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Numbers 3:5-13

Duties of the Levites

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 ^a“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, ^bas they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. 9 And ^cyou shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are ^dwholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and ^ethey shall guard their priesthood. But if ^fany outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold ^gI have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for ^hall the firstborn are mine. ⁱOn the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”