Numbers 3:40-45

Contemporary English Version

The Levites Are Accepted as Substitutes for the First-Born Sons

⁴⁰ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a list and count the first-born sons at least one month old in each of the Israelite families. ⁴¹ They belong to me, but I will accept the Levites as substitutes for them, and I will accept the Levites' livestock as substitutes for the Israelites' first-born livestock.”

⁴² Moses obeyed the Lord and counted the first-born sons; ⁴³ there were 22,273 of them.

⁴⁴ Then the Lord said, ⁴⁵ “The Levites will belong to me and will take the place of the first-born sons; their livestock will take the place of the Israelites' first-born livestock.