⁵ The Lord said to Moses, ⁶ “Bring the tribe of Levi^(A) and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.^{(B) 7} 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. ⁸ 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. ⁹ 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)

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) 2} It included:

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. ⁹ 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)

Simeon^(A)

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.

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.