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Numbers 3:12

10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

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;

13 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.

14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

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This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,
KJV
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;
WEB
“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine,
ASV
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that openeth the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine:
DARBY
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn that breaketh open the womb among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine;
BLB
“And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the sons of Israel. And the Levite shall be unto Me,
ÅB
Se, jeg har tatt levittene ut blant Israels barn i stedet for alle førstefødte, dem som åpner morsliv blant Israels barn, for at levittene skal høre meg til.
OTB
"Se, jeg har tatt levittene fra blant israelittene i stedet for hver førstefødt, den førstefødte av morslivet blant Israels sønner. Levittene skal være Mine,
B1930
Se, jeg har tatt levittene ut blandt Israels barn i stedet for alle førstefødte, dem som åpner morsliv blandt Israels barn, forat levittene skal høre mig til.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 18:6

    And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 8:16

    For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 3:41

    And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

    Read in context

  • Exodus 13:2

    Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 3:45

    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.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 8:18

    And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

    Read in context