⁹ Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;^(A) they are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to him.^[a]

¹² “I have taken the Levites^(A) from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring^(B) of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine,^(C)

¹³ for all the firstborn are mine.^(A) When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”^(B)

¹³ for all the firstborn are mine.^(A) When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.”^(B)

¹⁶ They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,^(A) the first male offspring^(B) from every Israelite woman. ¹⁷ Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,^(C) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.^{(D) 18} And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.^{(E) 19} From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons^(F) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites^(G) and to make atonement for them^(H) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”