4. They will join you. They will take care of the Meeting Tent. They must do the work at the Tent. No one else may come near you.
5. “You must take care of the Holy Place and the altar. Then I won’t become angry with the Israelites again.
6. I myself chose your fellow Levites from among the Israelites. They are a gift given for you to the Lord. Their work is at the Meeting Tent.
7. But only you and your sons may serve as priests. Only you may serve at the altar or go behind the curtain. I am giving you this gift of serving as a priest. Anyone else who comes near the Holy Place will be put to death.”
8. Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself make you responsible for the offerings given to me. All the holy offerings that the Israelites give to me, I give to you. They are for you and your sons as your share. They will be your continual portion.
9. Your share of the holy offerings is that part which is not burned. The people will bring me gifts as most holy offerings. These are grain or sin or penalty offerings. These will be set apart for you and your sons.
10. You must eat it in a most holy place. Any male may eat it. But you must respect it as holy.
11. “I also give you the offerings the Israelites present to me. I give these to you and your sons and daughters. This is your share. Anyone in your family who is clean may eat it.
12. “And I give you all the best olive oil and all the best new wine and grain. This is what the Israelites give to me, the Lord. These are the first things they harvest.
13. They bring to the Lord all the first things they harvest. They will be yours. Anyone in your family who is clean may eat these things.
14. “Everything in Israel that is given to the Lord is yours.
15. The first one born to any family will be offered to the Lord. This is true for both men and animals. And that will be yours. But you must make a payment for every firstborn son and every firstborn animal that is unclean.
16. When they are one month old, you must make a payment for them. The cost will be two ounces of silver as set by the Holy Place measure.
17. “But you must not make a payment for the firstborn ox or sheep or goat. Those animals are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat. This is an offering made by fire. The smell is pleasing to the Lord.
18. But the meat will be yours. Also the breast that is presented and the right thigh will be yours.
19. Anything the Israelites present as holy gifts I, the Lord, give to you. It goes to you, your sons and daughters. It is your continual portion. This is a lasting promise before the Lord to you and your children forever.”