1Then the LORDspoketo Mosesand to Aaron,saying,2"Takea censusof the descendantsof Kohathfrom amongthe sonsof Levi,by their families,by their fathers'households,3from thirtyyearsand upward,even to fiftyyearsold,allwho enterthe serviceto dothe workin the tentof meeting.4"Thisis the workof the descendantsof Kohathin the tentof meeting,[concerning] the mostholythings.
5"When the campsetsout, Aaronand his sonsshall goin and they shall takedownthe veilof the screenand coverthe arkof the testimonywith it;6and they shall laya coveringof porpoiseskinon it, and shall spreadover[it] a clothof pureblue,and shall insertits poles.7"Overthe tableof the bread of the Presencethey shall also spreada clothof blueand puton it the dishesand the pansand the sacrificialbowlsand the jarsfor the drinkoffering,and the continualbreadshall be on it.8"They shall spreadoverthem a clothof scarlet[material], and coverthe samewith a coveringof porpoiseskin,and they shall insertits poles.9"Then they shall takea blueclothand coverthe lampstandfor the light,along with its lampsand its snuffers,and its traysand allits oilvessels,by whichthey serveit;10and they shall putit and allits utensilsin a coveringof porpoiseskin,and shall putit on the carryingbars.11"Overthe goldenaltarthey shall spreada blueclothand coverit with a coveringof porpoiseskin,and shall insertits poles;12and they shall takeallthe utensilsof service,with whichthey servein the sanctuary,and putthem in a blueclothand coverthem with a coveringof porpoiseskin,and putthem on the carryingbars.13"Then they shall takeawaythe ashesfrom the altar,and spreada purpleclothoverit.14"They shall also puton it allits utensilsby whichthey servein connectionwith it: the firepans,the forksand shovelsand the basins,allthe utensilsof the altar;and they shall spreada coverof porpoiseskinoverit and insertits poles.15"When Aaronand his sonshave finishedcoveringthe holy[objects] and allthe furnishingsof the sanctuary,when the campis to setout, afterthat the sonsof Kohathshall cometo carry[them], so that they will not touchthe holy[objects] and die.Theseare the thingsin the tentof meetingwhich the sonsof Kohathare to carry.
16"The responsibilityof Eleazarthe sonof Aaronthe priestis the oilfor the lightand the fragrantincenseand the continualgrain offeringand the anointingoil--the responsibilityof allthe tabernacleand of allthat is in it, with the sanctuaryand its furnishings."
17Then the LORDspoketo Mosesand to Aaron,saying,18"Do not let the tribeof the familiesof the Kohathitesbe cutofffrom amongthe Levites.19"But dothisto them that they may liveand not diewhen they approachthe mostholy[objects]: Aaronand his sonsshall goin and assigneachof them to his workand to his load;20but they shall not goin to seethe holy[objects] even for a moment,or they will die."
21Then the LORDspoketo Moses,saying,22"Takea censusof the sonsof Gershonalso,by their fathers'households,by their families;23from thirtyyearsand upwardto fiftyyearsold,you shall numberthem; allwho enterto performthe serviceto dothe workin the tentof meeting.24"Thisis the serviceof the familiesof the Gershonites,in servingand in carrying:25they shall carrythe curtainsof the tabernacleand the tentof meeting[with] its coveringand the coveringof porpoiseskinthat is on topof it, and the screenfor the doorwayof the tentof meeting,26and the hangingsof the court,and the screenfor the doorwayof the gateof the courtwhichis aroundthe tabernacleand the altar,and their cordsand allthe equipmentfor their service;and allthat is to be done,they shall perform.27"Allthe serviceof the sonsof the Gershonites,in alltheir loadsand in alltheir work,shall be [performed] at the commandof Aaronand his sons;and you shall assignto them as a dutyalltheir loads.28"Thisis the serviceof the familiesof the sonsof the Gershonitesin the tentof meeting,and their duties[shall be] under the directionof Ithamarthe sonof Aaronthe priest.
29"[As for] the sonsof Merari,you shall numberthem by their families,by their fathers'households;30from thirtyyearsand upwardeven to fiftyyearsold,you shall numberthem, everyonewho entersthe serviceto dothe workof the tentof meeting.31"Now thisis the dutyof their loads,for alltheir servicein the tentof meeting:the boardsof the tabernacleand its barsand its pillarsand its sockets,32and the pillarsaroundthe courtand their socketsand their pegsand their cords,with alltheir equipmentand with alltheir service;and you shall assign[each man] by namethe itemshe is to carry.33"Thisis the serviceof the familiesof the sonsof Merari,according to alltheir servicein the tentof meeting,under the directionof Ithamarthe sonof Aaronthe priest."
34So Mosesand Aaronand the leadersof the congregationnumberedthe sonsof the Kohathitesby their familiesand by their fathers'households,35from thirtyyearsand upwardeven to fiftyyearsold,everyonewho enteredthe servicefor workin the tentof meeting.36Their numberedmen by their familieswere 2,75037Theseare the numberedmen of the Kohathitefamilies,everyonewho was servingin the tentof meeting,whomMosesand Aaronnumberedaccordingto the commandmentof the LORDthroughMoses.
38The numberedmen of the sonsof Gershonby their familiesand by their fathers'households,39from thirtyyearsand upwardeven to fiftyyearsold,everyonewho enteredthe servicefor workin the tentof meeting.40Their numberedmen by their families,by their fathers'households,were 2,63041Theseare the numberedmen of the familiesof the sonsof Gershon,everyonewho was servingin the tentof meeting,whomMosesand Aaronnumberedaccordingto the commandmentof the LORD.
42The numberedmen of the familiesof the sonsof Merariby their families,by their fathers'households,43from thirtyyearsand upwardeven to fiftyyearsold,everyonewho enteredthe servicefor workin the tentof meeting.44Their numberedmen by their familieswere 3,20045Theseare the numberedmen of the familiesof the sonsof Merari,whomMosesand Aaronnumberedaccordingto the commandmentof the LORDthroughMoses.
46Allthe numberedmen of the Levites,whomMosesand Aaronand the leadersof Israelnumbered,by their familiesand by their fathers'households,47from thirtyyearsand upwardeven to fiftyyearsold,everyonewho could enterto dothe workof serviceand the workof carryingin the tentof meeting.48Their numberedmen were 8,58049Accordingto the commandmentof the LORDthroughMoses,they were numbered,everyoneby his servingor carrying;thus [these were] his numberedmen, justas the LORDhad commandedMoses.