1. This is the family history of Aaron and Moses at the time the Lord talked to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2. Aaron had four sons. Nadab was the firstborn son. Then there were Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3. These sons were the chosen priests. They were given the special work of serving the Lord as priests.
4. But Nadab and Abihu died while serving the Lord. They used fire that the Lord did not allow when they made an offering to him. So Nadab and Abihu died there, in the desert of Sinai. They had no sons, so Eleazar and Ithamar took their place and served the Lord as priests. This happened while their father Aaron was still alive.
5. The Lord said to Moses,
6. “Bring all the men from the tribe of Levi. Bring them to Aaron the priest. These men will be his helpers.
7. The Levites will help him when he serves at the Meeting Tent. And they will help all the Israelites when they come to worship at the Holy Tent.
8. The Israelites should protect everything in the Meeting Tent; it is their duty. But the Levites will serve the Israelites by caring for these things. This will be their way of serving at the Holy Tent.
9. “Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. The Levites were chosen from all the Israelites to help Aaron and his sons.