John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Numbers 3:1
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 3
In this chapter an account is given of the genealogy of the priests and Levites, and of the gift of the Levites to the priests, of the numbering of them, and the service they were to perform; and first of the priests, the sons of Aaron, Nu 3:1; and then of the Levites, as given unto them, to wait upon them, and assist them, Nu 3:5; and these were taken instead of the firstborn, Nu 3:11; and ordered to be numbered, which was done accordingly by their families, Nu 3:14; and the sum of each is given, and the particular work assigned to them; of the Gershonites, Nu 3:21; of the Kohathites, Nu 3:27; of the Merarites, Nu 3:33; the sum total of them is given, Nu 3:39; then the firstborn of the children of Israel, from a month old are ordered to be numbered, and were, Nu 3:40; and these appearing to be more in number than the Levites, by two hundred seventy three a direction is given that the two hundred seventy three should be redeemed at the rate of five, shekels apiece, and the money paid to Aaron and his sons, Nu 3:44; which was accordingly done, Nu 3:49.
Ver. 1. These also [are] the generations of Aaron and Moses,.... The descendants of them, those of the former, who is named first, because the eldest, were priests, and those of the latter Levites, and who are not very plainly pointed at, but are included among the Amramites, Nu 3:27; the posterity of Moses being very obscure, only Levites, and these not particularly named but swallowed up among the Kohathites: find the following account was as it stood,
in the day [that] the Lord spoke with Moses in mount Sinai; and not, altogether as it then, was when he spoke to him in the wilderness, of Sinai, for then Aaron had four sons, but now two of them were dead as is after observed; and it seems to be for the sake of this circumstance chiefly that this clause is so put.
Numbers 3:2
Ver. 2. And these [are] the names of the sons of Aaron,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, disciples of Moses, the master of the Israelites; none of the posterity of Moses being expressly, named; Jarchi observes, that the sons of Aaron are called the generations of Moses, because he taught them the law; for whoever, he says, teaches his neighbour's son, the law, the Scripture accounts of him as if he begat him, see 1Co 4:15;
Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; as in Ex 6:23.
Numbers 3:3
Ver. 3. These [are] the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests that were anointed,.... With the holy, anointing oil, with which they were anointed when, Aaron was and they only, see Ex 30:30;
whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office; that is, whom Moses consecrated, by anointing them, putting the priest's garments on them, offering sacrifice for them, and filling their hands with sacrifices which is the phrase here used for consecration: see
Ex 29:15.
Numbers 3:4
Ver. 4. And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord,...., By flaming fire, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, see Le 10:2; and so were not alive at this time when the account of the priests and Levites was taken:
when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; after the tabernacle was set up, and the service of it begun, and quickly after their unction and consecration: of this strange fire,
See Gill on "Nu 10:1";
and they had no children; which is observed, partly to show the punishment of them, and the reproach upon their names, that they died childless, and had none to succeed them in the priesthood; for as the Jewish writers {n} observe if they had left any behind them, those would have come into the office before Eleazar and Ithamar; and partly to show that all the priests in succeeding ages sprung from those next mentioned:
and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office, in the sight of Aaron their father; in his presence, under his inspection, and by his direction, he seeing and observing that they did everything according to the laws delivered by Moses, relating to, the office of the priesthood; or while he was yet alive, as Aben Ezra, they were concerned with him, and acted under him in the priestly office; and so the Septuagint version renders it, "with Aaron their father" {o}; but a Jewish writer {p} interprets it in a different manner, "in the room of Aaron their father"; as if it respected not any conjunction with him in the then present exercise of their office in his lifetime, but their succession in it after his death; but the former seems most correct.
{n} Torat Cohanim apud Ceseph Misnah in Maimon. Melachim, c. 1. sect. 7. Chaskuniin in loc. {o} Which is approved by Noldius, p. 731. {p} Chaskuni.
Numbers 3:5
Ver. 5. And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After he had given him the order for the numbering the children of Israel, and for the manner of their encampment and journeying:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 3:6
Ver. 6. Bring the tribe of Levi near,.... Separate them from the rest, set them apart for special service about, the sanctuary, let them have a place nearer to it than the other tribes, or offer them, that is, to the Lord, as in Nu 8:11; as well as bring them near to Aaron; so it follows:
and present them before Aaron the priest; that he may receive them as a gift unto him, as servants to wait upon him; and! that he may appoint and declare unto them their work, and set them about it:
that they may minister unto him; in guarding the tabernacle taking care of the vessels of it, taking it down, carrying it, from place to place, and setting it up as there was occasion for it.
Numbers 3:7
Ver. 7. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation,.... The charge of Aaron and of all the people of Israel, which was to secure the sanctuary from being polluted or plundered: this the Levites were to be employed about, and thereby ease the high priest and the other priests, and the people, of what otherwise would have been incumbent on them:
before the tabernacle of the congregation; not within it, neither in the holy place, nor in the most holy place, where they might not enter, to do any service peculiar thereunto, but at the door of the tabernacle, and in the court of it, and in the rooms and chambers in it: and do the service of the tabernacle; not to offer sacrifices on the altar of the burnt offering, which stood in the court, and much less to burn incense on the altar of incense, and to him the lamps, and set on the shewbread in the holy place; and still less to enter into the most holy place, and do there what was to be done on the day of atonement; but to do all that is before observed, and to bring the people's offerings to the priest, and to assist in slaying them; and to keep all profane and polluted persons out of it, the tabernacle, as we find in later times; they were porters at it, and some of them were singers in it, and had the care of various things belonging to it: see 1Ch 9:14.
