18. Cut not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
19. But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
20. But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
21. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,
22. Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23. From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.
24. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and to carry burdens:
25. And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of meeting, its covering, and the covering of the badger skins that is on it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of meeting,
26. And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27. At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and you shall appoint unto them the task of all their burdens.
28. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting: and their work shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
29. As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shall you number them, every one that enters into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting.
31. And this is the task of their burdens, according to all their service in the tabernacle of meeting; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,
32. And the pillars round about the court, and their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords, with all their furnishings, and with all their service: and by name you shall reckon the objects of the charge of their burdens.
33. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
34. And Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by the house of their fathers,
35. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of meeting:
36. And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
38. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,