1. When Moses finished setting up the Holy Tent, he gave it for service to the Lord by pouring olive oil on the Tent and on everything used in it. He also poured oil on the altar and all its tools to prepare them for service to the Lord.
2. Then the leaders of Israel made offerings. These were the heads of the families, the leaders of each tribe who counted the people.
3. They brought to the Lord six covered carts and twelve oxen -- each leader giving an ox, and every two leaders giving a cart. They brought these to the Holy Tent.
4. The Lord said to Moses,
5. "Accept these gifts from the leaders and use them in the work of the Meeting Tent. Give them to the Levites as they need them."
6. So Moses accepted the carts and the oxen and gave them to the Levites.
7. He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, which they needed for their work.
8. Then Moses gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, which they needed for their work. Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest, directed the work of all of them.
9. Moses did not give any oxen or carts to the Kohathites, because their job was to carry the holy things on their shoulders.
10. When the oil was poured on the altar, the leaders brought their offerings to it to give it to the Lord's service; they presented them in front of the altar.
11. The Lord told Moses, "Each day one leader must bring his gift to make the altar ready for service to me."