Numbers 3:8
Ver. 8. And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation,.... Take care of them that none be lost or come to any damage, especially while it was moving, and carried from place to place; then the several parts of it, as well as the vessels in it, were committed to their care and charge, the particulars of which see in Nu 3:25;
and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle; See Gill on "Nu 3:7".
Numbers 3:9
Ver. 9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons,.... To be their ministers and servants:
they [are] wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel: even all of them entirely, none excepted; the whole tribe which were not in the priestly office; those were separated from the rest of the tribes of Israel, and appointed for the service of the priests: or they were "given, given" {q}; which is repeated not only to show that they were wholly given, as we render it, but to denote the certainty of it, that they were really given; and especially to declare the freeness of the gift; the priests had them as free gifts, nor did they pay them any thing for, their service; they were maintained another way, namely, by the tithes of the people; and indeed the priests received a tithe out of the tithe of the Levites; so far were they from contributing any thing to their support, or in consideration of the service they did them.
{q} Mynwtn Mynwtn "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius.
Numbers 3:10
Ver. 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons,.... To the priestly office; this was done before, but is renewed for the confirmation of it, and repeated to put them in mind of it, that they be careful to execute it, as follows:
and they shall wait on their priest's office, to do what was peculiar to it, both in the holy and in the most holy place, at the altar, and within, the vail, where the Levites had nothing to do; and this is observed that the priests might take notice, that by the gift of the Levites to them, they were not excused from doing any part of service which was proper to them as priests; for they were given them that they might more readily attend their office, and be wholly employed in it; just as, under the Gospel dispensation, deacons were appointed to take care of the secular affairs of the church, that the apostles might give up themselves to the word of God and prayer, Ac 6:2;
and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death; that comes nigh to perform any part of the priest's office peculiar to him as to offer sacrifice, burn incense, &c. whether he be a common Israelite, or even a Levite, as Korah was; any that was not a priest was reckoned a stranger, and so to be put to death for intruding into the office, as the above mentioned person was: so Aben Ezra interprets it of anyone that came nigh to a priest, to be with him or join with him in the execution of his office, whether an Israelite or a Levite, he shall die: the Targum of Jonathan adds, by flaming fire before the Lord.
Numbers 3:11
Ver. 11. And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Continued to speak unto him, and give him the reason of his appointing the Levites to minister to the priests and serve the tabernacle:
saying: as follows.
Numbers 3:12
Ver. 12. And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel,.... Separated them from others, and set them apart for the service of the sanctuary; this was his own act and deed, and which he did of his own will and pleasure, who is a sovereign Being, and might and would do whatsoever he pleased, nor should any object unto him, or contradict him: and this he did,
instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel; he made an exchange of those for the Levites; upon the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt, and saving the firstborn of Israel, he claimed the latter as his own in a special sense, and now he gave up his right to them, and instead thereof took the Levites; nor could the people of Israel reasonably object to this, nor be uneasy at it, but rather be pleased with it; since hereby they were not only freed from the charge of redeeming their firstborn, but since they were the Lord's, he might have appointed them to be servants to the priests; and every Israelite would choose rather, no doubt, to part with a tribe for this service than to have their firstborn sons employed in it; and there were none so fit as the tribe of Levi, not only because it was a small tribe, but because the priests were of this tribe, to whom they were to minister; and therefore as there was a connection between them, the Levites would readily serve them: it is a notion that has obtained both among Jews and Christians, that the firstborn before this time were priests in the family, but now the Levites were taken in their room; and Jarchi particularly observes, that when the firstborn sinned in the business of the calf, they were rejected, and the Levites, who did not commit idolatry, were chosen in their room; but it does not appear, before the fixing the priesthood in Aaron's family, that the firstborn in a family were priests, and officiated as such, but rather the father and head of the family for the whole, or everyone for himself, as in Adam's family, he and his two sons; and moreover, it was a recent thing, and only among the Hebrews, that the firstborn were in a peculiar manner the Lord's, not as priests, only to be redeemed, and now the Levites were redeemed in their room; it was not to be priests, but the servants of the priests {r}:
therefore the Levites shall be mine; whom he gave to the priests to assist them in their work, which was for him and his glory.
{r} Vid. Outram. de Sacrificiis, l. 1. c. 4. sect. 1, 2, 3.
Numbers 3:13
Ver. 13. Because all the firstborn [are] mine,.... Not merely in a general way, as all creatures are his, but in a special manner as his own, and that for the following reason:
[for] on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,
I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast; that is, sanctified or set them apart as his own special property, or ordered the people of Israel so to do, Ex 13:2; for as when he destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians, he saved the firstborn of Israel, he had a special claim upon them as his; and though it was in the night when he destroyed the firstborn of Egypt, yet it was the night which preceded that day, and was a part of that day, even the fifteenth of Nisan, when the instructions were given to sanctify all the firstborn; though, as Aben Ezra observes, "day" signifies "time", so that it was at or about the same time that the one and the other were done:
mine they shall be; this was declared when they were ordered to be sanctified to him, but now they were to be exchanged for the Levites:
I [am] the Lord; who have sovereign power to do as he would in claiming the firstborn, and then in exchanging them for the Levites, and appointing the Levites to minister to the priests, and serve in the tabernacle.
