民數記3:11-51

3:11 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
3:12 「我從以色列人中揀選了利未人，代替以色列人一切頭生的；利未人要歸我。
3:13 因為凡頭生的是我的；我在埃及地擊殺一切頭生的那日就把以色列中一切頭生的，連人帶牲畜都分別為聖歸我；他們定要屬我。我是耶和華。」
3:14 耶和華在西奈的曠野曉諭摩西說：
3:15 「你要照利未人的宗族、家室數點他們。凡一個月以外的男子都要數點。」
3:16 於是摩西照耶和華所吩咐的數點他們。
3:17 利未眾子的名字是革順、哥轄、米拉利。
3:18 革順的兒子，按著家室，是立尼、示每。
3:19 哥轄的兒子，按著家室，是暗蘭、以斯哈、希伯倫、烏薛。
3:20 米拉利的兒子，按著家室，是抹利、母示。這些按著宗族是利未人的家室。
3:21 屬革順的，有立尼族、示每族。這是革順的二族。
3:22 其中被數、從一個月以外所有的男子共有七千五百名。
3:23 這革順的二族要在帳幕後西邊安營。
3:24 拉伊勒的兒子以利雅薩作革順人宗族的首領。
3:25 革順的子孫在會幕中所要看守的，就是帳幕和罩棚，並罩棚的蓋與會幕的門簾，
3:26 院子的帷子和門簾（院子是圍帳幕和壇的），並一切使用的繩子。
3:27 屬哥轄的，有暗蘭族、以斯哈族、希伯倫族、烏薛族。這是哥轄的諸族。
3:28 按所有男子的數目，從一個月以外看守聖所的，共有八千六百名。
3:29 哥轄兒子的諸族要在帳幕的南邊安營。
3:30 烏薛的兒子以利撒反作哥轄宗族家室的首領。
3:31 他們所要看守的是約櫃、桌子、燈臺、兩座壇與聖所內使用的器皿，並簾子和一切使用之物。
3:32 祭司亞倫的兒子以利亞撒作利未人眾首領的領袖，要監察那些看守聖所的人。
3:33 屬米拉利的，有抹利族、母示族。這是米拉利的二族。
3:34 他們被數的，按所有男子的數目，從一個月以外的，共有六千二百名。
3:35 亞比亥的兒子蘇列作米拉利二宗族的首領。他們要在帳幕的北邊安營。
3:36 米拉利子孫的職分是看守帳幕的板、閂、柱子、帶卯的座，和帳幕一切所使用的器具，
3:37 院子四圍的柱子、帶卯的座、橛子，和繩子。
3:38 在帳幕前東邊，向日出之地安營的是摩西、亞倫，和亞倫的兒子。他們看守聖所，替以色列人守耶和華所吩咐的。近前來的外人必被治死。
3:39 凡被數的利未人，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華吩咐所數的，按著家室，從一個月以外的男子，共有二萬二千名。
3:40 耶和華對摩西說：「你要從以色列人中數點一個月以外、凡頭生的男子，把他們的名字記下。
3:41 我是耶和華。你要揀選利未人歸我，代替以色列人所有頭生的，也取利未人的牲畜代替以色列所有頭生的牲畜。」
3:42 摩西就照耶和華所吩咐的把以色列人頭生的都數點了。
3:43 按人名的數目，從一個月以外、凡頭生的男子，共有二萬二千二百七十三名。
3:44 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
3:45 「你揀選利未人代替以色列人所有頭生的，也取利未人的牲畜代替以色列人的牲畜。利未人要歸我；我是耶和華。
3:46 以色列人中頭生的男子比利未人多二百七十三個，必當將他們贖出來。
3:47 你要按人丁，照聖所的平，每人取贖銀五舍客勒（一舍客勒是二十季拉），
3:48 把那多餘之人的贖銀交給亞倫和他的兒子。」
3:49 於是摩西從那被利未人所贖以外的人取了贖銀。
3:50 從以色列人頭生的所取之銀，按聖所的平，有一千三百六十五舍客勒。
3:51 摩西照耶和華的話把這贖銀給亞倫和他的兒子，正如耶和華所吩咐的。

¹¹ The Lord also said to Moses, ¹² “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, ¹³ for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”

¹⁴ The Lord said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai, ¹⁵ “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.” ¹⁶ So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the Lord.

¹⁷ These were the names of the sons of Levi:

Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

¹⁸ These were the names of the Gershonite clans:

Libni and Shimei.

¹⁹ The Kohathite clans:

Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

²⁰ The Merarite clans:

Mahli and Mushi.

These were the Levite clans, according to their families.

²¹ To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and Shimeites; these were the Gershonite clans. ²² The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. ²³ The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle. ²⁴ The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. ²⁵ At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes—and everything related to their use.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans. ²⁸ The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600.^[b] The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. ²⁹ The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. ³⁰ The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. ³¹ They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use. ³² The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. ³⁴ The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 6,200. ³⁵ The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. ³⁶ The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, ³⁷ as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes.

³⁸ Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

³⁹ The total number of Levites counted at the Lord’s command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month old or more, was 22,000.

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

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, listed by name, was 22,273.

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. I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷ collect five shekels^[c] for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. ⁴⁸ Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons.”

⁴⁹ So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. ⁵⁰ From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels,^[d] 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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    上帝揀選利未人的目的是：「我從以色列人中揀選了利未人，代替以色列人一切頭生的；利未人要歸我。因為凡頭生的是我的；我在埃及地擊殺一切頭生的那日就把以色列中一切頭生的，連人帶牲畜都分別為聖歸我；他們定要屬我。我是耶和華。」

    也因為這樣點數了利未人和以色列的長子，並將差異的人數用一千三百六十五舍客勒歸給亞倫的家，好辦理聖殿的事務用。

    這也讓我們看見服事上帝要按規矩，也要精準地辦一切事情，是不能馬虎的。所以，我們對信仰和教會的事，也不能馬虎，這是上帝所立的規矩。