Numbers 3:44-46

International Standard Version

Creation of the Levite Ministry

⁴⁴ Then the Lord told Moses, ⁴⁵ “Separate the descendants of Levi in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel and the livestock of the descendants of Levi in place of their livestock. The descendants of Levi belong to me, since^[a] I am the Lord. ⁴⁶ You are to pay a ransom for the 273 first-born Israelis who exceed the census number of the descendants of Levi,