“Appoint Aaron and his sons to be priests. They must do their duty and serve as priests. Any other person who tries to come near the holy things [30] must be killed.”
But the Lord was angry at Uzzah and killed him. [39] Uzzah showed he did not honor God when he touched the Holy Box. Uzzah died there by God’s Holy Box.
Jeroboam also built temples at the high places. [158] He also chose priests from among the different family groups of Israel. (He did not choose priests only from the family group of Levi.)
These men served by singing at the Holy Tent. [53] The Holy Tent is also called the Meeting Tent. And these men served until Solomon built the Lord’s temple [54] in Jerusalem. They served by following the rules given to them for their work.
But I said to Shemaiah, “Should a man like me run away? You know that an \{ordinary\} man like me can’t go into the Holy Place without being put to death! I won’t go!”
Then tie sashes (belts) around their waists. Give them the special hats to wear. At that time they will begin to be priests. They will be priests because of the special law that will continue forever. This is the way you will make Aaron and his sons priests.
Whenever the Holy Tent is moved, the men of Levi must do it. Whenever the Holy Tent is set up, the men of Levi must do it. They are the men who will take care of the Holy Tent. If any person who is not from Levi’s family group tries to take care of the tent, he must be killed.
He did this the way the Lord commanded him through Moses. This was a sign to help the people of Israel remember that only a person from the family of Aaron should burn incense [215] before the Lord. Any other person who burns incense before the Lord will die like Korah and his followers.
Those people from the family of Levi are under your control. They will do all the work that needs to be done in the Tent. But they must not go near the things in the Holy Place [230] or the altar. [231] If they do, then they will die—and you will die also.
But, Aaron, only you and your sons may serve as priests. You are the only ones that can go near the altar. You are the only ones that can go inside the curtain {into the Most Holy Place}. I am giving you a gift—your service as a priest. Anyone else that comes near {my} holy place must be killed.”
Moses, Aaron, and his sons camped east of the Holy Tent, [41] in front of the Meeting Tent. They were given the work of caring for the Holy Place. They did this for all the people of Israel. Any other person who came near the Holy Place was to be killed.
So now you \{non-Jews\} are not visitors or strangers. Now you are citizens together with God’s holy people. {\cf2\super [14]} You belong to God’s family.
If our high priest were now living on earth, then he would not be a priest. I say this because there are already priests here who follow the law by offering gifts to God.
But there were no priests [80] there, and the men of Beth Shemesh looked at the Holy Box of the Lord. So God killed 70 men from Beth Shemesh. The people of Beth Shemesh cried because the Lord punished them so severely.