3 They brought gifts to the Lord. They brought six covered carts and 12 oxen. Each leader gave an ox. And every two leaders gave a cart. They put their gifts in front of the holy tent.
4 The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,
5 "Accept the gifts from the leaders. I want their gifts to be used in the work at the Tent of Meeting. Give them to the Levites. They need them to do their work."
6 So Moses gave the carts and the oxen to the Levites.
7 He gave two carts and four oxen to the men from the family of Gershon. They needed them to do their work.
8 He gave four carts and eight oxen to the men from the family of Merari. They needed them to do their work. All of those men were under the direction of the priest Ithamar, the son of Aaron.
9 But Moses didn't give any carts or oxen to the men from the family of Kohath. They had to carry the holy things on their shoulders. They were accountable for the holy things.