Ithamar

20Amram married Jochebed, who was his father's sister. She gave birth to Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

NoteJochebed was Amram's aunt, his own father's sister. Long ago some people married close relatives like this. Later God gave rules that stopped it.

21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri.

And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.

23Aaron married Elisheba. She was the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Naashon. She gave birth to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

NoteAaron's sons later helped their father as priests. A priest was a man who helped people worship God.

24The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the families of the Korhites.

And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.

NoteThe Korhites were the family group that came from Korah. Families were often named after the father they came from.

25Eleazar, Aaron's son, married one of Putiel's daughters. She gave birth to Phinehas. These men were the leaders of the families of Levi.

And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.

1Bring your brother Aaron to you from among the people of Israel. Bring his sons with him. They will serve me as priests. A priest is someone who serves God for the people. Aaron's sons are Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.

NoteGod is speaking to Moses here. Aaron was Moses's older brother.

2Make holy clothes for your brother Aaron. Holy clothes are clothes set apart for God. They will give him glory and beauty.

And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.

NoteThese clothes were only for the priest to wear. They showed that his job was special.

3Speak to everyone who is wise in heart. I have filled them with a spirit of wisdom. They will make Aaron's clothes. The clothes will set him apart to serve me as priest.

And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

Note"Wise in heart" means very good at making things. These were the best weavers and sewers.

4These are the clothes they will make. A breastplate, which is worn on the chest. An ephod. A robe. A coat with woven designs. A turban, which is cloth wrapped around the head. And a sash, which is a long belt of cloth. They will make these holy clothes for your brother Aaron and for his sons, so he can serve me as priest.

And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

NoteA coat here means a long shirt that reaches the feet. The breastplate was not metal armor. It was a folded piece of cloth worn on the chest, like a flat pouch. An ephod was a special piece of clothing the priest wore over his robe.

5They will use gold, and blue, purple, and bright red yarn, and fine linen. Linen is cloth made from a plant.

And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.

NoteBlue, purple, and bright red dyes cost a lot of money back then. Only rich or special things were colored this way.

21This is the list of everything used for the tabernacle, the tent of the Testimony. Moses gave the order to count it all. The Levites did this work. They are men from the family of Levi who helped at the tent. Ithamar led them. He was the son of Aaron the priest, the man who led the worship.

This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

NoteThe Testimony means the two flat stones with God's rules written on them. They were kept inside the tent. Levi was one of the twelve family groups of Israel. Men from that family took care of the tent.

22Bezaleel made everything the LORD told Moses to make. He was the son of Uri, the son of Hur, from the family group of Judah.

And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.

NoteLORD in capital letters stands for God's own special name. Judah was another one of the twelve family groups of Israel.

23Aholiab son of Ahisamach worked with him. He was from the family group of Dan. He carved, he planned designs, and he sewed with blue, purple, and red thread and fine linen.

And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

NoteTo carve means to cut shapes into wood, metal, or stone. To sew designs onto cloth with colored thread is called embroidery.

24All the gold used for the work on the holy place came from what the people gave. It weighed 29 talents and 730 shekels, measured by the holy weight.

All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

NoteA talent was a heavy weight, about seventy-five pounds. A shekel was small, about as heavy as four pennies. The holy weight was the official measure kept at the tent. That way everyone weighed things the same way.

25The silver came from the men who were counted. It weighed 100 talents and 1,775 shekels, measured by the holy weight.

And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

26Each man gave a bekah, which is half a shekel, by the holy weight. Every man twenty years old or older came to be counted. There were 603,550 men.

A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.

NoteA bekah was half a shekel of silver, a small lump of metal. Every grown man gave the very same amount, rich or poor. Counting the men was like taking a headcount of the whole camp.

27The 100 talents of silver were melted to make bases. They made the bases for the holy tent and the bases for the inside curtain. There were 100 bases from the 100 talents, one talent for each base.

And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.

NoteMelted silver was poured into molds to make the heavy blocks. The inside curtain hung in front of the most special room in the tent.

28With the 1,775 shekels he made hooks for the posts. He covered the tops of the posts and made bands for them.

And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.

29The bronze the people gave weighed 70 talents and 2,400 shekels.

And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.

30With it he made the bases for the door of the tent of meeting. He also made the bronze altar, its bronze screen, and all the altar's tools.

And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar,

31He made the bases for the yard all around and the bases for the yard's gate. He also made all the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the yard.

And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.

1Nadab and Abihu were sons of Aaron. Each one took his censer, a small pan for burning incense. They put fire in the pans. They put incense on top of the fire. Then they offered strange fire to the LORD. God had not told them to do this.

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

NoteIncense is a sweet powder that smells nice when it burns. A censer was a small metal pan for holding the hot coals. Aaron was the priest, the man who did God's special work at the tent. "Strange fire" means fire God had not asked for. The two young men did it their own way instead.

2Fire came out from the LORD. The fire burned them up. They died right there in front of the LORD.

And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

3Then Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD said. He said, 'I will show that I am holy through those who come near me. And all the people will see my glory.'" Aaron said nothing.

Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Note"Holy" means set apart and different from everything else. "Glory" means how great and shining God is. Aaron was quiet. He did not say a word.

4Moses called for Mishael and Elzaphan. They were sons of Uzziel, who was Aaron's uncle. Moses said to them, "Come here. Carry your relatives away from the front of the holy tent. Take them outside the camp."

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

NoteThe people of Israel lived in tents in the desert. All their tents together were called the camp. The holy tent stood in the middle of it.

5So they came near. They carried the men out of the camp, still in their coats. They did just what Moses had said.

So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

NoteThe coats were long shirts that the priests wore for their work.

6Then Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar. He said, "Do not let your hair hang loose. Do not tear your clothes. If you do, you will die, and anger will come on all the people. But the rest of Israel, your whole family, may cry about the fire the LORD started.

And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

NoteLong ago, sad people let their hair hang messy and loose. They also ripped their own clothes on purpose. It showed everyone that someone had died. Moses told Aaron and his sons not to do these things now.

7Do not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, the tent where people meet with God. If you go out, you will die. The LORD's special oil has been poured on you." So they did what Moses said.

And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

NoteThe special oil was olive oil poured on a priest's head. It showed that God had picked him for this work.

8Then the LORD spoke to Aaron. He said,

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,

9"You and your sons must not drink wine or strong drink when you go into the tent of meeting. If you do, you will die. This rule will last forever, for your children and their children.

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

NoteStrong drink was made from grain or fruit. It could make a person drunk.

10You must be able to tell the difference between what is holy and what is not. Holy things are set apart for God. You must also tell the difference between what is clean and what is unclean.

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Note"Clean" and "unclean" here are not about dirt. They were rules about who could come near the holy tent. Someone unclean had to wait a while first.

11And you must teach the people of Israel all the rules. The LORD gave those rules to them through Moses."

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

12Then Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons who were still alive. He said, "Take the grain offering that is left over from the food burned for the LORD. Eat it beside the altar, made without yeast. It is most holy.

And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

NoteA grain offering was a gift of flour and oil given to God. Yeast is what makes bread puff up and rise. The altar was like a big stone table. Gifts to God were burned on top of it.

13You must eat it in a holy place. It is the share for you and your sons. It comes from the offerings burned for the LORD. This is what I was commanded.

And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.

NotePriests had no farms of their own. Food from the offerings was how they ate.

14You and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast that was waved. You may also eat the thigh that was lifted up. Eat them in a clean place. These parts belong to you and your sons. They come from the peace offerings of the people of Israel.

And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

NoteThe priests lifted the meat up and swung it back and forth. This showed that the gift was God's first. A peace offering was an animal brought to say thank you to God. The family and the priests ate part of it together.

15The thigh that is lifted up and the breast that is waved must be brought. They bring them along with the fat that is burned for the LORD. These parts are waved before the LORD as a gift. Then they belong to you and your sons forever. The LORD has commanded this."

The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.

NoteThe fat was burned up for God. People thought of it as the best part.

16Moses looked carefully for the goat of the sin offering. He found that it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons who were still alive. He said to them,

And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,

NoteA sin offering was an animal brought when someone did something wrong. Part of it was meant to be eaten by the priests.

17"Why did you not eat the sin offering in the holy place? It is most holy. God gave it to you to carry away the people's wrong. It makes things right for them before the LORD.

Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

NoteTo "make things right" means the wrong is covered over and forgiven. Eating the offering was part of the priest's job in that.

18Look, its blood was not brought inside the holy place. You should have eaten the goat there in the holy place, just as I told you."

Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

19Aaron said to Moses, "Look. Today they brought their sin offering and their burnt offering to the LORD. And then these things happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would that have pleased the LORD?"

And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?

NoteA burnt offering was an animal burned up completely as a gift to God.

20When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

And when Moses heard that, he was content.

1This is the family record of Aaron and Moses. It comes from the time God spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

NoteMount Sinai is the mountain where God gave Moses his rules.

2These are the names of Aaron's sons. Nadab was the oldest. Then came Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3These were Aaron's sons. They were priests, men chosen to serve God for the people. Oil was poured on them to set them apart for that work.

These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.

NoteA priest was a man who did God's work at the holy tent. He brought the people's gifts to God for them. Pouring oil on a man's head showed he had this new job.

4Nadab and Abihu died in front of the LORD. They had offered fire that God did not ask for. This happened in the desert of Sinai. They had no sons. So only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests while their father Aaron was alive.

And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.

NoteThe King James says they offered "strange fire." That means fire God had not asked them to bring.

21The LORD spoke to Moses. He said this to him.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

22"Count the men of Gershon's family too. Count them by their families and family groups."

Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;

NoteGershon was another son of Levi, like Kohath.

23Count the men from thirty to fifty years old. Count everyone who comes to work at the Tent of Meeting.

From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

24Here is the work of Gershon's families. They will serve, and they will carry loads.

This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:

25They must carry the curtains of the holy tent. They carry the Tent of Meeting and its cover. They carry the fine leather cover that goes on top. They also carry the curtain for the tent door.

