:15-162Ch 26:16-21Act 6:3-4Eph 2:19
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me, Num 18:6Num 3:41Num 8:16Exo 13:2Num 3:45Num 8:18 for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.” Exo 13:12Luk 2:23Exo 13:2Exo 13:15Lev 27:26Exo 12:29-30Exo 22:29Exo 34:19
The Numbering of the Levites
Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying, “Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.” Num 26:622Ti 3:15Mrk 10:14Jer 2:2Jer 31:3Num 1:47Num 18:15-16Num 3:22
So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he had been commanded. Num 3:39Num 4:37Deu 21:5Num 3:51Num 4:27Num 4:41Num 4:45Num 4:49
These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Gen 46:11Exo 6:16-191Ch 6:1-21Ch 6:16-19Jos 21:1-45Neh 11:1-12Num 15:5-23Num 23:6-23 These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 1Ch 6:17Exo 6:17-191Ch 23:7-111Ch 25:41Ch 26:1-321Ch 6:20-21Neh 12:1-26Num 3:21 The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Exo 6:181Ch 6:181Ch 15:17-211Ch 15:51Ch 15:8-101Ch 23:12-131Ch 23:18-201Ch 25:4 And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families. Exo 6:191Ch 6:191Ch 15:61Ch 23:21-231Ch 24:27-301Ch 25:31Ch 6:291Ch 6:44-47
The Gershonites
(Numbers 4:21–28; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)
From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500. Num 4:38-40
The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle, Num 1:53Num 2:17 and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Exo 25:91Ch 23:321Ch 26:21-221Ch 9:14-331Ti 1:182Ch 31:11-182Ch 31:2Col 4:17 the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items. Exo 35:18Exo 27:9-16Exo 38:9-16
The Kohathites
(Numbers 4:1–20; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)
From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites. 1Ch 26:231Ch 23:12Num 3:19 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. 3 They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary. Num 3:31Num 3:7Num 4:35-36
The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, Num 1:53Num 2:10Num 3:23 and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan 4son of Uzziel.
Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items. Exo 25:10-40Exo 26:31-33Exo 27:1-8Exo 30:1-10Exo 31:1-18Exo 36:35-36Exo 37:1Exo 39:33-42
The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary. 1Ch 26:20-241Ch 9:14-202Ki 25:18Num 20:25-28Num 4:16Num 4:27
The Merarites
(Numbers 4:29–33; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)
From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. 1Ch 23:211Ch 6:19Num 3:20 The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200. Num 1:21Num 2:11Num 2:9
The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. Num 1:53Num 2:25Num 3:28-29
The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items, Exo 26:15-29Exo 26:32Exo 26:37Exo 27:9-19Exo 35:11Exo 35:18Exo 36:20-34Exo 36:36 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.
Moses and Aaron
Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death. Num 1:53Num 3:10Num 2:31Ch 6:48-49Num 1:51Num 18:1-5Num 3:23Num 3:29
The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000. Num 26:62Mat 7:14Num 4:47-48
The Redemption of the Firstborn
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names. Num 3:152Ti 2:19Exo 32:26-29Heb 12:23Isa 4:3Luk 10:20Num 3:12Num 3:45 You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.” Num 3:12Num 3:451Ti 2:6Exo 24:5-6Exo 32:26-29Mat 20:28Num 18:15Num 8:16
So Moses numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him. The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273. Num 3:39
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD. Num 3:12Num 3:40-41 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, Exo 13:13Num 18:15-16 you are to collect five shekels 5for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs. 6 Exo 30:13Lev 27:6Lev 27:25Num 18:16Ezk 45:12Num 3:50 Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”
So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the number redeemed by the Levites. He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels, 7 according to the sanctuary shekel. Num 3:46-471Pe 1:181Pe 3:181Ti 2:5-6Heb 9:12Mat 20:28Tit 2:14 And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him. Num 3:481Co 9:121Pe 5:21Sa 12:3-4Act 20:33Mal 4:4Num 16:15