¹² ‘See, I have taken the Levites from the Israelites in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb.^(A) The Levites belong to me,

Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ The Lord told Moses, ‘Register every firstborn male of the Israelites^(A) one month old or more, and list their names. ⁴¹ You are to take the Levites for me – I am the Lord – in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.’ ⁴² So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. ⁴³ The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273.

⁴⁴ The Lord spoke to Moses again: ⁴⁵ ‘Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to me; I am the Lord.^(B)