1
וְאֵלֶּה תּוֹלְדֹת אַהֲרֹן, וּמֹשֶׁה: בְּיוֹם, דִּבֶּר יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה--בְּהַר סִינָי.
Estas son las generaciones de Aarón y de Moisés, en el día en que Jehová habló con Moisés en el monte Sinaí.
2
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי-אַהֲרֹן, הַבְּכֹר נָדָב, וַאֲבִיהוּא, אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר.
And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: the firstborn Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and
Ithamar.
noteY estos son los nombres de los hijos de Aarón: el primogénito Nadab, y Abíu, Eleazar e Itamar.
3
אֵלֶּה, שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן, הַכֹּהֲנִים, הַמְּשֻׁחִים--אֲשֶׁר-מִלֵּא יָדָם, לְכַהֵן.
These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister as priests.
noteEstos son los nombres de los hijos de Aarón, los sacerdotes ungidos, a quienes él consagró para ministrar como sacerdotes.
4
וַיָּמָת נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא לִפְנֵי יְהוָה בְּהַקְרִבָם אֵשׁ זָרָה לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, וּבָנִים, לֹא-הָיוּ לָהֶם; וַיְכַהֵן אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר, עַל-פְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן אֲבִיהֶם. {פ}
But Nadab and Abihu died before Jehovah, when they offered strange fire before Jehovah in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
{פ}notePero Nadab y Abíu murieron delante de Jehová, cuando ofrecieron fuego extraño delante de Jehová en el desierto de Sinaí, y no tuvieron hijos; y Eleazar e Itamar ministraron como sacerdotes en presencia de Aarón su padre.
5
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés, diciendo:
6
הַקְרֵב, אֶת-מַטֵּה לֵוִי, וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ אֹתוֹ, לִפְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן; וְשֵׁרְתוּ, אֹתוֹ.
Bring the
tribe of Levi near, and set it before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.
noteHaz que se acerque la
tribu de Leví, y ponla delante de Aarón el sacerdote, para que le sirvan.
7
וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת-מִשְׁמַרְתּוֹ, וְאֶת-מִשְׁמֶרֶת כָּל-הָעֵדָה, לִפְנֵי, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד--לַעֲבֹד, אֶת-עֲבֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן.
And they shall keep his
charge, and the charge of the whole
congregation, before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.
noteY guardarán su
encargo, y el encargo de toda la
congregación, delante del tabernáculo de reunión, para hacer el servicio del tabernáculo.
8
וְשָׁמְרוּ, אֶת-כָּל-כְּלֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, וְאֶת-מִשְׁמֶרֶת, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--לַעֲבֹד, אֶת-עֲבֹדַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן.
And they shall keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
noteY guardarán todo el mobiliario del tabernáculo de reunión, y el encargo de los hijos de Israel, para hacer el servicio del tabernáculo.
9
וְנָתַתָּה, אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם, לְאַהֲרֹן, וּלְבָנָיו: נְתוּנִם נְתוּנִם הֵמָּה לוֹ, מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons: they are
wholly given to him from among the children of Israel.
noteY darás los levitas a Aarón y a sus hijos: enteramente dados le son de entre los hijos de Israel.
10
וְאֶת-אַהֲרֹן וְאֶת-בָּנָיו תִּפְקֹד, וְשָׁמְרוּ אֶת-כְּהֻנָּתָם; וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב, יוּמָת. {פ}
And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood; and the outsider who draws near shall be put to death.
{פ}noteY designarás a Aarón y a sus hijos, y guardarán su sacerdocio; y el extraño que se acerque morirá.
11
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés, diciendo:
12
וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם, מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, תַּחַת כָּל-בְּכוֹר פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם, מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְהָיוּ לִי, הַלְוִיִּם.
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel, in place of every firstborn that opens the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine.
noteY yo, he aquí, he tomado a los levitas de entre los hijos de Israel, en lugar de todo primogénito que abre matriz entre los hijos de Israel; y los levitas serán míos.