Numbers 3:14
Ver. 14. And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai,.... At the same time he gave the order, and made the declaration before mentioned, and in the place where now the children of Israel were, and from whence they shortly removed:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 3:15
Ver. 15. Number the children of Levi,.... Who were left out of the general muster of the children of Israel, but now were to be numbered alone, and in a different manner, and for, a different purpose, the Lord having a special regard auto, them, and special service for them:
after the house of their fathers, by their families; into which the tribe was divided; house seems to be put for "houses", which were principal ones; and these were divided into families, which branched from them, and according to these, denominated from their fathers, and not their, mothers, were they to be numbered; for as the Jewish writers often say, a mother's family is no family; wherefore, if a Levite woman married into any other tribe, as she might, her, descendants were not taken into this accounts only such whose fathers were Levites, see Nu 1:2;
every male from a month old and upwards shalt thou number them; the reason of this was, because the firstborn, for whom they were to be exchanged, were at a month old claimed by the Lord as his, and to be redeemed; and as this numbering was on, another account than, that of the children of Israel, who were numbered from twenty years of age and upwards, that they might on occasion be called out to war, from which the Levites were exempted, and the numbering of them was for the service of the sanctuary; so from their youth they were to be brought up and trained for this, that they might be fit for it, and enter upon it at a proper age.
Numbers 3:16
Ver. 16. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord,.... Took the account of all of a month old in the several houses and families of the tribe of Levi; though Moses is only here mentioned, yet it seems from Nu 3:39; that Aaron was concerned with him in it; yea, in an after numbering of the Levites who were fit for business from thirty to fifty years of age, the chief of the children of Israel were assisting to him and Aaron, Nu 4:46;
as he commanded; he was obedient to the divine will in all things, and so in this, though it was his own tribe and his own posterity, which in all successive ages were to be no other than ministering servants to the priests, and to have no inheritance in the land of Israel.
Numbers 3:17
Ver. 17. And these were the sons of Levi, by their names,.... The immediate offspring and descendants of that patriarch:
Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; these went down with him into Egypt,
Ge 46:11.
Numbers 3:18
Ver. 18. And these [are] the names of the sons of Gershon, by their families,.... Or to Gershon belonged two families, called after the names of his sons, who were now numbered, namely,
Libni and Shimei; and who are elsewhere mentioned as his sons, Ex 6:17; and from hence were the families of the Libnites and Shimites, as in Nu 3:21.
Numbers 3:19
Ver. 19. And the sons of Kohath, by their families,.... Who was the second son of Levi:
Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel; so in Ex 6:18; and from whom were named the family of the Amramites, to which Moses and Aaron belonged; and the families of the Izeharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites, as they are called, Nu 3:27.
Numbers 3:20
Ver. 20. And the sons, of Merari, by their families,.... The third son of Levi;
Mahli and Mushi; the same as in Ex 6:19; from whom were denominated the families of the Mahlites and Mushites, who, as the preceding families, were numbered at this time: these
[are] the families of the Levites, according to the house of their fathers; in all eight families.
Numbers 3:21
Ver. 21. Of Gershon [was] the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites,.... The first son of Levi:
these [are] the family of the Gershonites; that were now, numbered.
Numbers 3:22
Ver. 22. Those that were numbered of them,.... Of the two families that sprung from Gershon:
according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upwards: in the said families;
[even] those that were numbered of them, [were] seven thousand and five hundred; 7,500 men, which was neither the least nor the largest number of the sons of Levi.
Numbers 3:23
Ver. 23. The families of the Gershonites,.... The two before mentioned, the Libnites and Shimites:
shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward; this was their situation when encamped; they were placed in the rear of the camp of the Levites, between the tabernacle and the camp of Ephraim, which was westward also, Nu 1:18.
Numbers 3:24
Ver. 24. And the chief of the house of the fathers of the Gershonites,.... Who had the chief authority over them, and the chief direction of them in what they were to do:
[shall be] Eliasaph the son of Lael; but who he was, or of which family of the Gershonites, whether of the Libnites or Shimites, is not said here or elsewhere; nor do the Jewish writers, who affect to know every thing, pretend to tell us.
Numbers 3:25
Ver. 25. And the charge of the sons of Gershom,.... The Libnites and Shimites:
in the tabernacle of the congregation; or with respect to the things of it, when it was taken down and committed to them; for otherwise they had no place in it, nor might they enter into it, or do any service therein:
[shall be] the tabernacle and the tent; the former intends not the boards of it, which were the charge of the Merarites, Nu 3:36; but the curtains, as Aben Ezra, or the under curtains, as Jarchi calls them, which were made of fine twined linen, Ex 26:1; and the latter is to be understood of the eleven curtains, as Aben Ezra, the curtains of goats hair, which were made for the roof of the tabernacle, as Jarchi observes, see Ex 26:7;
the covering thereof: made of rams' skins, and badgers' skins, which were thrown over the tent, Ex 26:14;
and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; the vail, as Jarchi calls it; not what divided the holy and most holy places, for that fell to the charge of the Kohathites, Nu 3:31; but the vail or hanging which was at the door of the tent, or which led into the holy place, Ex 26:36.
Numbers 3:26
Ver. 26. And the hangings of the court,.... Which formed the great open court that encompassed the tabernacle, and was an hundred cubits long and fifty broad; Ex 27:9;
and the curtain for the door of the court: which was an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen,
Ex 27:16;
which [is] by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about: this refers to the court, the hangings, and curtains of the door of it, which are spoken of; and this court surrounded the tabernacle, and the altar which was without the tabernacle, as Aben Ezra observes, and which was the altar of burnt offering that stood within this court; for the particle le sometimes signifies "about" {s}, and the word
bybo, "around", being joined with it, requires this sense:
and the cords of it; which seem to be the cords of the court, which fastened the hangings and curtains to brass pins, or stakes fixed in the ground to keep them tight, that the wind might not move them to and fro; but Jarchi says, these were the cords of the tabernacle and tent, and not of the court; and indeed the tabernacle had its cords as well as the court, Ex 38:18; the cords of the court were in the charge of the Merarites, Nu 3:37;
for all the service thereof: for that part of the tabernacle and court which the Gershonites had in their care and custody.
