36. The Merarites were responsible for the frame of the Holy Tent, the braces, the posts, the bases and all the work connected with these things.
37. They were also responsible for the posts in the courtyard around the Holy Tent and their bases, tent pegs and ropes.
38. Moses, Aaron and his sons camped east of the Holy Tent. They were in front of the Meeting Tent. They were responsible for the Holy Place. They did this for the Israelites. Anyone else who came near the Holy Place was to be put to death.
39. Moses and Aaron counted the Levite men. The Lord commanded this. There were 22,000 males one month old or older.
40. The Lord said to Moses, “Count all the firstborn sons in Israel one month old or older. List their names.
41. Take the Levites for me instead of the firstborn sons of Israel. Take the animals of the Levites instead of the firstborn animals from the rest of Israel. I am the Lord.”
42. So Moses did what the Lord commanded. Moses counted all the firstborn sons of the Israelites.
43. He listed all the firstborn sons one month old or older. There were 22,273 names.
44. The Lord also said to Moses,
45. “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites. And take the animals of the Levites instead of the animals of the other people. The Levites are mine. I am the Lord.
46. There are 273 more firstborn sons than Levites.
47. So collect two ounces of silver for each of the 273 sons. Use the measure as set by the Holy Place. It weighs two-fifths of an ounce.
48. Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It is the payment for the 273 Israelites.”
49. So Moses collected the money for the people the Levites could not replace.
50. Moses collected the silver from the firstborn of the Israelites. He collected 35 pounds of silver, using the measure set by the Holy Place.
51. So Moses obeyed the Lord. He gave the silver to Aaron and his sons.