38. But those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons. They were responsible for the needs of the sanctuary and for the needs of the Israelites, but the unauthorized person who approached was to be put to death.
39. All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the word of the Lord, according to their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.
40. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Number all the firstborn males of the Israelites from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41. And take the Levites for me – I am the Lord – instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”
42. So Moses numbered all the firstborn males among the Israelites, as the Lord had commanded him.
43. And all the firstborn males, by the number of the names from a month old and upward, totaled 22,273.