The Duties of the Levite Clan of Kohath
1 The Lord told Moses 2 to take a census of the Levite clan of Kohath by subclans and families, 3 and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the Lord's presence. 4 Their service involves the most holy things.
5 The Lord gave Moses the following instructions. When it is time to break camp, Aaron and his sons shall enter the Tent, take down the curtain in front of the Covenant Box, and cover the Box with it. 6 They shall put a fine leather cover over it, spread a cloth of solid blue on top, and then insert the carrying poles.
7 They shall spread a blue cloth over the table for the bread offered to the Lord and put on it the dishes, the incense bowls, the offering bowls, and the jars for the wine offering. There shall always be bread on the table. 8 They shall spread a red cloth over all of this, put a fine leather cover over it, and then insert the carrying poles.
9 They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand, with its lamps, tongs, trays, and all the olive oil containers. 10 They shall wrap it and all its equipment in a fine leather cover and place it on a carrying frame.
11 Next they shall spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, put a fine leather cover over it, and then insert the carrying poles. 12 They shall take all the utensils used in the Holy Place, wrap them in a blue cloth, put a fine leather cover over them, and place them on a carrying frame. 13 They shall remove the greasy ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 They shall put on it all the equipment used in the service at the altar: fire pans, hooks, shovels, and basins. Then they shall put a fine leather cover over it and insert the carrying poles. 15 When it is time to break camp, the clan of Kohath shall come to carry the sacred objects only after Aaron and his sons have finished covering them and all their equipment. The Kohath clan must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die.
These are the responsibilities of the Kohath clan whenever the Tent is moved.
16 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall be responsible for the whole Tent and for the oil for the lamps, the incense, the grain offerings, the anointing oil, and everything else in the Tent that has been consecrated to the Lord.
17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “Do not let the clan of Kohath 19 be killed by coming near these most sacred objects. To prevent this from happening, Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each man his task and tell him what to carry. 20 But if the Kohathites enter the Tent and see the priests preparing the sacred objects for moving, they will die.”
The Duties of the Levite Clan of Gershon
21 The Lord told Moses 22 to take a census of the Levite clan of Gershon by subclans and families, 23 and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the Lord's presence. 24 They shall be responsible for carrying the following objects: 25 the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the fine leather cover on top of it, the curtain for the entrance, 26 the curtains and ropes for the court that is around the Tent and the altar, the curtains for the entrance of the court, and all the fittings used in setting up these objects. They shall perform all the tasks required for these things. 27 Moses and Aaron shall see to it that the Gershonites perform all the duties and carry everything that Aaron and his sons assign to them. 28 These are the responsibilities of the Gershon clan in the Tent; they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
The Duties of the Levite Clan of Merari
29 The Lord told Moses to take a census of the Levite clan of Merari by subclans and families, 30 and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the Lord's presence. 31 They shall be responsible for carrying the frames, bars, posts, and bases of the Tent, 32 and the posts, bases, pegs, and ropes of the court around the Tent, with all the fittings used in setting them up. Each man will be responsible for carrying specific items. 33 These are the responsibilities of the Merari clan in their service in the Tent; they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
The Census of the Levites
34-48 Following the Lord's command, Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community took a census of the three Levite clans, Kohath, Gershon, and Merari. They did this by subclans and families and registered all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the Lord's presence, as follows:
Clan NumberKohath 2,750Gershon 2,630Merari 3,200Total: 8,580
49 Each man was registered as the Lord had commanded Moses; and at the command of the Lord given through Moses, each man was assigned responsibility for his task of serving or carrying.
Mishingo yakapiwa Balevi be ludzi gwa Kohati
1 Yahwe bakadwa Mushe na Aroni bakati, 2 “Bala bakololo be Balevi be ludzi gwa Kohati nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo, 3 kudwa mu balume be makole ali makumi matatu (30) kunoti kuna bana makole ali makumi mashanu (50), ubale bose bangangina mu nshingo, kushinga nshingo mu nshasha we bushanganilo. 4 Nshingo we bakololo ba Kohati mu nshasha we bushanganilo, wutjengeta zwithu zwakayengemala kwazo. 5 Ha nshasha ufulusiwa, Aroni ne bakololo babe banowongina mukati bakadelusa tjisitilo, bebe befukidza bhokisi le butendeki nditjo. 6 Balifukidze nge makukuta akasukiwa, bebe bewala jila le mbala we makole, bebe belonga mapango anolisenga.
