Numbers 18:5-7

New Catholic Bible

⁵ “You will attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar so that no wrath come upon the people of Israel. ⁶ It is I, myself, who have selected your brothers, the Levites, from among the people of Israel as a gift to you, dedicated to the Lord, to serve in the tent of meeting. ⁷ Only you and your sons can serve as priests for everything concerning the altar and whatever is inside the veil, and you will serve. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near will be put to death.”^[a]