Numbers
Chapter 3
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Leningrad Codex, through the Open Scriptures Westminster Leningrad Codex. The written consonants are printed. A Masoretic reading is footnoted when it differs. No Dead Sea reading was substituted unless it was read from a fragment. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions are witnesses, not the default.
A dotted word is a harder one. Point at it, or tap it, for a short definition.
1These are the generations of Aaron and Moses, on the day God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
2These are the names of the sons of Aaron: the firstborn Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the Set apart for God by having oil poured on. priests, whose hand he filled for them to serve as priests.
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- Translation
Mille yadam is filling the hand, the installation of a priest, as in Exodus.
4Nadab and Abihu died before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. when they brought outside fire near before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. in the wilderness of Sinai. They had no sons. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
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Esh zarah is outside fire, fire that was not appointed for this. The same phrase as in Leviticus 10.
5God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses, saying,
6Bring the tribe of Levi near and stand them before Aaron the priest, and they shall serve him.
7They shall keep his watch, and the watch of the whole congregation, before the tent of meeting, by doing the work of the dwelling.
8They shall keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and the watch of the sons of Israel, by doing the work of the dwelling.
9You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are given, given to him, from the sons of Israel.
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Netunim netunim is written twice, “given, given.” Both words are printed.
10Aaron and his sons you shall appoint, and they shall keep their priesthood. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
11God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses, saying,
12I, look, have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel in place of every firstborn, the one who opens the womb among the sons of Israel. The Levites shall be mine.
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Hinneh is “look.” Peter rechem is the one who opens the womb, the firstborn.
13For every firstborn is mine. On the day I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, from human to animal. They shall be mine. I am God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
14God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15Number the sons of Levi by their fathers’ house, by their clans. Every male from one month old and upward you shall number.
16Moses numbered them at the mouth of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., as he was commanded.
17These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.
19The sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites by their fathers’ house.
21To Gershon: the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites. These are the clans of the Gershonites.
22Those numbered of them, by the count of every male from one month old and upward: those numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.
23The clans of the Gershonites shall camp behind the dwelling, on the west.
24The chief of the fathers’ house for the Gershonites is Eliasaph son of Lael.
25The watch of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting is the dwelling, the tent, its covering, and the screen of the entrance of the tent of meeting,
26the hangings of the courtyard, the screen of the entrance of the courtyard that is by the dwelling and by the altar all around, and its cords, for all its work.
27To Kohath: the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites. These are the clans of the Kohathites.
28By the count of every male from one month old and upward: eight thousand six hundred, keepers of the watch of the holy place.
29The clans of the sons of Kohath shall camp on the side of the dwelling, to the south.
30The chief of the fathers’ house for the clans of the Kohathites is Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
31Their watch is the chest, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the holy vessels with which they serve, the screen, and all its work.
32The chief of the chiefs of the Levites is Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, appointed over those who keep the watch of the holy place.
33To Merari: the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites. These are the clans of Merari.
34Those numbered of them, by the count of every male from one month old and upward: six thousand two hundred.
35The chief of the fathers’ house for the clans of Merari is Zuriel son of Abihail. They shall camp on the side of the dwelling, to the north.
36The appointed watch of the sons of Merari is the boards of the dwelling, its bars, its pillars, its bases, all its furnishings, and all its work,
37and the pillars of the courtyard all around, their bases, their pegs, and their cords.
38Those camping in front of the dwelling, on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses, Aaron, and his sons, keeping the watch of the A holy place set aside for God. for the watch of the sons of Israel. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
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Miqdash is the sanctuary, the holy place. The watch here belongs to Moses, Aaron, and his sons.
39All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the mouth of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., by their clans, every male from one month old and upward: twenty-two thousand.
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The name Aaron is written with dots over the letters. The consonants are printed, Aaron included. The dots are not treated as a license to drop the name. The clan counts in verses 22, 28, and 34 add to twenty-two thousand three hundred. Verse 39 says twenty-two thousand. Both numbers are printed. Neither is corrected.
40God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. said to Moses, Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from one month old and upward, and lift the number of their names.
41You shall take the Levites for me, I am God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., in place of every firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the animals of the Levites in place of every firstborn among the animals of the sons of Israel.
42Moses numbered every firstborn among the sons of Israel, as God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. commanded him.
43Every firstborn male, by the number of names, from one month old and upward, in their numbering, was twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.
44God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses, saying,
45Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the animals of the Levites in place of their animals. The Levites shall be mine. I am God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
46And for the Buying a person or land back. of the two hundred seventy-three, the ones left over beyond the Levites, from the firstborn of the sons of Israel,
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Peduyim are the redeemed, the firstborn who have no Levite to stand in their place. The number left over is two hundred seventy-three.
47you shall take five Weights of silver used as money. for each skull. By the holy A weight of silver used as money. you shall take them. The A weight of silver used as money. is twenty Very small weights. Twenty gerahs make one shekel..
48You shall give the silver to Aaron and to his sons, the Buying a person or land back. of those left over among them.
49Moses took the Buying a person or land back. silver from those left over, beyond those Bought back. by the Levites.
50From the firstborn of the sons of Israel he took the silver, one thousand three hundred sixty-five, by the holy A weight of silver used as money..
51Moses gave the silver of the Bought back. ones to Aaron and to his sons, at the mouth of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., as God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. commanded Moses.