{s} Vid. Nold. Partic. Ebr. Concord. p. 992.
Numbers 3:27
Ver. 27. And of Kohath [was] the family of the Amramites,.... So called from Amram, the first son of Kohath, and father of Aaron and Moses; so that Moses and Aaron, and their children, are included in this family:
and the family of Izeharites; of which family was Korah, Nu 16:1;
and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; which four families had their names from Kohath's four sons, Nu 3:19;
these are the families of the Kohathites; which were as many as both the other sons of Levi.
Numbers 3:28
Ver. 28. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upwards, [were] eight thousand and six hundred,.... 8,600 men, which was the largest number of any of the houses of the Levites; but considering it had double the number of families in it, the increase was not so large in proportion, at least to Gershon, whose two families wanted but 1,100 of these four:
keeping the charge of the sanctuary; of the holy and most holy places, and the vessels and instruments belonging thereunto; not that the males of a month old were keeping them, but when they were grown up and were capable of it, they had the charge thereof, in which they were instructed and trained up from their youth.
Numbers 3:29
Ver. 29. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. Or to the right, which was the more honourable place, excepting the east or front, which was reserved for Moses and Aaron, and his sons, and who were one of these families; and is the reason why this honour was conferred upon them, as well as they had the more honourable charge, having the holy places and holy things committed to their care; and one from among them was appointed over all the Levites, and the chief of them, as they had also, when they came into the land of Canaan, almost as many cities of refuge as both their other brethren had: their situation about the tabernacle was between that and the camp of Reuben, and this accounts for it, how Korah who was of one of the families of the Kohathites, became so intimately acquainted with, and joined in a conspiracy with Dathan and Abiram, who were of the tribe of Reuben, Nu 16:1.
Numbers 3:30
Ver. 30. And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites [shall be] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. The same man, who, with his brother Mishael, carried Nadab and Abihu out of the camp, and buried them, Le 10:4; he descended from the last and youngest of the families of the Kohathites; and some think this was one reason at least of Korah's dissatisfaction, and of his entering into a conspiracy against Moses and Aaron, because one of a younger family of his house was preferred to this dignity before him.
Numbers 3:31
Ver. 31. And their charge [shall be] the ark,.... That is, when the tabernacle was taken down, and carried from place to place, this, and the following things, were committed to their care and custody, the ark with the mercy seat, and all appertaining thereunto, which were in the holy of holies:
and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars; the table of shewbread, and the candlestick of pure gold, with its lamps, and the altar of incense, all which stood in the holy place, and the altar of burnt offering, which was in the court, for both altars were their charge:
and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister; all the vessels which belonged to the above things; for the table, candlestick, and altars, all had vessels appertaining to them:
and the hanging; that is, the vail, as Jarchi interprets it, which divided between the, holy and the most holy place; all the other hangings for the court, and the door of it, and for the door of the tabernacle, were the charge of the Gershonites, Nu 3:25:
and all the service thereof; what belonged to the things in this part of the tabernacle.
Numbers 3:32
Ver. 32. And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest,.... Who was of the first of these families, the Amramites:
[shall be] chief over the chief of the Levites; over the three chiefs of the three houses of the Levites, who were Eliasaph the son of Lael, the chief of the Gershonites; and Elizaphan the son of Uzziel, the chief of the Kohathites; and Zuriel the son of Abihail, the chief of the Merarites:
[and have] the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary; the Kohathites, who had the care of the things belonging to the holy and most holy places; and these were particularly under the inspection of Eleazar, because they were things the priests had a, special concern in; see Nu 4:32.
Numbers 3:33
Ver. 33. Of Merari [were] the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites,.... So called from his two sons Mahli and Mushi, Nu 3:20;
these [are] the families of Merari; the youngest son of Levi, Nu 3:17.
Numbers 3:34
Ver. 34. And those that were numbered of them,.... Of the above two families:
according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, [were] six thousand and two hundred; 6,200 men; the least number of them all.
Numbers 3:35
Ver. 35. And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari,.... I think it should rather be rendered, "and the chief of the house", that is, of the Merarites, "the father to the families of Merari"; the common father to them all, having the chief authority and power over them, and so in Nu 3:24;
[shall be] Zuriel the son of Abihail; of whom we read nowhere else, nor is it certain of which family he was, whether of the Mahlites or Mushites:
[these] shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward; to the left of it, between that and the camp of Dan.
Numbers 3:36
Ver. 36. And [under] the custody and charge of the sons of Merari [shall be] the boards of the tabernacle,.... Both of the holy and the most holy place, which were the walls of the tabernacle, and which were covered with curtains; these when taken down for journeying were committed to the care of the Merarites; and because these, with what, follow, were a heavy carriage, they were allowed wagons to carry them; and who on this account had more wagons given them than to the Gershonites, for the Kohathites had none, Nu 7:6;
and the bars thereof; which kept the boards tight and close, see
Ex 26:26;
and the pillars thereof; the pillars on which the vail was hung, that divided between the holy and most holy place, and, on which the hanging was put for the door of the vail, Ex 26:32;
and the sockets thereof; in which both the boards and pillars were put,
Ex 26:19.
Numbers 3:37
Ver. 37. And the pillars of the court round about,.... Of the great court which went round the tabernacle, on which pillars the hangings were hung:
and their sockets; into which the, pillars were put; of both which see
Ex 27:9;
and their pins, and their cords, the pins were fixed in the ground, and the cords fastened the hangings of the court to them, whereby they were kept tight and unmoved by the winds; see Ex 27:19.
