Numbers 3:45 - Easy To Read Version “I, the Lord, give this command: ‘Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn [45] men from the other families of Israel. And I will take the animals of the Levites instead of the animals of the other people. The Levites are mine. More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Take the Levites [for Me] instead of all the firstborn Israelites, and the Levites' cattle instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine. I am the Lord. American Standard Version (1901) Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am Jehovah. Common English Bible Take the Levites in place of all the oldest Israelites and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle. The Levites are mine; I am the LORD. Catholic Public Domain Version "Take the Levites, in place of the firstborn of the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites, in place of their cattle, and so the Levites shall be mine. I am the Lord. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Take the Levites for the firstborn of the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites for their cattle: and the Levites shall be mine. I am the Lord. |
If you want to keep a donkey that is the first born, then you can buy it with a lamb. But if you don’t buy that donkey with a lamb, then you must break the donkey’s neck. You must buy back all of your firstborn [347] sons from me. No person should come before me without a gift.
Then you will learn why I am giving you this command. I am telling you these things so my Agreement {\cf2\super [11]} with Levi {\cf2\super [12]} will continue.” The Lord All-Powerful said these things.
I myself chose the Levite people from among all the people of Israel. They are like a gift to you. I gave them to you to serve the Lord and work in the Meeting Tent. [234]
“{I told you that every family of Israel must give their firstborn [31] son to me}—but now I am choosing the Levites to serve me. They will be mine. So all the other people of Israel will not have to give their firstborn sons to me.
The Israelite people will give me the Levites. They will belong to me. In the past, I told every Israelite family to give me their firstborn [132] son. But now I am taking the Levite people in place of those firstborn sons from the other families in Israel.