The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,
The tent was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, who bore the tent, set forward.
but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.*
*Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses, by their families;
According to the mitzvah of the LORD they were numbered by Moshe, everyone according to his service, and according to his burden. Thus were they numbered by him, as the LORD commanded Moshe.
