⁷ They shall discharge his obligations and those of the whole community before the tent of meeting^(A) by maintaining the tabernacle. ⁸ They shall have responsibility for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and discharge the obligations of the Israelites by maintaining the tabernacle.

³⁸ East of the tabernacle, that is, in front of the tent of meeting, toward the sunrise, were camped Moses and Aaron and the latter’s sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary incumbent upon the Israelites. Any unauthorized person who came near was to be put to death.

¹⁹ and from among the Israelites I have given to Aaron and his sons these Levites, who are to be dedicated,^(A) to perform the service of the Israelites in the tent of meeting and to make atonement for them, so that no plague may strike among the Israelites should they come too near the sanctuary.

⁴ They will be joined to you to perform the duties associated with the tent of meeting, all the labor pertaining to the tent. But no unauthorized person^[a] shall come near you. ⁵ You shall perform the duties of the sanctuary and of the altar, that wrath may not fall again upon the Israelites.