Another interpretation (of Numb. 3:40), “enroll every first-born male.” But look, we find two hundred and seventy-three first-born, who were found to be in excess of the [number of] the Levites at the time that Moses numbered them. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah [differ about this]. R. Judah says, “This is what Moses did: he took [twenty-two thousand] lots and wrote ‘Levite,’ on each of them.

Then he took two hundred and seventy-three more lots and wrote ‘five sela'im’ [on each of them]. He mixed them up and put them in an urn. Then the father of a first-born would put his hand into the urn.

If there came up in his hand a lot on which was written ‘Levite,’ he was redeemed (by a Levite) and exempted from the five sela'im; but if there came up in his hand a lot on which was written ‘five sela'im,’ he handed over five sela'im.” These are the words of R. Judah. R. Nehemiah says, “There is still a difference of opinion on the matter, because one could say to him, ‘There is no lot [remaining] here on which “Levite" is written. That is the reason it did not come up in my hand.’

Instead this is what Moses did: He took lots according to the number of all the first-born, and wrote ‘Levite’ on them. Then again he took other lots according to their number and wrote ‘five sela'im’ on them. He mixed them up and put them in an urn. Then the father of a first-born would reach into the urn.

If a lot with ‘Levite’ came up in his hand, he knew that a Levite had redeemed him, and had exempted him from the five sela'im; but if a lot with ‘five sela'im’ came up in his hand, he handed over five sela'im. Then the officer said to him, ‘Was there not another lot there on which "Levite" was written? So you are not worthy of being redeemed by a Levite.’” (Numb. 3:40:) “Enroll (rt.: pqd) every first-born male.”

There is [a use of] the root pqd for the first born, as stated (ibid.), “enroll (rt.: pqd) every first-born male.” There is [a use of] the root pqd for children (in I Sam. 2:21), “For the Lord visited (rt.: pqd) Hannah; so she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters.” There is [a use of] the root pqd for watching over (in Job 10:12), “and Your providence (rt.: pqd) has watched over my spirit.”

There is [a use of] the root pqd for peace (in Is. 60:17), “and I will appoint peace as your overseer (rt.: pqd).”