1. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying
  2. “Take a total of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families
  3. from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, of all who enter so as to stand and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant
  4. This is the service of the sons of Kohath: the tabernacle of the covenant and the Holy of holies
  5. Aaron and his sons shall enter, when the camp is going to move, and they shall take down the veil, which hangs before the entrance, and they shall wrap the ark of the testimony in it
  6. and they shall cover it further with a veil of violet skins, and they shall extend over it a cloth made entirely of hyacinth, and they shall draw in the bars
  7. Likewise, they shall wrap the table of the presence in a cloth of hyacinth, and they shall place with it the censers and little mortars, the cups and bowls for pouring out libations; the bread shall be always on it
  8. And they shall extend over it a cloth of scarlet, which they shall further cover with a veil of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars
  9. They shall take also a cloth of hyacinth, with which they shall cover the lampstand with the lamps, and its tongs, and the candle snuffers, and all the vessels of oil, which are necessary for the preparation of the lamps
  10. And over all this they shall place a covering of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars
  11. And certainly they shall wrap the golden altar in a hyacinth garment, and they shall extend over it a covering of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars
  12. All the vessels with which they minister in the Sanctuary they shall wrap in a cloth of hyacinth, and they shall extend over it a covering of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars
  13. Moreover, they shall cleanse the altar of ashes, and they shall wrap it in a purple garment
  14. and they shall place it with all the vessels which they use in its ministry, that is, receptacles for fire, small hooks as well as forks, larger hooks and shovels. They shall cover all the vessels of the altar together with a veil of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars
  15. And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped the Sanctuary and its vessels at the dismantling of the camp, then the sons of Kohath shall enter, so as to carry what has been wrapped. And they shall not touch the vessels of the Sanctuary, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Kohath concerning the tabernacle of the covenant
  16. Over them shall be Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to whom belongs the care of the oil to prepare the lamps, and the incense compound, and the sacrifice, which is offered continually, and the oil of unction, and whatever pertains to the service of the tabernacle, and all the vessels that are in the Sanctuary.
  17. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying
  18. “Do not be willing to lose the people of Kohath from the midst of the Levites
  19. But do this for them, so that they may live, and so that they may not die by touching the Holies of holies. Aaron and his sons shall enter, and they shall assign the work of each one, and they shall determine what each one ought to carry
  20. Let no others, out of curiosity, see the things that are in the Sanctuary before they are wrapped, otherwise they shall die.
  21. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
  22. “Now also take a total of the sons of Gershon, by their houses and families and kinships
  23. from thirty years and above, even to fifty years. Number all those who enter and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant
  24. This is the duty of the family of the Gershonites
  25. to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the roof of the covenant, the other covering, and the veil over everything, and the violet tent, which hangs at the entrance of the tabernacle of the covenant
  26. the curtains of the atrium, and the veil at the entrance, which is before tabernacle. Everything that pertains to the altar, the cords, and the vessels of the ministr
  27. the sons of Gershon shall carry, under the orders of Aaron and his sons. And so shall each one know to which burden he ought to surrender
  28. This is the service of the family of the Gershonites, in the tabernacle of the covenant, and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest
  29. Likewise, you shall take a census of the sons of Merari, by the families and houses of their fathers
  30. from thirty years and above, even to fifty years, of all who enter to the office of their ministry and to the service of the covenant of the testimony
  31. These are their burdens: They shall carry the panels of the tabernacle and its bars, the columns and their bases
  32. also the columns surrounding the atrium, with their bases and tent pegs and cords. They shall accept by number all the vessels and articles, and so shall they carry them
  33. This is the office of the family of the Merarites, and their ministry for the tabernacle of the covenant. And they shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
  34. Therefore, Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of the assembly, took a census of the sons of Kohath, by the kinships and houses of their fathers
  35. from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, of all who enter to the ministry of the tabernacle of the covenant
  36. And there were found two thousand seven hundred fifty
  37. This is the number of the people of Kohath, who enter the tabernacle of the covenant. These Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses
  38. The sons of Gershon also were numbered by the kinships and houses of their fathers
  39. from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, all who enter so as to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant
  40. And there were found two thousand six hundred thirty
  41. This is the people of the Gershonites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord
  42. The sons of Merari also were numbered by the kinships and houses of their fathers
  43. from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, all who enter to fulfill the rituals of the tabernacle of the covenant
  44. And there were found three thousand two hundred
  45. This is the number of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses
  46. All who were counted from the Levites, and whom, by name, Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of Israel, counted by the kinships and houses of their fathers
  47. from thirty years and above, until the fiftieth year, entering for the ministry of the tabernacle and carrying the burdens
  48. were together eight thousand five hundred eighty
  49. Moses took a census of them, according to the word of the Lord, each one according to their office and their burdens, just as the Lord had instructed him