13. The Levites will stand at my altar in front of Aaron and his sons, who will then dedicate the Levites to me.
14. This ceremony will show that the Levites are different from the other Israelites and belong to me in a special way.
15. After they have been made acceptable and have been dedicated, they will be allowed to work at my sacred tent.
16. They are mine and will take the place of the firstborn Israelite sons.
17. When I killed the eldest sons of the Egyptians, I decided that the firstborn sons in each Israelite family would be mine, as well as every firstborn male from their flocks and herds.