1. This is the family of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2. Aaron had four sons: Nadab, the eldest, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3. They were anointed and ordained as priests,
4. but Nadab and Abihu were killed when they offered unholy fire to the Lord in the Sinai Desert. They had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during Aaron's lifetime.
5. The Lord said to Moses,
6. “Bring forward the tribe of Levi and appoint them as servants of Aaron the priest.
7. They shall do the work required for the Tent of my presence and perform duties for the priests and for the whole community.
8. They shall take charge of all the equipment of the Tent and perform the duties for the rest of the Israelites.
9. The only responsibility the Levites have is to serve Aaron and his sons.
10. You shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; anyone else who tries to do so shall be put to death.”
11. The Lord said to Moses,
12-13. “The Levites are now to be mine. When I killed all the firstborn of the Egyptians, I consecrated as my own the eldest son of each Israelite family and the firstborn of every animal. Now, instead of having the firstborn sons of Israel as my own, I have the Levites; they will belong to me. I am the Lord.”