13
כִּי לִי, כָּל-בְּכוֹר--בְּיוֹם הַכֹּתִי כָל-בְּכוֹר בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם הִקְדַּשְׁתִּי לִי כָל-בְּכוֹר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, מֵאָדָם עַד-בְּהֵמָה: לִי יִהְיוּ, אֲנִי יְהוָה. {פ}
For every firstborn is mine: on the day that I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to myself every firstborn in Israel, whether man or animal; they shall be mine: I am Jehovah.
{פ}notePorque mío es todo primogénito: el día en que yo herí a todo primogénito en la tierra de Egipto, consagré para mí a todo primogénito en Israel, sea hombre o animal; míos serán: yo soy Jehová.
14
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי לֵאמֹר.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés en el desierto de Sinaí, diciendo:
15
פְּקֹד אֶת-בְּנֵי לֵוִי, לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם: כָּל-זָכָר מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ וָמַעְלָה, תִּפְקְדֵם.
Muster the sons of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their clans: every male from a month old and upward you shall muster.
note
Recluta a los hijos de Leví por la casa de sus padres, por sus clanes: a todo varón de un mes para arriba los recluta.
16
וַיִּפְקֹד אֹתָם מֹשֶׁה, עַל-פִּי יְהוָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר, צֻוָּה.
So Moses mustered them according to the word of Jehovah, as he was commanded.
noteY Moisés los recluta conforme a la palabra de Jehová, como se le mandó.
17
וַיִּהְיוּ-אֵלֶּה בְנֵי-לֵוִי, בִּשְׁמֹתָם--גֵּרְשׁוֹן, וּקְהָת וּמְרָרִי.
And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
noteY estos eran los hijos de Leví por sus nombres: Gersón, y Coat y Merari.
18
וְאֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי-גֵרְשׁוֹן, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם--לִבְנִי, וְשִׁמְעִי.
And these are the names of the sons of Gershon, by their clans: Libni and Shimei.
noteY estos son los nombres de los hijos de Gersón, por sus clanes: Libni y Simei.
19
וּבְנֵי קְהָת, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם--עַמְרָם וְיִצְהָר, חֶבְרוֹן וְעֻזִּיאֵל.
And the sons of Kohath, by their clans: Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
noteY los hijos de Coat, por sus clanes: Amram e Izhar, Hebrón y Uziel.
20
וּבְנֵי מְרָרִי, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם--מַחְלִי וּמוּשִׁי; אֵלֶּה הֵם מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַלֵּוִי, לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם.
And the sons of Merari, by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of Levi, by their fathers' houses.
noteY los hijos de Merari, por sus clanes: Mahli y Musi. Estos son los clanes de Leví, por la casa de sus padres.
21
לְגֵרְשׁוֹן--מִשְׁפַּחַת הַלִּבְנִי, וּמִשְׁפַּחַת הַשִּׁמְעִי; אֵלֶּה הֵם, מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי.
Of Gershon was the clan of the Libnites, and the clan of the Shimeites: these are the clans of the Gershonites.
noteDe Gersón procedía el clan de los libnitas, y el clan de los simeitas: estos son los clanes de los gersonitas.
22
פְּקֻדֵיהֶם בְּמִסְפַּר כָּל-זָכָר, מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ וָמָעְלָה; פְּקֻדֵיהֶם, שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת.
Those mustered of them, in the number of every male from a month old and upward, those mustered of them were seven thousand five hundred.
noteLos reclutados de ellos, en el número de todo varón de un mes para arriba, los reclutados de ellos eran siete mil quinientos.
23
מִשְׁפְּחֹת, הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי, אַחֲרֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ, יָמָּה.
The clans of the Gershonites shall camp behind the tabernacle, to the west.
noteLos clanes de los gersonitas acamparán detrás del tabernáculo, hacia el occidente.
24
וּנְשִׂיא בֵית-אָב, לַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי, אֶלְיָסָף, בֶּן-לָאֵל.
And the
chieftain of the fathers' house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph son of Lael.
noteY el
jefe de la casa paterna de los gersonitas será Eliasaf hijo de Lael.
