^{5 (P)} And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ^{6 (P)} "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him. ^{7 (P)} They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. ^{8 (P)} They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. ^{9 (P)} And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. ^{10 (P)} And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death."

^{11 (P)} And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ^{12 (P)} "Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, ^{13 (P)} for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord."