◄ Numbers 3:12 ►
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
Treasury of Scripture

When God miraculously destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians, he spared those of the Israelites; and, in commemoration of that event, he was pleased to appoint that all the first-born males 'should be set apart unto himself.' God is here pleased to relinquish this claim, and to appoint the whole tribe of Levi to attend his immediate service in their stead.

Numbers 3:41,45 And you shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel...

Numbers 8:16,18 For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb...

Numbers 18:6 And I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD...



Context
Duties of the Levites

5And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 6Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. 7And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle. 8And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle. 9And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given to him out of the children of Israel. 10And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death. 11And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 13Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: my shall they be: I am the LORD.
Parallel Verses
American Standard Version
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:

Douay-Rheims Bible
I have taken the Levites from the children of Israel, for every firstborn that openeth the womb among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.

Darby Bible Translation
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;

King James Bible
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;

Young's Literal Translation
'And I, lo, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born opening a womb among the sons of Israel, and the Levites have been Mine;

Numbers 3:11
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