35 The leader of the family of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they camped on the north side of the tabernacle.
36 The assigned duties of Merari’s descendants involved the tabernacle’s supports, crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these,
37 in addition to the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.
38 Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death.
39 The total number of all the Levite males one month old or more that Moses and Aaron registered by their clans at the Lord’s command was 22,000.
40 The Lord told Moses: “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names.
41 You are to take the Levites for Me — I am Yahweh — in place of every firstborn among the Israelites, and the Levites’ cattle in place of every firstborn among the Israelites’ cattle.”