25
וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת בְּנֵי-גֵרְשׁוֹן בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְהָאֹהֶל; מִכְסֵהוּ--וּמָסַךְ, פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting,
noteY el encargo de los hijos de Gersón en el tabernáculo de reunión será el tabernáculo, y la tienda, su cubierta, y la cortina de la entrada del tabernáculo de reunión,
26
וְקַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר, וְאֶת-מָסַךְ פֶּתַח הֶחָצֵר, אֲשֶׁר עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְעַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ, סָבִיב; וְאֵת, מֵיתָרָיו, לְכֹל, עֲבֹדָתוֹ. {ס}
and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the court, which is around the tabernacle and around the altar, and its cords, for all its service.
{ס}notey las cortinas del atrio, y la cortina de la entrada del atrio, que está alrededor del tabernáculo y del altar, y sus cuerdas, para todo su servicio.
27
וְלִקְהָת, מִשְׁפַּחַת הַעַמְרָמִי וּמִשְׁפַּחַת הַיִּצְהָרִי, וּמִשְׁפַּחַת הַחֶבְרֹנִי, וּמִשְׁפַּחַת הָעָזִּיאֵלִי; אֵלֶּה הֵם, מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי.
And of Kohath was the clan of the Amramites, and the clan of the Izharites, and the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites: these are the clans of the Kohathites.
noteY de Coat procedía el clan de los amramitas, y el clan de los izharitas, y el clan de los hebronitas, y el clan de los uzielitas: estos son los clanes de los coatitas.
28
בְּמִסְפַּר, כָּל-זָכָר, מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ, וָמָעְלָה--שְׁמֹנַת אֲלָפִים וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת, שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
In the number of every male from a month old and upward, eight thousand six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
noteEn el número de todo varón de un mes para arriba, ocho mil seiscientos, guardando el encargo del santuario.
29
מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי-קְהָת, יַחֲנוּ, עַל יֶרֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן, תֵּימָנָה.
The clans of the sons of Kohath shall camp on the south side of the tabernacle.
noteLos clanes de los hijos de Coat acamparán al lado sur del tabernáculo.
30
וּנְשִׂיא בֵית-אָב, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי, אֱלִיצָפָן, בֶּן-עֻזִּיאֵל.
And the chieftain of the fathers' house of the clans of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
noteY el jefe de la casa paterna de los clanes de los coatitas será Elizafán hijo de Uziel.
31
וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּם, הָאָרֹן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן וְהַמְּנֹרָה וְהַמִּזְבְּחֹת, וּכְלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ בָּהֶם; וְהַמָּסָךְ--וְכֹל, עֲבֹדָתוֹ.
And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.
noteY su encargo será el arca, y la mesa, y el candelabro, y los altares, y los utensilios del santuario con que ministran, y la cortina, y todo su servicio.
32
וּנְשִׂיא נְשִׂיאֵי הַלֵּוִי, אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, פְּקֻדַּת, שֹׁמְרֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
And Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall be chieftain over the chieftains of Levi, appointed over those who keep the charge of the sanctuary.
noteY Eleazar hijo de Aarón el sacerdote será jefe sobre los jefes de Leví, encargado de los que guardan el encargo del santuario.
33
לִמְרָרִי--מִשְׁפַּחַת הַמַּחְלִי, וּמִשְׁפַּחַת הַמּוּשִׁי; אֵלֶּה הֵם, מִשְׁפְּחֹת מְרָרִי.
Of Merari was the clan of the Mahlites, and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari.
noteDe Merari procedía el clan de los mahlitas, y el clan de los musitas: estos son los clanes de Merari.
34
וּפְקֻדֵיהֶם בְּמִסְפַּר כָּל-זָכָר, מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ וָמַעְלָה--שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים, וּמָאתָיִם.
And those mustered of them, in the number of every male from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.
noteY los reclutados de ellos, en el número de todo varón de un mes para arriba, eran seis mil doscientos.
35
וּנְשִׂיא בֵית-אָב לְמִשְׁפְּחֹת מְרָרִי, צוּרִיאֵל בֶּן-אֲבִיחָיִל; עַל יֶרֶךְ הַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ, צָפֹנָה.
And the chieftain of the fathers' house of the clans of Merari shall be Zuriel son of Abihail; they shall camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
noteY el jefe de la casa paterna de los clanes de Merari será Zuriel hijo de Abihail; acamparán al lado norte del tabernáculo.
36
וּפְקֻדַּת מִשְׁמֶרֶת, בְּנֵי מְרָרִי--קַרְשֵׁי הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וּבְרִיחָיו וְעַמֻּדָיו וַאֲדָנָיו; וְכָל-כֵּלָיו--וְכֹל, עֲבֹדָתוֹ.
And the appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the frames of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and all its furnishings, and all its service,
noteY el encargo asignado a los hijos de Merari será los marcos del tabernáculo, y sus barras, y sus postes, y sus basas, y todo su mobiliario, y todo su servicio,
37
וְעַמֻּדֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב, וְאַדְנֵיהֶם; וִיתֵדֹתָם, וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם.
and the pillars of the court all around, and their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords.
notey los postes del atrio alrededor, y sus basas, y sus estacas, y sus cuerdas.
38
וְהַחֹנִים לִפְנֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן קֵדְמָה לִפְנֵי אֹהֶל-מוֹעֵד מִזְרָחָה מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, שֹׁמְרִים מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב, יוּמָת.
And those camping before the tabernacle, to the east, before the tent of meeting, toward the sunrise, shall be Moses and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary, the charge of the children of Israel; and the outsider who draws near shall be put to death.
noteY los que acampan delante del tabernáculo, al oriente, delante del tabernáculo de reunión, hacia la salida del sol, serán Moisés y Aarón y sus hijos, guardando el encargo del santuario, el encargo de los hijos de Israel; y el extraño que se acerque morirá.
39
כָּל-פְּקוּדֵי הַלְוִיִּם אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, עַל-פִּי יְהוָה--לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם: כָּל-זָכָר מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ וָמַעְלָה, שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף. {ס}
All those mustered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron mustered at the command of Jehovah, by their clans, every male from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.
{ס}noteTodos los reclutados de los levitas, a quienes Moisés y Aarón reclutaron por orden de Jehová, por sus clanes, todo varón de un mes para arriba, eran veintidós mil.
40
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה, פְּקֹד כָּל-בְּכֹר זָכָר לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ, וָמָעְלָה; וְשָׂא, אֵת מִסְפַּר שְׁמֹתָם.
And Jehovah said to Moses, Muster every firstborn male of the children of Israel, from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
noteY Jehová dijo a Moisés: Recluta a todo primogénito varón de los hijos de Israel, de un mes para arriba, y toma el número de sus nombres.
41
וְלָקַחְתָּ אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם לִי אֲנִי יְהוָה, תַּחַת כָּל-בְּכֹר בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְאֵת, בֶּהֱמַת הַלְוִיִּם, תַּחַת כָּל-בְּכוֹר, בְּבֶהֱמַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And you shall take the Levites for me — I am Jehovah — in place of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.
noteY tomarás a los levitas para mí —yo soy Jehová— en lugar de todo primogénito entre los hijos de Israel; y el ganado de los levitas en lugar de todo primogénito entre el ganado de los hijos de Israel.
42
וַיִּפְקֹד מֹשֶׁה, כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֹתוֹ, אֶת-כָּל-בְּכוֹר, בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
So Moses mustered, as Jehovah commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
noteY Moisés recluta, como Jehová le mandó, a todo primogénito entre los hijos de Israel.
43
וַיְהִי כָל-בְּכוֹר זָכָר בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמֹת, מִבֶּן-חֹדֶשׁ וָמַעְלָה--לִפְקֻדֵיהֶם: שְׁנַיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף, שְׁלֹשָׁה וְשִׁבְעִים וּמָאתָיִם. {פ}
And all the firstborn males, in the number of names, from a month old and upward, according to their number, were twenty-two thousand two hundred seventy-three.
{פ}noteY todos los primogénitos varones, en el número de nombres, de un mes para arriba, según su número, eran veintidós mil doscientos setenta y tres.
44
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés, diciendo:
45
קַח אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם, תַּחַת כָּל-בְּכוֹר בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֶת-בֶּהֱמַת הַלְוִיִּם, תַּחַת בְּהֶמְתָּם; וְהָיוּ-לִי הַלְוִיִּם, אֲנִי יְהוָה.
Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine: I am Jehovah.
noteToma a los levitas en lugar de todo primogénito entre los hijos de Israel, y el ganado de los levitas en lugar de su ganado; y los levitas serán míos: yo soy Jehová.
46
וְאֵת פְּדוּיֵי הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה, וְהַשִּׁבְעִים וְהַמָּאתָיִם--הָעֹדְפִים, עַל-הַלְוִיִּם, מִבְּכוֹר, בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.
And as for the redemption of the two hundred seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who are more than the Levites,
noteY en cuanto al rescate de los doscientos setenta y tres de los primogénitos de los hijos de Israel que exceden a los levitas,
47
וְלָקַחְתָּ, חֲמֵשֶׁת חֲמֵשֶׁת שְׁקָלִים--לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת: בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ תִּקָּח, עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה הַשָּׁקֶל.
you shall take five shekels apiece,
head by head; you shall take it according to the shekel of the sanctuary — twenty gerahs to the shekel —
notetomarás cinco siclos por cabeza,
de cabeza en cabeza; los tomarás según el siclo del santuario —veinte geras el siclo—,
48
וְנָתַתָּה הַכֶּסֶף, לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו--פְּדוּיֵי, הָעֹדְפִים בָּהֶם.
and give the money to Aaron and to his sons, the redemption price of those who are over the number.
notey darás el dinero a Aarón y a sus hijos, el precio de rescate de los que exceden en número.
49
וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה, אֵת כֶּסֶף הַפִּדְיוֹם--מֵאֵת, הָעֹדְפִים, עַל, פְּדוּיֵי הַלְוִיִּם.
So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites;
noteY Moisés tomó el dinero del rescate de los que excedían a los rescatados por los levitas;
50
מֵאֵת, בְּכוֹר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--לָקַח אֶת-הַכָּסֶף: חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁשִּׁים וּשְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת, וָאֶלֶף--בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ.
from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
noteDe los primogénitos de los hijos de Israel tomó el dinero: mil trescientos sesenta y cinco siclos, según el siclo del santuario.
51
וַיִּתֵּן מֹשֶׁה אֶת-כֶּסֶף הַפְּדֻיִם, לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו--עַל-פִּי יְהוָה: כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה, אֶת-מֹשֶׁה. {פ}
And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, at the command of Jehovah, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
{פ}noteY Moisés dio el dinero del rescate a Aarón y a sus hijos, por orden de Jehová, como Jehová mandó a Moisés.
Numbers 3 meaning — two dead sons, and the reason stated in one clause
⚠ V4 disposes of Nadab and Abihu in a single relative clause — ‘they had no children’ — before moving straight on to Eleazar and Ithamar. This project's own note on Leviticus 10:1-2 (already on these pages) already told the story this verse only summarizes: the same fire that consumed the altar's first offering consumed the two priests who offered it wrong. Nothing here softens or expands that account; it simply confirms, one chapter of the Torah later, that the consequence was permanent — no line continues from Aaron's oldest sons, and the priesthood runs through the two who are left.
Given, given — a doubled word for a total gift
⚠ V9's ‘wholly given’ (netunim netunim) doubles the same participle back to back — not ‘given’ once but ‘given, given,’ the same intensifying repetition this project has already flagged in phrases like Genesis 1's own ‘swarm with swarms’ (already on these pages). KJV and ASV both render it ‘wholly given,’ folding the doubling into a single adverb; NWT keeps the repetition visible instead, ‘given ones, given.’ The Levites are not lent to Aaron for a task; they are transferred, entirely, the doubling itself doing the work an English adverb would otherwise have to supply.
The trade explained — a tribe for the firstborn of a nation
This is the transaction Numbers 2's own note on Ephraim and Manasseh (already on these pages) already assumed and Leviticus 27's own note on the firstborn (already on these pages) already flagged as unrepeatable: this project's own note on Exodus 13:1-2 (already on these pages) first consecrated every Israelite firstborn to Jehovah on the night the plague passed over their houses. That claim was never rescinded; here it is finally settled by substitution — one whole tribe, taken as a body, standing in for every firstborn son in every other tribe. The Levites do not earn this status; they are simply designated to carry it.
Three sons, three clans, one family tree spelled out twice
Levi's own three sons — Gershon, Kohath, Merari — each get a clan named for their own sons in turn, the identical genealogical structure this project has already tracked through Genesis's own toledot formula. Unlike the fighting tribes of Numbers 1 (already on these pages), counted only from twenty years old, the Levites are counted from a single month old — every male infant already belongs to the census, because Levite status is inherited at birth, not earned at fighting age.