Numbers 3:38
Ver. 38. And those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east,.... At which was the entrance into the tabernacle:
[even] before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward; that is, before the court of the tabernacle, where the people assembled together:
[shall be] Moses, Aaron, and his sons; Moses the chief ruler, and Aaron the high priest, and his sons priests under him; these had the most honourable place of all, beings at the front of the tabernacle, between that and the camp of Judah. There is an extraordinary prick on the word Aaron, to show, as Jarchi says, that he was not in the number of Levites, though of the tribe of Levi, being high priest:
keeping the charge of the sanctuary, for the charge of the children of Israel; either in their room and stead, which otherwise they must have kept; or rather for their safety and security, keeping out all persons from entering into the sanctuary, who had no business there, that they died not, as it follows:
and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death; that is, whoever came nigh to enter into the holy place, and did, who was no priest, though an Israelite, and even a Levite, or into the most holy place, excepting the high priest, it was death unto him, either by the civil magistrate, or by the hand of heaven; so the Targum of Jonathan.
Numbers 3:39
Ver. 39. All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron,
numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families,.... Whence it appears, that Moses was not alone, but Aaron with him, in numbering the Levites, and that by the appointment of the Lord. The word "Aaron", in the Hebrew text, has a dot on every letter, for what reason it is not certain; the word itself is left out in the Samaritan and Syriac versions:
all the males, from a month old and upward, [were] twenty and two thousand; 22,000 men; but by putting the sums together they amount to three hundred more; for of the Gershonites there were 7,500, and of the Kohathites 8,600, and of the Merarites 6,200, in all 22,300; which difficulty some endeavour to remove by saying, as Aben Ezra observes, that the Scripture takes a short way, mentioning the thousands, and leaving out the hundreds but this, he says, is not right, nor is it the way of the Scripture in this chapter: and in an after account of the firstborn of the Israelites, not only the hundreds are mentioned, but the broken number of seventy three. Others think there is a corruption crept into the text somewhere in the particular numbers, through the inadvertency of some copyist; and suppose it to be in the number of the Kohathites, where they fancy vv, six, is put instead of vlv, three: but there is no occasion to suppose either of these, for which there is no foundation, since the reason why three hundred are left out in the sum total may be, because there were so many firstborn among the Levites, and these could not be exchanged for the firstborn of the other tribes; they, as such, being the Lord's, and one firstborn could not redeem another; and so it is said in the Talmud {t}, these three hundred were firstborn, and there is no firstborn redeems a firstborn, or frees from the redemption price of five shekels.
{t} T. Bab. Becoroth, fol. 5. 1.
Numbers 3:40
Ver. 40. And the Lord said unto Moses,.... After he had taken the number of the Levites:
number all the firstborn of the children of Israel, from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names; that they might be compared with the number of the Levites, and the difference between them observed.
Numbers 3:41
Ver. 41. And thou shall take the Levites for me,.... For his service, to minister to his priests, and serve in his tabernacle:
I [am] the Lord; who has a right to all, and can claim who he pleases for himself in a special manner, and therefore could and did take the Levites to himself:
instead of the firstborn among the children of Israel; these he had taken to him before, and ordered to be sanctified unto him, and for whom a redemption price was paid to his priests for the support of them, and the tabernacle service, and now it was his will to make an exchange of these for the Levites:
and the cattle of the Levites, instead of all the firstling among the cattle of the children of Israel: every firstling of clean cattle was the Lord's, and given to his priests, and the firstlings of unclean cattle were redeemed with a lamb, and which were given to the same; and now instead of these he requires the cattle of the Levites; not that they should be deprived of their use of them, or that they should be taken and sacrificed, but that they should be with them devoted to him, and they should possess them in his right.
Numbers 3:42
Ver. 42. And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him,.... No doubt assisted by others, though not mentioned:
all the firstborn among the children of Israel; which some think were only those that were born since they came out of Egypt, as Bonfrerius, Bishop Patrick, and others.
Numbers 3:43
Ver. 43. And all the firstborn males,.... For such only were ordered to be numbered, and not firstborn females:
by the number of names; which were particularly taken:
from a month old and upward; for before that time they were not sanctified to the Lord, nor subject to the redemption price:
of those that were numbered of them [were] twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen; 22,273 men; so that there were two hundred seventy three more than the Levites, Nu 3:39.
Numbers 3:44
Ver. 44. And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... After the number was taken, and gave him directions what to do upon it:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 3:45
Ver. 45. Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel,.... The Lord had declared before that he had taken them, and now he bids Moses take them, who had numbered them, and give them to Aaron, instead of the firstborn, whose numbers were also taken for this purpose:
and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; but not to be given to Aaron and his sons, or to the priests for their use, but to remain with the Levites for their use, who were now separated from the other tribes, and taken into the service of God; and as they were dedicated to God, so their cattle likewise for their support as his ministers:
and the Levites shall be mine; in a special manner his, being devoted to his service:
I [am] the Lord; who had a right to do this, and expected to be obeyed in it.
Numbers 3:46
Ver. 46. And for those that are to be redeemed, &c. With money, there being not Levites enough to answer to them, and exchange for them:
of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; for the sum total of the Levites, as given, was but 22,000, Nu 3:39, whereas the sum total of the firstborn of Israel were 22,273, Nu 3:43, so that there were, two hundred seventy three more of the latter than of the former; and what was to be done with these next follows.
Numbers 3:47
Ver. 47. Thou shall even take five shekels apiece the poll,.... Or head; every firstborn, or his parent for him, was bound to pay five shekels, which were about eleven or twelve shillings of our money, and which was afterwards settled as the price of such a redemption,
Nu 18:16;
after the shekel of the sanctuary shall thou take [them]; being full weight according to the standard there kept:
the shekel [is] twenty gerahs; See Gill on "Le 27:25".
Numbers 3:48
Ver. 48. And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed,.... Or the superfluous number, the number of them that exceeded the Levites, namely, two hundred seventy three; the price of their redemption is ordered to be given
unto Aaron, and to his sons; since the Levites were taken in lieu of the firstborn, whose redemption money belonged to the priests; and seeing the Levites were given to Aaron and his sons on that consideration, and there being a deficiency of them to answer to the firstborn, it was but right and just that the redemption price of the superfluous number should be paid to them.
Numbers 3:49
Ver. 49. And Moses took the redemption money,.... Of five shekels per head:
of them that were over and above redeemed by the Levites; or were more than those redeemed by them. A Levite redeemed a firstborn, or freed him from the redemption price, being taken in lieu of him: 22,000 Levites were answerable to 22,000 firstborn of Israel; but as there were no more Levites than the above number, there remained two hundred seventy three firstborn to be redeemed by money, and it was the redemption money of these Moses took.
Numbers 3:50
Ver. 50. Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money,.... Or "for the firstborn", as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, and so the Hebrew particle tam is sometimes used {u}; for children of a month old or little more could not pay the money, but their parents for them, which was paid by them, and Moses received it for the superfluous number of two hundred seventy three; but it is a matter of doubt of whom this was exacted, and by whom paid, and who could be reckoned as this superfluous number, unless they were the last two hundred seventy three that were numbered: some have thought this was paid out of the public stock, which was a ready way of doing it, but whether reasonable is not so manifest, since these firstborn were the properties of particular persons; the more commonly received method of doing it with the Jewish writers was, according to Jarchi and Abarbinel, and so in the Talmud {w} by lot; the former of which describes the manner of doing it thus, 22,000 pieces (of paper or parchment) were brought, and on them written, "a son of Levi", or "a Levite", and two hundred seventy three other pieces, and on them were written, "five shekels"; these were mixed together and put into an urn or box, and then they were bid to come and take out the pieces, and according as the lot was, they were allowed as redeemed by the Levites, or paid the redemption money: and as this was a method much in use with the Hebrews, it is not improbable:
a thousand three hundred and threescore and five [shekels], after the shekel of the sanctuary; 1,365 shekels, which is exactly the number of shekels that two hundred seventy three should pay, reckoning five shekels per head; which Jarchi counts thus, for two hundred firstborn, a thousand shekels; for seventy firstborn, three hundred fifty; and for three firstborn fifteen, shekels, which in all amounted to about an hundred seventy pounds of our money.
{u} Vid. Nold. Partic. Ebr. Concord. p. 579. {w} T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 17. 1.
Numbers 3:51
Ver. 51. And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed,.... That were redeemed this way, and not by Levites, as in Nu 3:49, but by money, paying five shekels a head:
unto Aaron and his sons; to whom the Levites were given; and this money, as a recompence for the deficiency of the number of them, to answer to the firstborn exchanged for them:
according to the word of the Lord; Nu 3:48;
as the Lord commanded Moses; so did he, being a faithful servant in all things in the house of God; he did not convert it to his own use, or to any other use than to what God had appointed it.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Numbers 4:1
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 4
This chapter relates an order to number the Levites fit for business, and gives an account of the time and age when they should enter into service, and how long they should continue therein, Nu 4:1; what their particular service should be; and first of the Kohathites, Nu 4:4; next of the Gershonites, Nu 4:21; and then of the Merarites, Nu 4:29; after which Moses and Aaron, with the chief of the congregation, numbered each of them, even as many as were at the age fit for service, as the Kohathites, Nu 4:34; the Gershonites, Nu 4:38; the Merarites, Nu 4:42; the sum total of which is given, Nu 4:46.
Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron,.... After they had taken the number of the Levites, and made an exchange of the firstborn of Israel for them; and now they are ordered to number them a second time, and take out from them such as were fit for service:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 4:2
Ver. 2. Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi,.... They were to begin with them first, and number them:
after their families, by the house of their fathers; as many as were of the age after mentioned; and the reason why they began with Kohath, and not Gershon, the eldest son, as in the former numbering, was; not as Aben Ezra suggests, because of Moses and Aaron, who sprung from him, for that, if it had any strength in it, would have held good before; but rather, as Chaskuni and others, because the Kohathites carried the ark and other holy things; though the true reason seems to be, because of the order observed in taking down the tabernacle, and removing the parts of it, and the things in it; and it was most proper and reasonable, when they were about to take it down, first to take out the ark, table, &c. which was the business of the Kohathites to carry; next to take down the curtains, coverings, and hangings for the tabernacle and court, and the doors thereof, which were the charge of the Merarites; wherefore, in this order the sum out of each of them fit for business were ordered to be numbered.
Numbers 4:3
Ver. 3. From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old,.... This is the full time of the Levites service, and the prime season of man's life for business; at thirty years of age he is at his full strength, and when fifty it begins to decline: it is said in the Misnah {x},
"a son of thirty years for strength,''
upon which one of the commentators {y} makes this remark, that the Levites set up the tabernacle and took it down, and loaded the wagons, and carried on their shoulders from thirty years and upwards: thus both John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and Christ himself, entered into their ministry at this age:
all that enter into the host; army or warfare; for though the Levites were exempted from going forth to war, yet their service was a sort of warfare; they were a camp of themselves about the tabernacle, and part of their work was to watch and guard it, that it was neither defiled nor robbed; in allusion to this, the ministry of the word is called a warfare, and ministers of the Gospel good soldiers of Christ, and their doctrines weapons of warfare, 1Ti 1:18; some interpret this of the troop, company, or congregation of the Levites, which a man of thirty years of age was admitted into for business:
to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation; not in the sanctuary, either in the holy place or in the most holy place, where they were never allowed to enter, or do any business in, such as sacrificing, burning incense, &c. but in that part of it which was called "the tabernacle of the congregation", or where the people assembled on occasion, and that was the court, which was so called, as Jarchi observes on Ex 29:32.
