^{6 Ref} Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

^{7 Ref} And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

^{8 Ref} And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

^{9 Ref} And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

^{10 Ref} And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

¹¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

^{12 Ref} And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

^{13 Ref} Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.