Add parallel Print Page Options

Duties of the Levites

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (A)“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, (B)as they minister at the tabernacle. They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. And (C)you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are (D)wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and (E)they shall guard their priesthood. But if (F)any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, (G)I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, 13 for (H)all the firstborn are mine. (I)On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord.”

Read full chapter

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi(A) and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.(B) They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community(C) at the tent of meeting by doing the work(D) of the tabernacle. They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle. Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;(E) they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.[a] 10 Appoint Aaron(F) and his sons to serve as priests;(G) anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”(H)

11 The Lord also said to Moses, 12 “I have taken the Levites(I) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring(J) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,(K) 13 for all the firstborn are mine.(L) When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”(M)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:9 Most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text; some manuscripts of the Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint (see also 8:16) to me

The Inheritance for Simeon

19 The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, (A)and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah. (B)And they had for their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities with their villages; Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities with their villages, together with all the villages round these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Simeon according to their clans. (C)The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah. Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them, the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.

Read full chapter

Allotment for Simeon(A)

19 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah.(B) It included:

Beersheba(C) (or Sheba),[a] Moladah,(D) Hazar Shual,(E) Balah, Ezem,(F) Eltolad,(G) Bethul, Hormah,(H) Ziklag,(I) Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;

Ain, Rimmon,(J) Ether and Ashan(K)—four towns and their villages— and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).(L)

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah,(M) because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.(N)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joshua 19:2 Or Beersheba, Sheba; 1 Chron. 4:28 does not have Sheba.

Descendants of Simeon

24 (A)The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul; 25 Shallum was his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. 26 The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. 27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children, (B)nor did all their clan multiply (C)like the men of Judah. 28 (D)They lived in Beersheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, 29 (E)Bilhah, Ezem, (F)Tolad, 30 (G)Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, 31 Beth-marcaboth, (H)Hazar-susim, (I)Beth-biri, and (J)Shaaraim. These were their cities until David reigned. 32 And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five cities, 33 along with all their villages that were round these cities as far as (K)Baal. These were their settlements, and they kept a genealogical record.

34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah the son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu the son of Joshibiah, son of Seraiah, son of Asiel, 36 Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 Ziza the son of Shiphi, son of Allon, son of Jedaiah, son of Shimri, son of Shemaiah— 38 these mentioned by name were princes in their clans, (L)and their fathers' houses increased greatly. 39 They journeyed to the entrance of (M)Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks,

Read full chapter

Simeon(A)

24 The descendants of Simeon:(B)

Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib,(C) Zerah and Shaul;

25 Shallum was Shaul’s son, Mibsam his son and Mishma his son.

26 The descendants of Mishma:

Hammuel his son, Zakkur his son and Shimei his son.

27 Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters, but his brothers did not have many children; so their entire clan did not become as numerous as the people of Judah. 28 They lived in Beersheba,(D) Moladah,(E) Hazar Shual, 29 Bilhah, Ezem,(F) Tolad, 30 Bethuel, Hormah,(G) Ziklag,(H) 31 Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susim, Beth Biri and Shaaraim.(I) These were their towns until the reign of David. 32 Their surrounding villages were Etam, Ain,(J) Rimmon, Token and Ashan(K)—five towns— 33 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath.[a] These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

34 Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, 35 Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36 also Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, 37 and Ziza son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah.

38 The men listed above by name were leaders of their clans. Their families increased greatly, 39 and they went to the outskirts of Gedor(L) to the east of the valley in search of pasture for their flocks.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 4:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also Joshua 19:8); Hebrew Baal