וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

The Lord spoke to Moses saying:

נָשֹׂ֗א אֶת־רֹ֛אשׁ בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֖וֹן גַּם־הֵ֑ם לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָֽם׃

Take the census of the sons of Gershon as well, in addition to Kehat, by their patrilineal house, by their families.

מִבֶּן֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים שָׁנָ֜ה וָמַ֗עְלָה עַ֛ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תִּפְקֹ֣ד אוֹתָ֑ם כָּל־הַבָּא֙ לִצְבֹ֣א צָבָ֔א לַעֲבֹ֥ד עֲבֹדָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

From thirty years old and above until fifty years old you shall count them, and appoint them to their task: Everyone enlisted to perform a duty, to perform work in the Tent of Meeting.

זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֔ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֑י לַעֲבֹ֖ד וּלְמַשָּֽׂא׃

This is the work of the families of the Gershonites, to work when the people encamp. The service which the Levites performed in the Tabernacle once it was erected is not detailed here, but they were probably responsible for ongoing maintenance jobs and to aid the priests in such tasks as the Levites later performed in the Temple, e.g., reciting the songs that accompanied the offerings, slaughtering, flaying, and cleaning the animals. And they were also responsible for bearing the burdens, when the Tabernacle traveled with the people in the wilderness.

וְנָ֨שְׂא֜וּ אֶת־יְרִיעֹ֤ת הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד מִכְסֵ֕הוּ וּמִכְסֵ֛ה הַתַּ֥חַשׁ אֲשֶׁר־עָלָ֖יו מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְאֶ֨ת־מָסַ֔ךְ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

The Torah lists the items that the Gershonites were to carry: They shall bear the sheet of the Tabernacle; and also the curtains of the Tent of Meeting, made of goats' hair; and its covering, of rams’ skins dyed red; and the covering of the taḥash that is upon it from above; and the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting;

וְאֵת֩ קַלְעֵ֨י הֶֽחָצֵ֜ר וְאֶת־מָסַ֣ךְ ׀ פֶּ֣תַח ׀ שַׁ֣עַר הֶחָצֵ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּ֤ן וְעַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֙חַ֙ סָבִ֔יב וְאֵת֙ מֵֽיתְרֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֶֽת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֖י עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֧ר יֵעָשֶׂ֛ה לָהֶ֖ם וְעָבָֽדוּ׃

and the hangings of the courtyard; and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard, that is near the Tabernacle, and near the altar, all around; and their cords, for the hangings; and all the instruments of their work; and everything that shall be fashioned for them, and they shall serve.

עַל־פִּי֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן וּבָנָ֜יו תִּהְיֶ֗ה כָּל־עֲבֹדַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֔י לְכָל־מַשָּׂאָ֔ם וּלְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וּפְקַדְתֶּ֤ם עֲלֵהֶם֙ בְּמִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת אֵ֖ת כָּל־מַשָּׂאָֽם׃

According to the directive of Aaron and his sons shall be all the work of the sons of the Gershonites, for all their burden, and for all their work; you shall assign them all of their burden as a commission, in an organized fashion.

זֹ֣את עֲבֹדַ֗ת מִשְׁפְּחֹ֛ת בְּנֵ֥י הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וּמִ֨שְׁמַרְתָּ֔ם בְּיַד֙ אִֽיתָמָ֔ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (פ)

This is the work of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting; and their commission shall be in the hand of Itamar son of Aaron the priest, under his command. Itamar was the second surviving son of Aaron.