You are to eat it as a most holy offering; every male may eat it. It will be holy to you.

This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting, relating to the most holy things.

Of all the most holy offerings reserved from the fire this will be yours: Every offering of theirs, whether from every grain offering or from every purification offering or from every reparation offering which they bring to me, will be most holy for you and for your sons.

But the Kohathites are not to go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, or they will die.”

“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to journey, then the Kohathites will come to carry them; but they must not touch any holy thing, or they will die. These are the responsibilities of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting.

Now the head of all the Levitical leaders was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the sanctuary.

collect five shekels for each one individually; you are to collect this amount in the currency of the sanctuary shekel (this shekel is twenty gerahs).

Every offering of all the Israelites’ holy things that they bring to the priest will be his.

Every man’s holy things will be his; whatever any man gives the priest will be his.’”

But to the Kohathites he gave none, because the service of the holy things, which they carried on their shoulders, was their responsibility.

“‘And its drink offering must be one quarter of a hin for each lamb. You must pour out the strong drink as a drink offering to the Lord in the holy place.

And on the first day there is to be a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work on it.

On the seventh day you are to have a holy assembly, you must do no regular work.

but in order that they will live and not die when they approach the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint each man to his service and his responsibility.

Counting every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.

Their responsibilities included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, the curtain, and all their service.

From the firstborn males of the Israelites he collected the money, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

Each silver platter weighed 130 shekels, and each silver sprinkling bowl weighed 70 shekels. All the silver of the vessels weighed 2,400 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

The twelve gold pans full of incense weighed 10 shekels each, according to the sanctuary shekel; all the gold of the pans weighed 120 shekels.

You will be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the care of the altar, so that there will be no more wrath on the Israelites.