Numbers 3:41

3:41 And take ¹  the Levites for me – I am the Lord – instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

Numbers 3:45

3:45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. And the Levites will be mine. I am the Lord.

Numbers 8:16

8:16 For they are entirely given ²  to me from among the Israelites. I have taken them for myself instead of ³  all who open the womb, the firstborn sons of all the Israelites.

Numbers 8:18

8:18 So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites.

Numbers 18:6

18:6 I myself have chosen ⁴  your brothers the Levites from among the Israelites. They are given to you as a gift from the Lord, to perform the duties ⁵  of the tent of meeting.

¹ tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it carries forward the instructions from the preceding verse. The verb “take” now has the sense of appointing or designating the Levites.

² tn As before, the emphasis is obtained by repeating the passive participle: “given, given to me.”

³ tn Or “as substitutes” for all the firstborn of the Israelites.

⁴ tn Heb “taken.”

⁵ tn The infinitive construct in this sentence is from עָבַד (’avad), and so is the noun that serves as its object: to serve the service.