And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers’ skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

NoteThe holy tent was also called the tabernacle. It came apart in pieces so people could carry it. Its curtains were its walls and its roof.

26They carry the curtains around the yard. They carry the curtain at the gate of that yard. The yard goes all around the tent and the altar. They also carry the ropes and all the tools for their work. They do everything that must be done with these things.

And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.

NoteThe yard was an open space around the tent. Cloth walls hung on posts made a fence around it.

27Aaron and his sons will tell the Gershon men what to do. They will say what each man carries and what work he does. You must give each man his own load to carry.

At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.

28This is the work of Gershon's families at the Tent of Meeting. Ithamar son of Aaron the priest is in charge of them.

This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

NoteIthamar was one of Aaron's sons. All the priests came from Aaron's family.

29"Count the men of Merari's family by their families and family groups."

As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;

NoteMerari was the third son of Levi.

30Count the men from thirty to fifty years old. Count everyone who comes to work at the Tent of Meeting.

From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.

31Here is what they must carry for their work at the tent. They carry the wood frames of the holy tent. They also carry its crossbars, its posts, and its bases.

And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,

NoteThe frames were tall wooden pieces that made the walls. The bases were heavy silver blocks. Each post stood in one, like a foot.

32They carry the posts around the yard and their bases too. They carry the tent pegs, the ropes, and all the tools. You must list by name each thing they carry.

And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.

NoteTent pegs are short stakes pushed into the ground. The ropes tie to them and hold the tent up.

33This is the work of Merari's families at the Tent of Meeting. Ithamar son of Aaron the priest is in charge of them.

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

1Moses finished putting up the tabernacle. That was the special tent for worshiping God. He poured oil on it to set it apart for God. He did the same with everything inside it. He also did this with the altar and all its tools.

And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;

NoteThe tabernacle was a big tent. God's people carried it as they traveled. Pouring oil on something showed it now belonged to God. An altar is a special table. Gifts to God were burned on it.

2Then the leaders of Israel brought gifts. They were the heads of their families. They were the leaders of the twelve tribes. They had helped count the people.

That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:

NoteIsrael was made of twelve big family groups called tribes. Each tribe came from one of Jacob's twelve sons. A leader spoke for his whole tribe. Earlier, these men helped count all the people.

3They brought their gifts to the LORD. There were six covered wagons and twelve oxen. Every two leaders gave one wagon. Each leader gave one ox. They set them in front of the tabernacle.

And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.

NoteAn ox is a large, strong farm animal, like a big cow. Oxen pulled heavy wagons. The wagons had covers to keep the load safe.

4The LORD spoke to Moses. He said,

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

5"Take these gifts from them. They will be used for the work at the tent where people meet God. Give them to the Levites, the men who care for the tent. Give each man what his job needs."

Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.

NoteThe tent where people meet God is the tabernacle, the same tent. The Levites were one family group in Israel. Their job was to care for the tent and carry it.

6So Moses took the wagons and the oxen. He gave them to the Levites.

And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.

7He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon. That was what their work needed.

Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:

NoteGershon was one of Levi's sons. His family carried the cloth curtains and coverings of the tent.

8He gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari. That was what their work needed. Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest, was in charge of them.

And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

NoteMerari was another son of Levi. His family carried the heavy poles and frames. A priest was a man who served God at the altar for everyone.

9He gave no wagons and no oxen to the sons of Kohath. Their job was to carry the holy things on their shoulders.

But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.

NoteKohath was another son of Levi. His family carried the most holy things. Those things were not allowed to ride on wagons.

1Here are the groups of the men who came from Aaron. Aaron's sons were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

NoteAaron was Moses' brother. He was the very first priest. A priest was a man who worked at God's house for everyone.

2Nadab and Abihu died before their father did. They had no sons. So Eleazar and Ithamar did the priests' work.

But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest’s office.

NoteThe priests' work was leading people when they came to worship. They also brought the people's gifts to God.

3Zadok came from Eleazar's family. Ahimelech came from Ithamar's family. They helped King David sort the priests into groups by their jobs.

And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service.

NoteDavid was the king of Israel long ago. Zadok and Ahimelech were the two head priests who helped him.

4Eleazar's family had more leaders than Ithamar's family. So the groups were made to match. Eleazar's family had sixteen leaders. Ithamar's family had eight leaders.

And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.

NoteA leader here means the man in charge of one big family group. Whole families lived and worked together back then.

5They were split into groups by drawing lots, fairly for all. Both families had men who led the work at God's house.

Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

NoteDrawing lots was like picking names out of a hat. It was a fair way to choose, so no one could argue. God's house was where people came to worship God.

6Shemaiah was a writer. He was the son of Nethaneel, and he was a Levite. He wrote down all the names. The king watched, and so did the leaders. Zadok the priest watched. So did Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar. The family heads of the priests and Levites watched too. One family was picked from Eleazar, then one from Ithamar, back and forth.

And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites, wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

NoteA Levite was a man from the family of Levi. Levites helped with the work at God's house. A writer, or scribe, had the job of writing things down. Very few people knew how to write then.