Numbers 3:14-20

The Numbering of the Levites

3:14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai: 3:15 “Number the Levites by their clans ¹  and their families; every male from a month old and upward you are to number.” ²  3:16 So Moses numbered them according to the word ³  of the Lord, just as he had been commanded. ⁴ 

The Summary of Families

3:17 These were the sons ⁵  of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

3:18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei. 3:19 The sons of Kohath by their families were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 3:20 The sons of Merari by their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their clans.

[3:15]  ¹ tn Heb “the house of their fathers.” So also in v. 20.

[3:15]  ² tn Heb “you are to/shall number them.”

[3:16]  ¹ tn Heb “at the mouth of the Lord.”

[3:16]  ² tn The Pual perfect may be given the past perfect translation in this sentence because the act of commanding preceded the act of numbering.

[3:17]  ¹ tn The word “sons of” does at the outset refer to the sons of Levi. But as the listing continues the expression refers more to the family groups of the various descendants.