7 “Bafukidze tafuli ye tjiwunga tjinopiwa Yahwe nge jila le mbala we makole wakabondelela, babige ndilo ne ndigwana dzinopisila motsha ne ndilo hwulu ne mapepe e tjipo tje tjing'o, ne tjiwunga tje misi yose tjibigwe payili. 8 Bazwifukidze zose nge jila shaba, bebe beli fukidza nge makukuta akasukiwa bebe belonga mapango anolisenga.
9 “Batole jila le mbala we makole wakabondelela bafukidze tjigadziko tje luvone ne mavone atjo ne midzibo yatjo ne ndigwana dzatjo ne zwija zwe mafuta zwakashingisiwa. 10 Batjipetele ne zwija zwatjo zose zwili mu bhetelo le gukuta lakasukiwa babe betjibiga mu thala.
11 “Pezhugwi kwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo tje golide bawale jila le mbala we makole wakabondelela, bebe betjipetela nge bhetelo le makukuta akasukiwa babebetjibiga mu thala. 12 Batole zwija zose zwinoshingisiwa mu bugalo gwakayengemala bazwipetele nge jila le mbala we makole wakabondelela, bebe bezwifukidza nge makukuta akasukiwa e phuka dze gungwa, bebe bezwibiga mu thala. 13 Bawole nlota mu tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo babe bewala tjila le mbala we bushaba gwakabondelela pezhugwi kwatjo. 14 Babige zwija zose zwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo mutjili zwinoshingisiwa ipapo, makambana e moto ne mbambo dzino bhaya nyama ne maharawo ne zwikutili, zwija zose zwe tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo, babe bewala makukuta akasukiwa akanaka pezhugwi kwatjo babe betjibiga mu thala. 15 Kowoti Aroni ne bakololo babe bapedza fumika bugalo gwakayengemala ne zwija zwago zose, se be bukotokelo befuluka, be ng'umba ya Kohati bazhe basenge, koga abazofanila kutha zwithu zwakayengemala, ngoti bangafa. Ezwi ndizo zwithu zwe nshasha we bushanganilo zwakafanila sengwa nge bakololo ba Kohati.
16 “Eleazari nkololo we mpirisiti Aroni unowobe ntjengeti we mafuta e luvone ne motsha unonuhwa zwinozipa ne tjipo tje mathunde tje misi ne misi ne mafuta anozhodziwa, ne kulingilila bugalo gwe Ndzimu na zose zwimuguli zwe bugalo gwakayengemala ne zwija zwago.” 17 Yahwe bakadwa Mushe na Aroni bakati, 18 “Musiletje ludzi gwe misha ye Bakohati gukalobesiwa pakati kwe Balevi, 19 muthame kuti batjile basife ha bangasedzela pejo ne zwithu zwakayengemala kwazo. Aroni ne bakololo babe bangine mukati, ngono bape mmwe ne mmwe wabo nshingo ne ntolo wakanlingisana. 20 Koga Bakohati basitongongina mukati bakashozhela zwithu zwakayengemala, nenguba kuli kwe tjibakana, abangajalo banowofa.”
Mishingo yakapiwa Balevi be ng'umba ya Geshoni
21 Yahwe bakadwa Mushe bakati, 22 “Bala Balevi be ludzi gwa Geshoni nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo, 23 kudwa mu bathu be makole ali makumi matatu kunoti kuna bana makole ali makumi mashanu, ubale bose bangangina mu nshingo kushinga mu nshasha we bushanganilo. 24 Oyu ndiwo nshingo we misha ye Bageshoni mu kushinga nenge mitolo yakabalingisana: 25 Banowosenga zwisitilo zwe bugalo gwe Ndzimu ne nshasha we bushanganilo ne tjinogufumika tje makukuta akasukiwa pezhugwi kwago ne tjisitilo tje nkoba we nshasha we bushanganilo 26 ne matyila akalembeleka mu nsha ne tjisitilo tje nkoba we nsha wakakombeledza bugalo gwe Ndzimu ne tjibeso tjinopisigwa zwibhayilo ne misungo yago ne zwija zose zwinoshingisiwa kumisa zwithu izwezwi, ngono bathame kose kwakabalingisana ne kuti bakushinge. 27 Nshingo wose we bakololo be Bageshoni unowobe mu ndaulo ya Aroni ne bakololo babe, kose kwabakafanila senga ne kose kwabakafanila thama, mubudze bose bakalingisana kusenga ntolo wakabalingisana. 28 Oyu ndiwo nshingo we bakololo be Bageshoni mu nshasha we bushanganilo, ngono nshingo wabo unowobe wakalingiligwa ndi Ithamari nkololo we mpirisiti Aroni.
