17 These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.
The Gershonites
(Numbers 4:21–28; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)
21 From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans. 22 The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500.
23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle, 24 and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
25 The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.
The Kohathites
(Numbers 4:1–20; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)
27 From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites. 28 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600.[1] They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.
29 The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan [2] son of Uzziel.
31 Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.
32 The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.
The Merarites
(Numbers 4:29–33; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)
33 From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. 34 The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200.
35 The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
36 The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items, 37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.
Moses and Aaron
38 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
39 The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.
