1. These are the genealogies of Aaron and Moses at the time when Yahweh spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai.
2. These are the names of the descendants of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3. These are the names of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, the anointed ones whom he consecrated as priests.
4. Nadab and Abihu died before Yahweh when they presented a strange fire before Yahweh in the desert of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priest during the presence of Aaron their father.
5. Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
6. “Bring near the tribe of Levi, and set the tribe before Aaron the priest, and they will minister to him.
7. They shall observe his duties and the duties of the entire community before the tent of assembly, to do the work of the tabernacle.
8. And they will keep all the vessels of the tent of assembly and the responsibilities of the Israelites, to do the work of the tabernacle.
9. You will give the Levites to Aaron and to his descendants; they are surely assigned to him from among the Israelites.
10. But you will count Aaron and his descendants; they will keep their priesthood, and the stranger who approaches will be put to death.”
11. Yahweh spoke to Moses saying,
12. “I myself receive the Levites from the midst of the Israelites in the place of all the firstborn of the offspring of the womb from the Israelites. The Levites will be mine
13. because all the firstborn are mine; on the day of my killing all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both humankind and animal; they will be mine. I am Yahweh.”
14. Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, saying,
15. “Muster the descendants of Levi according to their families, according to their clans. You will count every male from one month and above.”
16. So Moses mustered them according to the command of Yahweh, just as he commanded.
17. These were the sons of Levi according to their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18. And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their clans: Libni and Shimei.