1 ¶ And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

2 Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,

3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who can enter the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:

5 When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall come, with his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it:

6 And shall put over it the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over that an all blue cloth, and shall put in place the staves of the ark.

7 And over the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put on it the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and pitchers for the drink offering: and the continual bread shall be on it:

8 And they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in place its staves.

9 And they shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand for the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its snuffers and dishes, and all of its oil containers, with which they keep it supplied:

10 And they shall put it and all its vessels in a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a frame.

11 And they shall spread a cloth of blue over the golden altar, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put its staves in place:

12 And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and put them on a frame:

13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it:

14 And they shall put on it all of its vessels, with which they minister about it, the censers, fleshhooks, shovels, and basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread over it a covering of badgers’ skins, and put its staves in place.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

16 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily meal offering, and the anointing oil, with the oversight of the entire tabernacle, and everything in it, in the sanctuary, and in its vessels.

17 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

18 Do not allow the tribe of the families of the Kohathites to be destroyed from among the Levites:

19 But deal thus with them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint to each of them his task and his load:

20 But they shall not go in to look before the holy things are covered, lest they die.

21 ¶ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

22 Also take a census of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;

23 You shall number them from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old; all who enter to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

24 These are the duties of the families of the Gershonites, in serving, and bearing burdens:

25 And they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, its covering, and the covering of badgers’ skins that is on top of it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

26 And the hangings of the courtyard, and the screen for the door of the gate to the courtyard, which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service, and they shall do all that needs to be done for them.

27 All that is done by the sons of the Gershonites, all they are to carry, and all they are to do, shall be under the direction of Aaron and his sons: and you shall assign to their charge all they are to carry.

28 This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their work shall be under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

29 As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;

30 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shall you number them, every one who enters into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.

31 And this is what they are assigned to carry, as the whole of their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,

32 And the pillars of the surrounding court, with their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their equipment, and with all their accessories: and you shall assign to them by name the articles which they are required to carry.

33 This is the work of the families of the sons of Merari, the whole of their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

34 ¶ And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,

35 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:

36 And those who were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.

37 This was the number of the families of the Kohathites, all who might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

38 And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by the house of their fathers,

39 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,

40 Even those of them who were numbered, according to their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.

41 These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all who might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD.

42 And those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,

43 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,

44 Even those who were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.

45 These are those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

46 All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,

47 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who came to do the service of the ministry, and the work of carrying in the tabernacle of the congregation,

48 Even those who were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and eighty.

49 According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.