Mishingo yakapiwa Balevi be ng'umba ya Merari
29 “Ngekwe ludzi gwa Merari, ubabale nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo, 30 kudwa mu bathu be makole ali makumi matatu (30) kunoti kuna bana makole ali makumi mashanu (50), ubale mmwe ne mmwe ungangina mu nshingo we kuthama nshingo we nshasha we bushanganilo. 31 Banowobe bakalingisana ngosenga makwasayili e bugalo gwe Ndzimu ne makoko ago ne phanda dzago ne zwigadziko zwago ne kushinga nshingo wose we nshasha we bushanganilo 32 ne panda dze nsha kupoteleka ne zwigadziko zwadzo ne mbambo ne misungo ne zwija zose nenge zwithu zose zwinowoshingisiwa, nlume mmwe ne mmwe apiwe tjaakafanila senga. 33 Oyu ndiwo nshingo we misha ye bakololo ba Merari, nshingo wabo wose mu nshasha we bushanganilo bali mu luboko gwa Ithamari nkololo we mpirisiti Aroni.”
Kubagwa kwe Balevi
34 Mushe na Aroni ne batungamili be gubungano bakabala bakololo be Bakohati nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo, 35 kudwa mu mmwe ne mmwe unga ngina mu nshingo we kushinga mu nshasha we bushanganilo una makole ali makumi matatu (30) akazwagwa kuyenda pezhugwi kuna bana makole ali makumi mashanu (50). 36 Ngono bakabagwa nge misha yabo bakabe zwiwulu zwili zwibili zwina mazana ali kutendeka ana makumi ali mashanu (2 750). 37 Ibaba ndibo be misha ye Bakohati bakabe beshinga mu nshasha we bushanganilo, bakabagwa ndi Mushe na Aroni kuyendidzana ne ndaulo ya Yahwe yabakapa Mushe.
38 Bageshoni bakabagwa nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo. 39 Balume bose kudwa muna ana makole ali makumi matatu kuyenda pezhugwi kuna ana makole ali makumi mashanu (50) wakabe akalizana kungina mu nshingo we kushinga mu nshasha we bushanganilo, 40 bakabagwa nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo bakabe bali zwiwulu zwili zwibili zwina mazana ali matathatu ana makumi ali matatu (2 630). 41 Eyi ndiyo misha yakabagwa ye bakololo ba Geshoni, bose bakabe beshinga mu nshasha we bushanganilo, bakabagwa ndi Mushe na Aroni kuyenda nge ndaulo ya Yahwe.
42 Misha ye bakololo ba Merari yakabagwa nge misha nenge ng'umba dza botate babo, 43 kudwa muna bana makole ali makumi matatu (30) bakazwagwa kuyenda pezhugwi kuna bana makole ali makumi mashanu (50), mmwe ne mmwe wakabe akalizana kungina mu nshingo we kushinga mu nshasha we bushanganilo, 44 bakabagwa nge misha bakabe zwiwulu zwili zwitatu zwina mazana ali mabili (3 200). 45 Ibaba ndibo be misha ye bakololo ba Merari, bakabagwa ndi Mushe na Aroni kuyendidzana ne ndaulo ya Yahwe yabakapa Mushe. 46 Balevi bose bakabagwa ndi Mushe na Aroni ne batungamili be Iziraela nge misha yabo nenge ng'umba dza botate babo, 47 kudwa muna bakabe bana makole ali makumi ali matatu (30) bakazwagwa kuyenda pezhugwi kuna bana makole ali makumi mashanu (50), mmwe ne mmwe wakabe angangina mu nshingo ne kusenga ntolo mu nshasha we bushanganilo, 48 bakabagwa bakabe zwiwulu zwili zhanakadzi zwina mazana ali makumi mashanu ana makumi ali zhanakadzi (8 580). 49 Kuyendidzana nge ndaulo ya Yahwe yabakapa Mushe, mmwe ne mmwe wakapiwa nshingo uwe we kushinga kene kusenga, tjabakabe bowobe badwiwa. Saikoko Mushe kababala Yahwe sekwa bakandwa.