Daily Text and Bible Reading: Tuesday, February 11 [Press play below]

1.1 And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year of their coming out of the land of Egypt. He said:
1.2 “Take a census of the whole assembly of the Israelites individually according to their families, according to their paternal houses, according to the count of the names of all the males.
1.3 You and Aaron are to register by their companies all those from 20 years old and up who can serve in the army in Israel.
1.4 “Take with you one man from each tribe; each one is to be a head of his paternal house.
1.5 These are the names of the men who will stand with you: of Reuben, Elizur the son of Shedeur;
1.6 of Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;
1.7 of Judah, Nahshon the son of Amminadab;
1.8 of Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
1.9 of Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;
1.10 of the sons of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur;
1.11 of Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;
1.12 of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai;
1.13 of Asher, Pagiel the son of Ochran;
1.14 of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Deuel;
1.15 of Naphtali, Ahira the son of Enan.
1.16 These are the ones summoned from the assembly. They are the chieftains of the tribes of their fathers, the heads of the thousands of Israel.”
1.17 So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name.
1.18 They gathered all the assembly on the first day of the second month, so that they might be registered individually by name, by family, and by their paternal houses, from 20 years old and up,
1.19 just as Jehovah had commanded Moses. So he registered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
1.20 The sons of Reuben, the descendants of Israel’s firstborn, were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted individually,
1.21 and the number registered of the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.
1.22 The descendants of Simeon were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted individually,
1.23 and the number registered of the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.
1.24 The descendants of Gad were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.25 and the number registered of the tribe of Gad was 45,650.
1.26 The descendants of Judah were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.27 and the number registered of the tribe of Judah was 74,600.
1.28 The descendants of Issachar were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.29 and the number registered of the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.
1.30 The descendants of Zebulun were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.31 and the number registered of the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.
1.32 The descendants of Joseph through Ephraim were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.33 and the number registered of the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
1.34 The descendants of Manasseh were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.35 and the number registered of the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.
1.36 The descendants of Benjamin were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.37 and the number registered of the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.
1.38 The descendants of Dan were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.39 and the number registered of the tribe of Dan was 62,700.
1.40 The descendants of Asher were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.41 and the number registered of the tribe of Asher was 41,500.
1.42 The descendants of Naphtali were listed by name, by family, and by their paternal houses. All the males from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army were counted,
1.43 and the number registered of the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.
1.44 These were registered by Moses together with Aaron and the 12 chieftains of Israel, each representing his paternal house.
1.45 All the Israelites from 20 years old and up who could serve in the army in Israel were registered by their paternal house,
1.46 and the total number registered was 603,550.
1.47 But the Levites were not registered in among them by the tribe of their fathers.
1.48 So Jehovah told Moses:
1.49 “Only the tribe of Levi you are not to register, and you should not include the number of them along with the other Israelites.
1.50 You should appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony and over all its utensils and over everything that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its utensils, and they will minister at it, and they are to camp around the tabernacle.
1.51 Whenever the tabernacle is to be moved, the Levites should take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be reassembled, the Levites should set it up; and any unauthorized person who comes near should be put to death.
1.52 “Each Israelite should set up his tent in his assigned camp, each man according to his three-tribe division by their companies.
1.53 And the Levites should encamp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, so that no indignation may arise against the assembly of the Israelites; and the Levites must be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
1.54 The people of Israel did all that Jehovah had commanded Moses. They did just so.
2.1 Jehovah now spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
2.2 “The Israelites should encamp where their three-tribe division is assigned, each man near the banner of his paternal house. They should camp facing the tent of meeting, all around it.
2.3 “Those camping on the east side, toward the sunrise, will be the three-tribe division of the encampment of Judah by their companies; the chieftain for the sons of Judah is Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
2.4 Those registered in his army are 74,600.
2.5 Camping alongside him will be the tribe of Issachar; the chieftain for the sons of Issachar is Nethanel the son of Zuar.
2.6 Those registered in his army are 54,400.
2.7 Next is the tribe of Zebulun; the chieftain for the sons of Zebulun is Eliab the son of Helon.
2.8 Those registered in his army are 57,400.
2.9 “All those registered in the armies of the camp of Judah are 186,400. They should break camp first.
2.10 “The three-tribe division of the encampment of Reuben by their companies will be toward the south; the chieftain for the sons of Reuben is Elizur the son of Shedeur.
2.11 Those registered in his army are 46,500.
2.12 Camping alongside him will be the tribe of Simeon; the chieftain for the sons of Simeon is Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
2.13 Those registered in his army are 59,300.
2.14 Next is the tribe of Gad; the chieftain for the sons of Gad is Eliasaph the son of Reuel.
2.15 Those registered in his army are 45,650.
2.16 “All those registered in the armies of the camp of Reuben are 151,450, and they should break camp second.
2.17 “When the tent of meeting is moved, the camp of the Levites should be in the middle of the other camps. “They should travel in the same order as they encamp, with each in his place, according to their three-tribe divisions.
2.18 “The three-tribe division of the encampment of Ephraim by their companies will be toward the west; the chieftain for the sons of Ephraim is Elishama the son of Ammihud.
2.19 Those registered in his army are 40,500.
2.20 Next to him will be the tribe of Manasseh; the chieftain for the sons of Manasseh is Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
2.21 Those registered in his army are 32,200.
2.22 Next is the tribe of Benjamin; the chieftain for the sons of Benjamin is Abidan the son of Gideoni.
2.23 Those registered in his army are 35,400.
2.24 “All those registered in the armies of the camp of Ephraim are 108,100, and they should break camp third.
