Numbers 3:40-51

The Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ And Jehovah said to Moses, Number all the first-born 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 Jehovah) 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 Jehovah had commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel. ⁴³ And all the firstborn males, by the number of the names, from a month old and upward, according to their numbering, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. ⁴⁴ And Jehovah spoke to 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 Jehovah. ⁴⁶ And for those that are to be ransomed, the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are in excess over the Levites, ⁴⁷ thou shalt take five shekels apiece by the poll, according to the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them,—twenty gerahs the shekel; ⁴⁸ and thou shalt give the money unto Aaron and unto his sons for those in excess among them who are to be ransomed. ⁴⁹ And Moses took the ransom-money from them that were over and above those who were ransomed by the Levites; ⁵⁰ of the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, a thousand three hundred and sixty-five [shekels], according to the shekel of the sanctuary. ⁵¹ And Moses gave the money of them that were ransomed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the commandment of Jehovah,—as Jehovah had commanded Moses.