Gershon: the fabric of the tent, camped behind it
Gershon's own charge is the tabernacle's soft architecture — its coverings, curtains, and screens, the fabric that gives the tent its actual shape. Fittingly, Gershon's own clan camps on the tabernacle's own west side, ‘behind’ it relative to the entrance — the same ‘seaward’ direction this project's own note on Numbers 2:18 (already on these pages) already named for Ephraim's standard, here repurposed for the Levite clan whose own work covers the building's own skin.
Kohath: the holiest objects, and a chief over chiefs
⚠ Kohath's own charge is the single most dangerous assignment in the whole camp: the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars — the actual furniture that sat closest to the presence itself. V32 gives their own supervisor a title that appears nowhere else among the chapters translated so far, ‘chieftain over the chieftains of Levi’ (nesi nesi'ei ha-Levi) — Eleazar, Aaron's own surviving elder son, ranked above the other two clan-chiefs specifically because his own clan's cargo carries the greatest risk. Numbers 4 (already on these pages) spells out exactly how carefully that cargo has to be wrapped before Kohath's own sons may even look at it.
Merari: the heavy structure, and the tent's own inner ring closed
Merari's own charge is the tabernacle's skeleton — frames, bars, pillars, sockets, the structural weight nobody sees once the fabric goes up. With Merari camped north and Moses, Aaron, and his sons camped east directly before the entrance, the geometry Numbers 2's own note (already on these pages) already described in words is now complete in every direction: Gershon west, Kohath south, Merari north, the priesthood itself east, and at the center, still, the tent. ⚠ V39's total, 22,000, is rounder than it looks: Gershon's 7,500 plus Kohath's 8,600 plus Merari's 6,200 actually sum to 22,300 — a 300-person gap the text itself never explains. Later interpreters (the tradition is old, though outside this project's own source text) suggested the 300 were themselves firstborn Levites, ineligible to redeem anyone else since they still needed redemption of their own; this translation prints the numbers exactly as the text gives them and flags the gap rather than closing it, the same posture already taken toward the eleph ambiguity in Numbers 1 (already on these pages).
22,273 against 22,000 — the math that ends the chapter
The whole chapter has been building to a single subtraction: 22,273 firstborn Israelite males against 22,000 Levites, a shortfall of exactly 273 the Levites cannot cover one-for-one. Those 273 are redeemed in cash instead of in person — five shekels a head, the identical gulgolet, ‘skull,’ this project's own note on Numbers 1 (already on these pages) already tied to Golgotha — for a total of 1,365 shekels, paid to Aaron's own sons. The arithmetic is exact and stated twice, once as a count and once as a total, leaving nothing for the reader to calculate independently: a nation's worth of firstborn sons, priced to the shekel.
Notes on this translation
Decisions. Hebrew and English Numbers 3 both run 1–51 — verified against the Masoretic text, no versification shift. Seven Masoretic paragraphs divide it: open after v4, v10, v13; closed after v26, v39; open after v43, v51. One new dictionary entry: mishmeret, ‘charge,’ the word this chapter repeats more than any other. Established renderings continued from Numbers 1–2 (already on these pages): paqad as ‘muster,’ matteh as ‘tribe,’ nasi as ‘chieftain,’ eda as ‘congregation,’ gulgolet for the ‘head by head’ count.
Echoes paid. Leviticus 10:1-2's account of Nadab and Abihu's death (already on these pages), here summarized in one clause rather than retold; Exodus 13:1-2's consecration of the firstborn (already on these pages), finally settled by substitution; Genesis 1's own doubling construction (already on these pages), reused here for ‘given, given’; Numbers 1's own eleph ambiguity and gulgolet/Golgotha note (both already on these pages), both reused for this chapter's own numbers; and Numbers 2's own camp geometry and ‘seaward’ direction (both already on these pages), completed here with the Levites filling in the ring the outer tribes already surrounded. Numbers 4 (already on these pages) also now details exactly how the Kohathites must wrap the sanctuary's holiest objects before carrying them, on pain of death for looking too soon.
⚠ A note on order: Numbers stands on these pages at chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and now 34. Chapters 35–36 remain the open sequence.