Moreover, ¹  the open field areas of their cities ²  must not be sold, because that is their perpetual possession.

“As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their families and by their clans.

The descendants of Moses the man of God were considered Levites. ¹ 

They must be responsible to care for you and to care for the entire tabernacle. However, they must not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.

Then Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all Israel’s elders.

They stopped there and decided to spend the night ¹  in Gibeah. They came into the city and sat down in the town square, but no one invited them to spend the night. ² 

So I registered a complaint with the leaders, asking “Why is the temple of God neglected?” Then I gathered them and reassigned them to their positions. ¹ 

and the chamber which faces north is for the priests who keep charge of the altar. These are the descendants of Zadok, from the descendants of Levi, who may approach the Lord to minister to him.”

The Levite ¹  said to him, “We are traveling from Bethlehem ²  in Judah to the remote region of the Ephraimite hill country. That’s where I’m from. I had business in Bethlehem in Judah, but now I’m heading home. ³  But no one has invited me into their home.

Then the tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.

And the Kohathites set out, carrying the articles for the sanctuary; ¹  the tabernacle was to be set up ²  before they arrived. ³ 

No longer may the Israelites approach the tent of meeting, or else they will bear their sin ¹  and die.

However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance ¹  to the Levites; their inheritance ²  is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed ³  them.

That day David first gave to Asaph and his colleagues this song of thanks to the Lord:

O family of Levi, praise the Lord! You loyal followers ¹  of the Lord, praise the Lord!

Then he said to me, “These are the houses for boiling, where the ministers of the temple boil the sacrifices of the people.”

Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to ¹  a different tribe, and no one from that tribe ²  has ever officiated at the altar.

Moses said, “You have been consecrated ¹  today for the Lord, for each of you was against his son or against his brother, so he has given a blessing to you today.” ² 

On the fourth day they woke up early and the Levite got ready to leave. ¹  But the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Have a bite to eat for some energy, ²  then you can go.”

All those numbered of the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, are 108,100. They will travel third.