Study Desk

The LORD said to Moshe, "Number all the firstborn males of the children of Yisra'el from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

You shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Yisra'el; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the children of Yisra'el."

Moshe numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Yisra'el.

"Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Yisra'el, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD.

For the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Yisra'el, who exceed the number of the Levites,

from the firstborn of the children of Yisra'el he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

"Command the children of Yisra'el that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone who has an issue, and whoever is unclean by the dead.

The children of Yisra'el did so, and put them out outside of the camp; as the LORD spoke to Moshe, so did the children of Yisra'el.

"Speak to the children of Yisra'el: When a man or woman commits any sin that men commit, so as to trespass against the LORD, and that soul is guilty;

Every heave offering of all the holy things of the children of Yisra'el, which they present to the Kohen, shall be his.

"Speak to the children of Yisra'el, and tell them: If any man's wife goes astray, and is unfaithful to him,

"Speak to the children of Yisra'el, and tell them: When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazir, to separate himself to the LORD,

"Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying, 'This is how you shall bless the children of Yisra'el.' You shall tell them,

"So they shall put my name on the children of Yisra'el; and I will bless them."

On the third day Eli'av the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zevulun

On the fourth day Elitzur the son of Shede'ur, prince of the children of Re'uven

On the fifth day Shelumi'el the son of Tzurishaddai, prince of the children of Shim`on

On the sixth day, Elyasaf the son of De`u'el, prince of the children of Gad

On the seventh day Elishama the son of `Ammihud, prince of the children of Efrayim

On the eighth day Gamli'el the son of Pedatzur, prince of the children of Menashsheh