Numbers 3 | Apparently There's Such a Thing as Excess Firstborn
God told Moses to bring the Levi tribe to Aaron for indefinite priestly assistance. Nobody but the Levites, Aaron, and his leftover not-murdered-by-God-because-of-the-wrong-incense sons were to approach the Tentmoot or they'd be killed.
"In place of my right to take your firstborn of everything," God clarified, "I'm taking all the Levites for holy-place upkeep. Now go count 'em for me--every male over a month old."
So Moses did--they amounted to 22,000. There were 273 other firstborn Israelites and for some reason they had to be redeemed with money (presumably to resolve the LAWD's debt with his bookie). So Moses collected about 35 pounds of sanctuary shekels to redeem the 273 excess firstborn and gave the money to Aaron and his leftover progeny.
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| Just in case you forgot, and because I enjoy this one, here's a reminder of how the all-loving, all-powerful, all-merciful God murdered his very first priest's sons for burning the wrong kind of incense. |
"In place of my right to take your firstborn of everything," God clarified, "I'm taking all the Levites for holy-place upkeep. Now go count 'em for me--every male over a month old."
So Moses did--they amounted to 22,000. There were 273 other firstborn Israelites and for some reason they had to be redeemed with money (presumably to resolve the LAWD's debt with his bookie). So Moses collected about 35 pounds of sanctuary shekels to redeem the 273 excess firstborn and gave the money to Aaron and his leftover progeny.
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