^23 (A)The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, ²⁴ with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers' house of the Gershonites. ²⁵ And the ^(B)guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved ^(C)the tabernacle, ^(D)the tent with ^(E)its covering, ^(F)the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, ^26 (G)the hangings of the court, ^(H)the screen for the door of the court that is round the tabernacle and the altar, and ^(I)its cords—all the service connected with these.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the clan of the ^(J)Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. ²⁸ According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upwards, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. ²⁹ The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, ³⁰ with ^(K)Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers' house of the clans of the Kohathites. ³¹ And their guard duty involved ^(L)the ark, ^(M)the table, ^(N)the lampstand, ^(O)the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and ^(P)the screen; all the service connected with these. ³² And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. ³⁴ Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upwards was 6,200. ³⁵ And the chief of the fathers' house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. ^36 (Q)And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the ^(R)frames of the tabernacle, ^(S)the bars, ^(T)the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; ³⁷ also ^(U)the pillars round the court, with their bases and ^(V)pegs and ^(W)cords.

³⁸ Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting towards the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, ^(X)guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect^[a] the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death.