耶和华晓谕摩西说，
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
我从以色列人中拣选了利未人，代替以色列人一切头生的。利未人要归我。
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
因为凡头生的是我的。我在埃及地击杀一切头生的那日就把以色列中一切头生的，连人带牲畜都分别为圣归我。他们定要属我。我是耶和华。
Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
耶和华在西奈的旷野晓谕摩西说，
And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
于是摩西照耶和华所吩咐的数点他们。
And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.
米拉利的儿子，按着家室，是抹利，母示。这些按着宗族是利未人的家室。
And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
属革顺的，有立尼族，示每族。这是革顺的二族。
Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
其中被数，从一个月以外所有的男子共有七千五百名。
Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
这革顺的二族要在帐幕后西边安营。
The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
院子的帷子和门帘（院子是围帐幕和坛的），并一切使用的绳子。
And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.