Aaron's Sons
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 oldest, 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.
The Levites Are Appointed to Serve the Priests
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 first-born of the Egyptians, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal. Now, instead of having the first-born sons of Israel as my own, I have the Levites; they will belong to me. I am the Lord.”
The Census of the Levites
14 In the Sinai Desert the Lord commanded Moses 15 to register the Levites by clans and families, enrolling every male a month old or older, 16 and Moses did so. 17-20 Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, who were the ancestors of the clans that bear their names. Gershon had two sons: Libni and Shimei; Kohath had four sons: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and Merari had two sons: Mahli and Mushi. They were the ancestors of the families that bear their names.
21 The clan of Gershon was composed of the families of Libni and Shimei. 22 The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was 7,500. 23 This clan was to camp on the west behind the Tent, 24 with Eliasaph son of Lael as chief of the clan. 25 They were responsible for the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the curtain for the entrance, 26 the curtains for the court which is around the Tent and the altar, and the curtain for the entrance of the court. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.
27 The clan of Kohath was composed of the families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 28 The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was 8,600. 29 This clan was to camp on the south side of the Tent, 30 with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as chief of the clan. 31 They were responsible for the Covenant Box, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils the priests use in the Holy Place, and the curtain at the entrance to the Most Holy Place. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items.
32 The chief of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was in charge of those who carried out the duties in the Holy Place.
33 The clan of Merari was composed of the families of Mahli and Mushi. 34 The total number of males one month old or older that were enrolled was 6,200. 35 This clan was to camp on the north side of the Tent, with Zuriel son of Abihail as chief of the clan. 36 They were assigned responsibility for the frames for the Tent, its bars, posts, bases, and all its fittings. They were responsible for all the service connected with these items. 37 They were also responsible for the posts, bases, pegs, and ropes for the outer court.
38 Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp in front of the Tent on the east. They were responsible for carrying out the services performed in the Holy Place for the people of Israel. Anyone else who tried to do so was to be put to death. 39 The total number of all the Levite males one month old or older that Moses enrolled by clans at the command of the Lord, was 22,000.
The Levites Take the Place of the First-Born Sons
40-41 The Lord said to Moses, “All of Israel's first-born sons belong to me. So register by name every first-born male Israelite, one month old or older. But in place of them I claim all the Levites as mine! I am the Lord! I also claim the livestock of the Levites in place of all the first-born of the livestock.” 42 Moses obeyed, and registered all the first-born males 43 one month old or older; the total was 22,273.
44 The Lord said to Moses, 45 “Now dedicate the Levites as mine in place of all the first-born Israelite sons, and dedicate the livestock of the Levites in place of the first-born of the Israelites' livestock. 46 Since the first-born Israelite sons outnumber the Levites by 273, you must buy back the extra sons. 47 For each one pay five pieces of silver, according to the official standard, 48 and give this money to Aaron and his sons.” 49 Moses obeyed and took 50 the 1,365 pieces of silver 51 and gave them to Aaron and his sons.
Oludalo laAron
1 Noludalo laAron nolaMoses mefiku linya Omwene a popya naMoses komhunda yaSinai, oleli: 2 Omadina ovana ovamati vaAron oyaa: Oshiveli Nadab, opo nee Abihu, Eliaser naItamar. 3 Oo omadina ovana ovamati vaAron, ovapristeli va vaekwa, ava e va tula mokuyakula moshilonga shoupristeli. 4 Ndelenee Nadab naAbihu va fila koshipala shOmwene, vo eshi va twala omundilo umwe koshipala shOmwene mombuwa yaSinai. Ndele vo va li vehe noludalo. Ndelenee Eliaser naItamar ova li va yakula moshilonga shoupristeli moipafi yaxe Aron.
Oshilonga shoupristeli wOvalevi
5 NOmwene okwa popya naMoses ndee ta ti: 6 “Epata laLevi li ehenifa li kale moipafi yomupristeli Aron, opo vo va shiive oku mu yakula. 7 Vo nava diinine oilonga yaye noilonga yeongalo alishe komesho yetwali leongalo, va wanife oiyakulwalonga yetwali liyapuki. 8 Ndele vo ve nokukala noshisho shoilongifo aishe yetwali leongalo noponhele yovana vaIsrael okuyakula metwali liyapuki. 9 NOvalevi u noku va yandja kuAron nokovana vaye. Vo aveshe vomovana vaIsrael ova yandjwa kuye. 10 Ndelenee Aron novana vaye ovamati u noku va yapulila oshilonga shoupristeli. Ndele omuyeni ou ta ehene po, e nokudipawa.”
11 NOmwene okwa popya naMoses ndee ta ti: 12 “Tala, Ame mwene onda kufa mo Ovalevi movana vaIsrael ponhele yoiveli aishe ei tai yeulula oshidalelo shaina movana vaIsrael, Ovalevi opo va kale vange mwene. 13 Osheshi oiveli aishe oyange. Mefiku tuu linya Ame nda dipaa po oiveli aishe medu laEgipiti Ame nde liyapulila oiveli aishe yomuIsrael, yovanhu noyoimuna. Vo ve nokukala vange, Aame Omwene.”
Omapata Ovalevi
14 NOmwene okwa popya naMoses mombuwa yaSinai ndee ta ti: 15 Vala ovana ovamati vaLevi pamaumbo avo nopamapata avo. Ovalumenhu aveshe ava va wanifa ohani imwe ile va koya po, vo u noku va vala.
16 Ndele Moses okwe va vala palombwelo lOmwene ngaashi Ye e mu lombwela. 17 Ndele ovana ovamati vaLevi pamadina avo ovava: Gerson, Kohat, naMerari ovo va li ooxekulu yomaludi oo e va lukilwa.
18 Nomadina ovana ovamati vaGerson oyaa: Libni naSimei.
19 Novana ovamati vaKohat pamapata avo: Amram naIshar, Hebron naUsiel.
20 Novana ovamati vaMerari pamapata avo: Mahli naMushi Oo omapata Ovalevi pamaumbo avo.
21 MuGerson mwa dja epata lOvalibni nepata lOvasimei. Olo epata lOvagerson. 22 Ava va valwa vomuvo ovalumenhu aveshe ava va wanifa ohani imwe ile va koya po, omuvalu wavo u fike pomayovi aheyali nomafele atano. 23 Epata lOvagerson li nokwoonga Onhanda konima yetwali liyapuki langhele kouninginino. 24 Eliasaf yaLael e nokuninga omukulunhu womaumbo Ovagerson. 25 Ovana ovamati vaGerson ve nokukala noshisho shetwali liyapuki netwali oshikututuviko shoipa yeedi noshikututuviko shoipa yonguluve poshivelo shetwali leongalo, 26 noiyatafaila ya kambakanifwa yehale lokomesho, noshiidilifoyata shoshivelo shehale lokomesho tashi dingilile etwali liyapuki noaltari neengodi adishe dasho, heeno, aishe ei tai longifwa moshilonga shalo.
27 Ndele oludalo la dja muKohat: Epata lOvaamrami nepata lOvaishari nepata lOvahebroni, nepata lOvaussiel. Oo omapata Ovakohati. 28 Aveshe ava va valwa ovalumenhu aveshe ava va wanifa ohani imwe naava va koya po, ova li ve fike pomayovi ahetatu nomafele ahamano, ava va li hava diinine oilonga yetwali liyapuki. 29 Omapata ovana vaKohat nava onge onhanda kombinga yokoumbuwanhu wetwali liyapuki. 30 Ndele Elisafan yaUsiel e nokuninga omukulunhu wongudu yomapata Ovakohati. 31 Vo ove nokukala noshisho shoshikefa noshoshitaafula noshoshikwatelwalamba noshoaltari noshoilongifo yetwali liyapuki oyo hai longifwa kovapristeli noshoshitukulifoyata naaishe ei tai longifwa mulo. 32 Ndelenee Eliaser, omona womupristeli Aron, e nokuninga omukulunhu wovakulunhu vOvalevi, omupashukili waava hava longo metwali liyapuki.
