Numbers 3:41

You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God delivers this command to Moses immediately after ordering the enumeration of every firstborn male Israelite from one month old upward.

The words — The Hebrew verb לָקַחְתָּ (la.kach.ta) means "you will take," paired with תַּחַת (ta.chat), which translates literally as "in place of" or "under."

The thread — This substitution pattern appears again in Numbers 3:12 and Numbers 3:45, where the Levites and their livestock are repeatedly designated to stand in for the firstborn of Israel and their animals.

Why it lands — The text requires the reader to accept that the Levites and their livestock function as the direct, divinely appointed replacements for the firstborn sons and animals of Israel.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְלָקַחְתָּ֨ve./la.kach.Taand/ you will take אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַלְוִיִּ֥םha/l.vi.Yimthe/ Levitesלִי֙l/ifor <the>/ meאֲנִ֣י'a.NiI יְהוָ֔הYah.weh[am] Yahweh תַּ֥חַתTa.chatin place of כָּל־kol-every בְּכֹ֖רbe.Khorfirstborn בִּבְנֵ֣יbi/v.Neiamong/ [the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsrael וְאֵת֙ve./'Etand/ <obj.>בֶּהֱמַ֣תbe.he.Mat[the] livestock of הַלְוִיִּ֔םha/l.vi.Yimthe/ Levites תַּ֣חַתTa.chatin place of כָּל־kol-every בְּכ֔וֹרbe.Khorfirstborn בְּבֶהֱמַ֖תbe./ve.he.Matamong/ [the] livestock of בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] people of יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Yis.ra.'ElIsrael

King James Version

And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

Cross-references

Numbers 3:12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,
Numbers 3:45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.
Exodus 24:5 Then he sent out some young men of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD.
Exodus 32:26 So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.
Numbers 8:16 For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
Numbers 18:15 The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.
Matthew 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
1 Timothy 2:6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all—the testimony that was given at just the right time.