2.25 “The three-tribe division of the encampment of Dan by their companies will be toward the north; the chieftain for the sons of Dan is Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
2.26 Those registered in his army are 62,700.
2.27 Camping alongside him will be the tribe of Asher; the chieftain for the sons of Asher is Pagiel the son of Ochran.
2.28 Those registered in his army are 41,500.
2.29 Next is the tribe of Naphtali; the chieftain for the sons of Naphtali is Ahira the son of Enan.
2.30 Those registered in his army are 53,400.
2.31 “All those registered in the camp of Dan are 157,600. They should break camp last, according to their three-tribe divisions.”
2.32 These were the Israelites who were registered according to their paternal houses; the total of those in the camps registered for the army was 603,550.
2.33 But the Levites did not get registered along with the other Israelites, just as Jehovah had commanded Moses.
2.34 The Israelites did everything that Jehovah had commanded Moses. This is how they encamped by their three-tribe divisions and how they broke camp, each by family and according to their paternal houses.
3.1 Now these were the family lines of Aaron and Moses in the day that Jehovah spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
3.2 These were the names of Aaron’s sons: the firstborn Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3.3 These were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests who had been installed to serve as priests.
3.4 However, Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah when they offered unauthorized fire before Jehovah in the wilderness of Sinai, and they did not have any sons. But Eleazar and Ithamar continued to serve as priests along with Aaron their father.
3.5 Jehovah then said to Moses:
3.6 “Bring the tribe of Levi forward, and stand them before Aaron the priest, and they will minister to him.
3.7 They are to fulfill their responsibilities toward him and toward all the assembly before the tent of meeting by carrying out their service in connection with the tabernacle.
3.8 They are to take care of all the equipment of the tent of meeting and to carry out their responsibilities toward the Israelites by taking care of the services related to the tabernacle.
3.9 You are to give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are given ones, given to him from the Israelites.
3.10 You should appoint Aaron and his sons, and they are to carry out their priestly duties, and any unauthorized person who comes near should be put to death.”
3.11 Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, saying:
3.12 “As for me, look! I take the Levites from among the Israelites in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and the Levites will become mine.
3.13 For every firstborn is mine. In the day that I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to myself every firstborn in Israel from man to beast. They are to become mine. I am Jehovah.”
3.14 Jehovah spoke further to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying:
3.15 “Register the sons of Levi by their paternal houses and by their families. You should register every male from a month old and up.”
3.16 So Moses registered them at the order of Jehovah, just as he had been commanded.
3.17 These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
3.18 Now these were 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 were the families of the Levites by their paternal houses.
3.21 From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites. These were the families of the Gershonites.
3.22 The number of all their males a month old and up who were registered was 7,500.
3.23 The families of the Gershonites were encamped behind the tabernacle toward the west.
3.24 The chieftain of the paternal house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.
3.25 The responsibility of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was to care for the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, the screen of the entrance of the tent of meeting,
3.26 the hanging curtains of the courtyard, the screen of the entrance of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, its tent cords, and all the service connected with these.
3.27 From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These were the families of the Kohathites.
3.28 The number of all the males from a month old and up was 8,600; they were responsible for taking care of the holy place.
3.29 The families of the sons of Kohath camped on the south side of the tabernacle.
3.30 The chieftain of the paternal house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
3.31 Their responsibility was to care for the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils used to minister in the holy place, the screen, and all the service connected with these.
3.32 The head chieftain of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, who had the oversight of those taking care of the responsibilities of the holy place.
3.33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites. These were the families of Merari.
3.34 The number of all the males from a month old and up who were registered was 6,200.
3.35 The chieftain of the paternal house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were encamped on the north side of the tabernacle.
3.36 The sons of Merari were responsible for overseeing the panel frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its socket pedestals, all its utensils, and all the service connected with these,
3.37 as well as the pillars that were all around the courtyard and their socket pedestals, their tent pins, and their tent cords.
3.38 Those camping in front of the tabernacle toward the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons. They were responsible for taking care of the sanctuary as their obligation in behalf of the Israelites. Any unauthorized person coming near would be put to death.
3.39 All the Levite males from a month old and up, whom Moses and Aaron registered by their families at the order of Jehovah, were 22,000.
3.40 Then Jehovah said to Moses: “Register all the firstborn males of the Israelites from a month old and up, count them, and make a list of their names.
3.41 You must take the Levites for me—I am Jehovah—in place of all the firstborn of the Israelites, and take the domestic animals of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the domestic animals of the Israelites.”
3.42 Moses then registered all the firstborn among the Israelites, just as Jehovah had commanded him.
3.43 The number of all the firstborn males who were registered by name from a month old and up was 22,273.
3.44 Jehovah continued to speak to Moses, saying:
3.45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites, and take the domestic animals of the Levites in place of their domestic animals, and the Levites must become mine. I am Jehovah.
3.46 As the ransom price of the 273 of the firstborn of the Israelites who are in excess of the Levites,
3.47 you are to take five shekels for each individual, according to the standard shekel of the holy place. A shekel is 20 gerahs.
3.48 You are to give the money to Aaron and his sons as the ransom price of those who are in excess of them.”
3.49 So Moses took the money of the redemption price from those who were in excess of the ransom price of the Levites.
3.50 He took the money from the firstborn of the Israelites, 1,365 shekels, according to the standard shekel of the holy place.
3.51 Then Moses gave the money of the ransom price to Aaron and his sons according to the word of Jehovah, just as Jehovah had commanded Moses.