1
Now it came to pass, when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, that he anointed it and consecrated it and all its furnishings, and the altar and all its utensils; so he anointed them and consecrated them.
2
Then the leaders of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, who were the leaders of the tribes and over those who were numbered, made an offering.
3
And they brought their offering before the Lord, six covered carts and twelve oxen, a cart for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle.
4
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
5
"Accept these from them, that they may be used in doing the work of the tabernacle of meeting; and you shall give them to the Levites, to every man according to his service."
6
So Moses took the carts and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
7
Two carts and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, according to their service;
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and four carts and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
9
But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because theirs was the service of the holy things, which they carried on their shoulders.
10
Now the leaders offered the dedication offering for the altar when it was anointed; so the leaders offered their offering before the altar.
11
For the Lord said to Moses, "They shall offer their offering, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar."
12
And the one who offered his offering on the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah.