Census carried out of the levites
Numbers 3:15 (KJV)
15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
Numbers 3:39 (KJV)
39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand
Census carried of the firstborn sons of Israel
Numbers 3:43 (KJV)
43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
The superfluous number
Numbers 3:46 (KJV)
46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
The firstborn sons of Israel were more than the Levites by 273 persons who had been counted in the census.This entailed that the superfluous number should be redeemed for a fee of five shekels per head.
What method was used to select/choose those that were going to pay the redemption money?