“And they shall be Mine,” said יהוה of hosts, “on the day that I prepare a treasured possession. And I shall spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
“And see, I Myself have taken your brothers the Lĕwites from the midst of the children of Yisra’ĕl – a gift to you, given by יהוה, to do the service of the Tent of Appointment.
“Now look, I Myself have taken the Lĕwites from among the children of Yisra’ĕl instead of every first-born who opens the womb among the children of Yisra’ĕl. And the Lĕwites shall be Mine,
“Take the Lĕwites instead of all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl, and the livestock of the Lĕwites instead of their livestock. And the Lĕwites shall be Mine, I am יהוה.
“For all the first-born among the children of Yisra’ĕl are Mine, both man and beast. On the day that I struck all the first-born in the land of Mitsrayim I set them apart unto Myself.
At that time יהוה separated the tribe of Lĕwi to bear the ark of the covenant of יהוה, to stand before יהוה, to serve Him, and to bless in His Name, to this day.
For it was fitting that we should have such a High Priest – kind, innocent, undefiled, having been separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens,