crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use,
37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.
38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the Tent of Meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39 The total number of Levites counted at the Lord 's command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.
40 The Lord said to Moses, 'Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more and make a list of their names.
41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord .'
42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him.
43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.
44 The Lord also said to Moses,
45 'Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the Lord .
46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites,
47 collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.
48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.'
49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites.
50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.
51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord .
4 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron:
2 'Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families.
3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting.
4 'This is the work of the Kohathites in the Tent of Meeting: the care of the most holy things.
5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.
6 Then they are to cover this with hides of sea cows, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
7 'Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it.
8 Over these they are to spread a scarlet cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
9 'They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the oil used to supply it.
10 Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of hides of sea cows and put it on a carrying frame.
11 'Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
12 'They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put them on a carrying frame.
13 'They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
14 Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
15 'After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting.
16 'Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.'
17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
