44 The Lord also said to Moses,
45 "Take the Levites in place of all the males who were born first in Israel. Also take the livestock of the Levites in place of the livestock of Israel. The Levites belong to me. I am the Lord.
46 "But there are 273 more males who were born first in Israel than there are male Levites.
47 Collect two ounces of silver for each of them. Weigh it out in keeping with the standard weights that are used in the sacred tent.
48 Give the silver to Aaron and his sons. It will buy the freedom of the additional sons in Israel."
49 So Moses collected the silver from the additional sons in Israel to buy their freedom. The Levites took the place of all of the others.
50 Moses collected 35 pounds of silver. It was weighed out in keeping with the weights that are used in the sacred tent. Moses collected it from the oldest sons in Israel.