Keraia
Numbers 3

Numbers 3:15

The Numbering of the Levites · Numbers 3:14–20
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Translations

Modern
“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”
Traditional
Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
Literal
“Number the sons of Levi by the houses of their fathers, by their clans; every male from a son of a month and above you shall number.”
Latin
Numera filios Levi per domos patrum suorum et familias, omnem masculum ab uno mense et supra.

Original

Hebrew
English
“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”

Notes

Numbers 3:14–39

  • This first phase of a two-part registration of the tribe of Levi summarized each family's special duties. 4:1–33 describes this in more detail (see 4:34–49 for the second phase). This count did not relate to military duties, so it included male Levites from the age of one month (3:40–41).

  • Three family groups descend from the three sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These clans, often called the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites, later inherited the "cities of refuge" (Joshua 21). They also had various important roles in the Jerusalem temple (2 Chronicles 29:3–17).

Numbers 3:1–4:49

Israel's priests and Levites had duties like moving, assembling, protecting, and maintaining the Tent of Meeting. The way God organized the tribes highlighted his concern for these priestly tasks.

People

Levi: Son of Jacob; progenitor of the Levites

Glossary

Biblical Concept of Law Census Deuteronomy, Book of Genealogy Numbers, Book of Tabernacle

Topics

Census: The Numbering of Israel by Moses Levites: Enrollment of, at Mount Sinai Levites: Set Apart As Ministers of Religion The Levites: Numbered Separately After the People from a Month Old