34. Those registered, counting every male one month old or more, numbered 6,200.
35. The leader of the family of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they camped on the north side of the tabernacle.
36. The assigned duties of Merari’s descendants involved the tabernacle’s supports, crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these,
37. in addition to the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.
38. Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death.
39. The total number of all the Levite males one month old or more that Moses and Aaron registered by their clans at the Lord’s command was 22,000.
40. The Lord told Moses: “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names.
41. You are to take the Levites for Me — I am Yahweh — in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.”
42. So Moses registered every firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him.
43. The total number of the firstborn males one month old or more listed by name was 22,273.
44. The Lord spoke to Moses again:
45. “Take the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of their cattle. The Levites belong to Me; I am Yahweh.
46. As the redemption price for the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,
47. collect five shekels for each person, according to the standard sanctuary shekel — 20 gerahs to the shekel.
48. Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are in excess among the Israelites.”
49. So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the ones redeemed by the Levites.
50. He collected the money from the firstborn Israelites: 1,365 shekels measured by the standard sanctuary shekel.
51. He gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the Lord, just as the Lord commanded Moses.