33 Oludalo laMerari olo epata lOvamahli nepata lOvamushi. Oo omapata Ovamerari. 34 Ndele ava va valwa muvo ovalumenhu aveshe va wanifa ohani imwe naava va koya po ova li ve fike pomayovi ahamano nomafele avali. 35 Ndele Suriel yaAbigail e nokuninga omukulunhu wongudu yomapata Ovamerari. Vo ve nokwoonga onhanda kombinga yokoumbangalanhu wetwali liyapuki. 36 Novana ovamati vaMerari va li ve nokukala noshisho shoipilangi yetwali liyapuki neenhikifo dalo neengudi dalo noikwatelwamhadi yalo, noilongifo aishe ngaashi yo oilonga aishe ya li i nokulongwa, 37 neengudi dehale lokomesho keembinga adishe noikwatelwamhadi yado neembosha dado neengodi dado.
38 Ndelenee komesho yetwali liyapuki, kombinga yokoushilo, kepito letango, oko Moses naAron hava ongo onhanda novana vavo ava hava longo metwali liyapuki nokutya, oilonga ponhele yovana vaIsrael. Ndelenee omuyeni ou ta ehene po, e nokudipawa.
39 Ovalevi aveshe, ava va valwa kuMoses nokuAron palombwelo lOmwene, ava va valwa pamapata avo, ovalumenhu aveshe ava va wanifa ohani imwe nova koya po, ova li ve fike pomayovi omilongo mbali naavali.
Ekulilo loiveli yOvaisraeli
40 Ndele Omwene okwa lombwela Moses ndee ta ti: “Vala oiveli aishe yovalumenhu vovana vaIsrael, ava va wanifa ohani imwe ile va koya po, ove u shangele mo omuvalu wayo. 41 Kufile nge Aame Omwene Ovalevi ponhele yoiveli aishe yoimuna yovana vaIsrael.” 42 Ndele Moses okwa vala oiveli aishe yovana vaIsrael, Omwene ngaashi e mu lombwela. 43 Noiveli aishe yovalumenhu pakuvala omadina ayo, ei ya wanifa ohani imwe ile ya koya po, oya li pakuvalwa kwayo i fike pomayovi omilongo mbali naavali nomafele avali nomilongo heyali naitatu.
44 NOmwene okwa popya naMoses ndee ta ti: 45 “Kufa Ovalevi ponhele yoiveli aishe yovalumenhu yovana vaIsrael, noyoimuna yOvalevi ponhele yoiveli aishe yovalumenhu yovana vaIsrael, noyoimuna yOvalevi ponhele yoimuna yavo, Ovalevi opo va shiive okukala vange mwene. Aame omwene. 46 Ndelenee ngaashi ekulilo laava omafele avali nomilongo heyali navatatu, ava va xupa po koiveli yovalumenhu vOvaisraeli momwaalu wOvalevi, 47 u noku va kufila keshe umwe eesekeli nhano; di kufa pakuyeleka osekeli yetwali liyapuki nokuvala eegera omilongo mbali mosekeli imwe. 48 Ndele ove u nokupa Aron novana oimaliwa ngaashi ekulilo laava va xupa mokati kavo.”
49 Ndele Moses okwa tambula oimaliwa yoikulila yaava va xupa po komuvalu wovakulilwa vOvalevi, 50 ye okwa kufa oimaliwa koiveli yovalumenhu vovana vaIsrael, i fike peesekeli eyovi limwe nomafele atatu nomilongo hamano nanhano pakuyeleka kwosekeli yetwali liyapuki.
51 Ndele Moses okwa yandja kuAron novana vaye ovamati oimaliwa yoikulila palombwelo lOmwene, ngaashi Omwene a lombwela Moses.
