Numbers 3:41

KJV1611 – Modern English

And you shall 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 firstborn cattle among the children of Israel.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְלָקַחְתָּ֨ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּ֥ם לִי֙ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה תַּ֥חַת כָּל־בְּכֹ֖ר בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאֵת֙ בֶּהֱמַ֣ת הַלְוִיִּ֔ם תַּ֣חַת כָּל־בְּכ֔וֹר בְּבֶהֱמַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Transliteration

And-lāqaḥtā ʾet-the-ləwiyyim for-me ʾănî YHWH taḥat all-bəkōr in-bənê yiśrāʾēl, and-ʾēt behemat the-ləwiyyim taḥat all-bəkôr in-behemat bənê yiśrāʾēl.

Grammar Details

• *lāqaḥtā*: qal perfect 2nd masculine singular - you shall take
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *ləwiyyim*: proper noun, masculine plural with definite article - Levites
• *ʾănî*: 1st person singular independent pronoun - I
• *YHWH*: proper noun - the divine name
• *taḥat*: preposition - instead of, in place of
• *bəkōr*: masculine singular noun in construct - firstborn of
• *bənê*: masculine plural construct - sons of
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *behemat*: feminine singular construct - cattle/livestock of
• *bəkôr*: masculine singular noun - firstborn

Word Meanings

• *lāqaḥtā*: take, receive, select, choose
• *taḥat*: instead of, in place of, underneath, below

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  "And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the people of Israel."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard 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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And thou shalt take{H3947} the Levites{H3881} for me (I am Jehovah){H3068} instead of all the first-born{H1060} among the children{H1121} of Israel;{H3478} and the cattle{H929} of the Levites{H3881} instead of all the firstlings{H1060} among the cattle{H929} of the children{H1121} of Israel:{H3478}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And thou shalt take{H3947}{(H8804)} the Levites{H3881} for me(I am the LORD{H3068}) instead of all the firstborn{H1060} among the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}; and the cattle{H929} of the Levites{H3881} instead of all the firstlings{H1060} among the cattle{H929} of the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And thou shalt appoynte ye leuites to me the Lorde for all the firstborne amoge ye childern of Ysrael and the catell of ye leuites for the firstborne of the childern of Ysrael.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And ye Leuites shalt thou take out vnto me the LORDE, for all ye first borne of ye childre of Israel, & the catell of the Leuites for all the first borne amonge the catell of ye children of Israel.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And thou shalt take ye Leuites to me for all the first borne of the children of Israel (I am the Lorde) and the cattell of the Leuites for all the first borne of the cattell of the children of Israel.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And thou shalt appoynt the Leuites to me (for I am the Lorde) for all the first borne of the children of Israel, and the cattell of the Leuites for all the first gendred of the cattell of the chyldren of Israel.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  You shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the children of Israel."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and thou hast taken the Levites for Me (I `am' Jehovah), instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of every firstling among the cattle of the sons of Israel.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am Jehovah) instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel:

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am Jehovah) instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel:

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And give to me the Levites (I am the Lord) in place of the first sons of the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites in place of the first births among the cattle of the children of Israel.

• World English Bible (2000)

  You shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  And take the Levites for me– I am the LORD– instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

Referenced Verses

• Num 3:12 : 12 Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb among the children of Israel; therefore the Levites shall be mine;
• Num 3:45 : 45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.
• Num 8:16 : 16 For they are wholly given to me among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
• Num 18:15 : 15 Everything that opens the womb in all flesh, which they bring to the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be yours: nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts you shall redeem.
• Matt 20:28 : 28 Even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
• 1 Tim 2:6 : 6 Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
• Exod 24:5-6 : 5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD. 6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
• Exod 32:26-29 : 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side—come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered to him. 27 He said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'" 28 The children of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother."