40 The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn Israelite males who are a month old or more(A) and make a list of their names.(B) 41 Take the Levites for me in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites,(C) and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites. I am the Lord.”(D)

42 So Moses counted all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him. 43 The total number of firstborn males a month old or more,(E) listed by name, was 22,273.(F)

44 The Lord also said to Moses, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine.(G) I am the Lord.(H) 46 To redeem(I) the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels[a](J) for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel,(K) which weighs twenty gerahs.(L) 48 Give the money for the redemption(M) of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”(N)

49 So Moses collected the redemption money(O) from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites(P) he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,[b](Q) according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 3:47 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams
  2. Numbers 3:50 That is, about 35 pounds or about 16 kilograms

40 And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

42 And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.

46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

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