BAMIDBAR.
Chapter 4.
And Hashem spoke unto Moshe and unto Aharon, saying, 
Take the census of the Bnei Kehat from among the Bnei Levi, after their mishpekhot, by the bais of their avot, 
From shloshim shanah (thirty years old) and upward even until chamishim shanah (fifty years old), all that enter into the tz'va (holy militia of Hashem) to do the melachah (work) in the Ohel Mo'ed. 
This shall be the Avodat Bnei Kehat in the Ohel Mo'ed: kodesh hakodashim (the most holy things); 
And when the machaneh (camp) setteth forward, Aharon shall come, and his banim, and they shall take down the Parochet (veil) of the screen, and cover the Aron HaEdut (Ark of the Testimony) with it; 
And shall put thereon the tachash hide covering, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly sky-blue violet, and shall put in the carrying poles thereof. 
And upon the Shulchan HaPanim they shall spread a cloth of sky-blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the incense spoons, and the offering bowls, and kesot hanesekh (pitchers of the drink offering); and Lechem HaTamid (Perpetual Bread) shall be thereon; 
And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a tachash hide covering, and shall put in the poles thereof. 
And they shall take a cloth of sky-blue, and cover the Menorat HaMa'ohr (Menorah of Illumination), and its nerot (lamps), and its tongs, and its trays, and all the klei shemen (oil vessels) thereof, wherewith they prepare it for holy service; 
And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a tachash hide covering, and shall put it upon the carrying frame. 
And upon the Mizbach HaZahav they shall spread a cloth of sky-blue, and cover it a tachash hide covering, and shall put in place the poles thereof; 
And they shall take all the Klei HaSharet (Utensils of Ministry), wherewith they minister in HaKodesh, and put them in a cloth of sky-blue, and cover them with a tachash hide covering, and shall put them on the carrying frame; 
And they shall take away the ashes from the Mizbe'ach, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 
And they shall put upon it all the utensils thereof, wherewith they minister upon it, even the fire pans, the meathooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the Klei HaMizbe'ach; and they shall spread upon it a tachash hide covering, and put in place its poles. 
And when Aharon and his banim have made an end of covering HaKodesh, and all the Klei HaKodesh, as the machaneh (camp) is to set forward, after that, the Bnei Kehat shall come to bear it; but they shall not touch any kodesh, lest they die. These things are the massa (burden) of the Bnei Kehat in the Ohel Mo'ed. 
And to the pekuddat (oversight, office) of El'azar ben Aharon HaKohen pertaineth the Shemen HaMa'ohr (Oil of Illumination), and the incense spices, and the Minchat HaTamid (Continual Grain Offering), and the Shemen HaMishchah (Anointing Oil), and the Pekuddat Kol HaMishkan, and of all that therein is, in HaKodesh, and in the vessels thereof. 
And Hashem spoke unto Moshe and unto Aharon saying, 
Cut ye not off the shevet (tribe) of the mishpekhot of the Kehati from among the Levi'im; 
But this do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto kodesh hakodashim (the most holy things): Aharon and his banim shall go in, and appoint them every one to his avodah (service, ministry) and to his massa (burden); 
But they shall not go in to look for a single instant at hakodesh, lest they die. 
And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying, 
Take also the census of the Bnei Gershon, throughout the bais avot of them, by their mishpekhot; 
From shloshim shanah (thirty years old) and upward until chamishim shanah (fifty years old) shalt thou number them; all that enter to serve the tz'va (holy militia service of Hashem), to labor in the Avodah in the Ohel Mo'ed. 
This is the Avodat Mishpekhot HaGershoni, as relates to service and massa (burden): 
And they shall bear the curtains of the Mishkan, and the Ohel Mo'ed, its covering, and the tachash hide covering that is over the top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the Ohel Mo'ed, 
And the hangings of the khatzer (court), and the hanging for the entrance of the sha'ar (gate) of the khatzer (court), which is around the Mishkan and around the Mizbe'ach, and their cords, and all the Klei Avodah (Utensils of Service, Ministry) of them, and all that is done for them; so shall they serve. 
At the appointment of Aharon and his banim shall be all the Avodat Bnei HaGershoni, in all their massa (burdens), and in all their avodah (service); and ye shall appoint unto them in mishmeret (guard duty responsibility) for all their massa (burdens). 
This is the Avodat Mishpekhot Bnei HaGershoni in the Ohel Mo'ed; and mishmeret (guard duty responsibility) shall be under the direction of Itamar ben Aharon HaKohen. 
As for the Bnei Merari, thou shalt number them after their mishpekhot, by the bais of their avot; 
From shloshim shanah (thirty years old) and upward even until chamishim shanah (fifty years old) shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the tz'va (holy militia service of Hashem), to do the work of the Avodat Ohel Mo'ed. 
And this is their mishmeret (guard) massa (burden), according to all their Avodah (Service, Ministry) in the Ohel Mo'ed; the frames of the Mishkan, and the cross-bars thereof, and the posts thereof, and bases thereof, 
And the posts surrounding the khatzer, and their bases, and their tent pegs, and their cords, with all their implements, and with all their service; and by shmot (names) ye shall assign the klei mishmeret (vessels of duty) massa (burdens). 
This is the Avodat Mishpekhot Bnei Merari, according to all their service, in the Ohel Mo'ed under the direction of Itamar ben Aharon HaKohen. 
And Moshe and Aharon and the Nasi'ei HaEdah (Leaders of the Congregation) counted the Bnei HaKehati after their mishpekhot, and after the bais of their avot, 
From shloshim shanah (thirty years old) and upward even until chamishim shanah (fifty years old) shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the tz'va (holy militia service of Hashem), to do the work of the Avodah in the Ohel Mo'ed; 
And those that were numbered of them by their mishpekhot were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 
These were they that were numbered of the mishpekhot HaKehati, all that might do service in the Ohel Mo'ed which Moshe and Aharon did number according to the command of Hashem by the hand of Moshe. 
And those that were numbered of the Bnei Gershon, throughout their mishpekhot, and by the bais of their avot, 
From shloshim shanah and upward even until chamishim shanah shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the tz'va (holy militia service of Hashem), to do the work of the Avodah in the Ohel Mo'ed, 
Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their mishpekhot, by the bais of their avot, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. 
These are they that were numbered of the Mishpekhot Bnei Gershon, of all that might do service in the Ohel Mo'ed whom Moshe and Aharon did number according to the command of Hashem. 
And those that were numbered of the Mishpekhot Bnei Merari, throughout their mishpekhot, by the bais of their avot, 
From shloshim shanah and upward even until chamishim shanah shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the tz'va, to do the work of the Avodah in the Ohel Mo'ed, 
Even those that were numbered of them by their mishpekhot, were three thousand and two hundred. 
These be those that were numbered of the Mishpekhot Bnei Merari, whom Moshe and Aharon numbered according to the command of Hashem by the hand of Moshe. 
All those that were numbered of the Levi'im, whom Moshe and Aharon and the Nasi'ei Yisroel numbered, by their mishpekhot, and by the bais of their avot, 
From shloshim shanah and upward even until chamishim shanah shalt thou number them, every one that entereth to do the Avodat Avodah (the Work of the Service, Ministry) and the Avodat Massa (Service, Ministry of the Burden) in the Ohel Mo'ed. 
Even those that were numbered of them, were shmonat alafim vachamesh me'ot ushmonim (eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore), 
According to the command of Hashem they were numbered by the hand of Moshe, every one according to his Avodah (Service), and according to his Massa (Burden); thus were they counted of him, as Hashem commanded Moshe. 
