Parashas Bamidbar · Side page (no TT primary unit)
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה פְּקֹ֨ד כׇּל־בְּכֹ֤ר זָכָר֙ לִבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מִבֶּן־חֹ֖דֶשׁ וָמָ֑עְלָה וְשָׂ֕א אֵ֖ת מִסְפַּ֥ר שְׁמֹתָֽם׃
GOD said to Moses: Record every first-born male of the Israelite people from the age of one month up, and make a list of their names;
Bamidbar Rabbah / Bechoros — EXTRA.
פקד כל בכור זכר —\ldots תחתיהם הלוים.
English: “Count every firstborn male” — \ldots in their place the Levites.
Custom
Chazal frame the firstborn census as the necessary counterpart to the substitution of the Levites.