{x} Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 21. {y} Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 21.
Numbers 4:4
Ver. 4. This [shall be] the service of the sons of Kohath, in the tabernacle of the congregation,.... What follows, Nu 4:4;
[about] the most holy things; which Aben Ezra interprets only of the ark, which was indeed a most holy thing, and stood in the most holy place; but there were other holy things, in the care of which the service of the Kohathites lay; as the shewbread table, the candlestick, and the altars of incense and burnt offering, and the vail, and the ministering: vessels, which Jarchi reckons with it, as more holy than all other things.
Numbers 4:5
Ver. 5. And when the camp setteth forward,.... Upon the cloud's removing and the trumpets blowing:
Aaron shall come, and his sons; into the holy place:
and they shall take down the covering vail: the vail that divided between the holy and the most holy place, which covered all in the holy of holies out of sight:
and cover the ark of testimony with it; together with the mercy seat and cherubim on it, that they might not be seen nor touched by the Levites when they carried them. Now though the high priest himself might not go into the most holy place but once a year, on the day of atonement, yet on this occasion, when the tabernacle was to be taken down, and the things in it to be removed, both he and his sons might enter without danger; since, as Bishop Patrick observes, the divine Majesty was gone from thence in the cloud which gave the signal for the motion of the camp, and the taking down of the tabernacle.
Numbers 4:6
Ver. 6. And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins,.... Not that which covered the tabernacle, for that was committed to the Gershonites, Nu 4:25; but a covering made of these on purpose for the present use, to preserve the ark from rain and dust; and this covering was put not immediately upon the ark, but upon the other coverings that were over the ark, and so preserved the vail as well as the ark:
and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue; it is a matter of question, whether this was over the covering of badgers' skins also; if over the latter, as one would think it should be, by the order of the text, how could that be a shelter from the rain and dust, which seems to be the use of it, and therefore should be the outermost, as one of the same kind was the outermost covering of the tabernacle? Aben Ezra observes, there were some that say it was over the covering of badger's skin, but it is right in mine eyes, says he, that it was spread over the covering vail; if indeed it was for the sake of honour and dignity, the first is right, but the badger's skin was on account of rain and dust:
and shall put in the staves thereof: having been removed while the ark was covering, as Aben Ezra observes, or otherwise they always remained in their rings, and were never taken out, Ex 25:14; but on this occasion they might, and then be put in again for the carrying of the ark, which was the use of them; though he also remarks, that there are some that say the sense is, they put the staves on the shoulders of them that carried it, which is not a despicable sense; unless rather it is to be understood of putting the staves through holes made in the coverings of the ark, and disposing and fitting them in them, for the better carriage of it.
Numbers 4:7
Ver. 7. And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue,.... That that also might not be seen nor touched by the Levites:
and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the covers to cover withal: all which belonged to the shewbread table; the use of which, See Gill on "Ex 25:29"; these seem to be put not immediately upon the table, but upon the blue cloth spread over the table:
and the continual bread shall be thereon: the shewbread is called "continual", because it was always on the table; for while the one was removing by a set of priests, which had stood a week, new loaves were placed by another set of priests: this bread seems at this time to be placed also upon the table, spread with the blue cloth; and from hence it appears, that the Israelites had the shewbread in the wilderness; for the making of which they might be supplied with corn from the neighbouring countries, though they themselves needed not any, being daily fed with manna.
Numbers 4:8
Ver. 8. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet,.... Upon the dishes and other vessels belonging to the shewbread table, and on the shewbread itself:
and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins; this was clearly the outward covering, and seems to confirm the observation made in Nu 4:6; that the same sort of covering was the outermost covering of the ark:
and shall put in the staves thereof; which belonged to the table, and were made to carry it with on occasion, from place to place; see
Ex 25:27; and the same phrase being used as here of the staves of the ark in Nu 4:6; seems to confirm the sense of them there, that they were taken out and put in upon this occasion, though otherwise fixed.
Numbers 4:9
Ver. 9. And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps,.... Which had lamps in it, and were continually lighted, and gave light in the holy place:
and his tongs, and his snuff dishes, and all the oil vessels thereof,
wherewith they minister unto it; by supplying the lamps with oil, and snuffing and trimming them.
Numbers 4:10
Ver. 10. And they shall put it, and all the vessels thereof, within a covering of badgers' skins,.... Which here also was the outermost covering; the ark and the shewbread table had three coverings, but the candlestick only two, they being more sacred than that, especially the ark:
and shall put [it] upon a bar; the word "mot" perhaps signifies a kind of mat or mattress, on which the candlestick and its vessels, bundled together in the covering of the badgers' skins, were laid and carried between men on staves; and so the Septuagint render the word "staves"; as does the Targum of Onkelos.
Numbers 4:11
Ver. 11. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue,.... The altar of incense, which was overlaid with gold, and therefore called a golden one, to which the allusion is in Re 8:3;
and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins; after the cloth of blue was spread upon it:
and shall put to the staves thereof; into the rings, both made to bear and carry it, upon occasion, from place to place.
Numbers 4:12
Ver. 12. And they shall take all the instruments of ministry,
wherewith they minister in the sanctuary,.... The garments in which the priests, ministered in the sanctuary, which were laid up in proper places, and which they only wore when in service:
and put [them] in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins; all wrapped up in one bundle:
and shall put [them] on a bar; the same sort of carriage on which the candlestick and its vessels were borne, See Gill on "Nu 4:10".
Numbers 4:13
Ver. 13. And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon. Having cleared the holy of holies, and the holy place, they were to come forth from thence into the court of the tabernacle, where stood the altar of burnt offering, which is here meant, and on which sacrifices being daily burnt, there were always ashes to be removed; and which at this time was highly necessary to be done, when the tabernacle was taken down, and all belonging to it to be carried away; and though no mention is made of the fire, which was always burning on it, it was doubtless preserved, and care was taken for the carrying it along with the altar, or in a separate vessel from it. Bishop Patrick supposes it might be carried upon the grate.
Numbers 4:14
Ver. 14. And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof,.... Upon the altar covered with a blue cloth; on that were to be put everything belonging to the altar:
wherewith they minister about it; the priests, when they offered sacrifice on it:
[even] the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basins,
all the vessels of the altar; of which see Ex 27:3;
and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins: to prevent the rains falling upon them, which being all of brass, would be apt to tarnish:
and put to the staves of it; which were made to bear and carry it on such an occasion as this, Ex 27:6. No mention is made of the laver, though there is both in the Septuagint and Samaritan versions, which add,
"and they shall take a purple cloth and cover the layer, and its base, and shall put it into a covering of skin of a blue colour, and put it upon bearers:''
but perhaps the reason why this is not mentioned is, because it was carried uncovered; the mystery of which, Ainsworth conjectures, was this, that it might be a lively representation of the grace of God in Christ, continuing and opened as an ever springing fountain, where always God's elect, having faith in him, may wash and purge themselves in the blood of Christ unto forgiveness of sin sanctification of the Spirit, and salvation; see Zec 13:1.
Numbers 4:15
Ver. 15. And when Aaron and his sons had made an end of covering the sanctuary,.... Not the holy place, nor the most holy place, for these were not covered by them; but "the holy things" in them, as the Septuagint version, the ark, shewbread table, &c. and all "the vessels of the sanctuary"; all appertaining to those holy things, which are before mentioned. Jarchi interprets the "sanctuary", or the "holiness", of the ark and altar,
and all the vessels of the sanctuary; of the candlestick and the instruments of ministry:
as the camp is to set forward; which made the covering of them necessary, in order to their being carried as that moved:
after that the sons of Kohath shall come to bear [it]; or rather them, all the holy things, and their vessels, and that upon their shoulders:
but they shall not touch [any] holy thing; even in bearing them, neither the ark nor any other, only the staves and bar, on which they were carried: lest they die; by the immediate hand of God:
these [things are] the burden of the sons of Kohath, in the tabernacle of the congregation; the above things, the ark, &c. which they were to bear on their shoulders, and not make use of wagons to carry them.
Numbers 4:16
Ver. 16. And to the office of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
[pertaineth] the oil for the light,.... The following things, to bear them, according to some Jewish writers; but rather it was to give the oil for the light, that is, the vessels, and so the vessels of the oil to the sons of the Kohathites; agreeably to which are the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, who paraphrase the words,
"and that which was delivered to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil for the light, &c.''
And indeed the words, as they are in the Hebrew text, may be rendered,
"and the oversight of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be, or "let it be", the oil for the light, &c. {z};''
the same word being so rendered in a latter clause of this same text: he had the inspection of these, and on him lay to see to it, that these were carried by the Kohathites, the oil for the light of the lamps in the candlestick; of which see Ex 27:20;
and the sweet incense: to burn on the altar of incense,
Ex 30:34;
and the daily meat offering; offered with the lambs morning and evening, Ex 29:40;
and the anointing oil; with which Aaron and his sons were anointed, the tabernacle and all its vessels, Ex 30:23;
[and] the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is,
in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof: the former, the oil for the light, &c. were his immediate oversight and care; but the oversight of these by his brother Ithamar, according to the Jewish writers.
{z} So Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator.
Numbers 4:17
Ver. 17. And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron,.... And gave them a very solemn and awful charge about this affair of the Kohathites, it being a very hazardous one they were employed in:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 4:18
Ver. 18. Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites. Or give no occasion, as the Targum of Jonathan; or be not the cause of their cutting off, as Jarchi, through negligence or inadvertency of theirs, in packing up the above things, and delivering them to them.
Numbers 4:19
Ver. 19. But thus do unto them,.... As after directed:
that they may live and not die; live long, and not die a sudden and violent death:
when they approach unto the most holy things; the ark, the shewbread table, &c. to take them up and carry them:
Aaron and his sons shall go in; into the holy and most holy places:
and appoint them in everyone to his service, and to his burden; what everyone shall do, and how they shall take them up, and bear them.
Numbers 4:20
Ver. 20. But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered,.... They were not to be present while they were packing up, test they should see any of them with their eyes; they were not to go in until they were quite covered out of sight; which may signify the hiding of the mysteries of grace in those things under the former dispensation, when even the Levites themselves were not admitted to a sight of them; see Eph 3:4;
lest they die; by the immediate hand of God.
Numbers 4:21
Ver. 21. And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Though Aaron is not mentioned here, he was concerned in taking the sum of the Gershonites, as well as of the Kohathites, as appears from Nu 4:41;
saying; as follows.
Numbers 4:22
Ver. 22. Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon,.... As well as of the sons of Kohath; for though Gershon was Levi's eldest son, yet his posterity were not excused from the service of the tabernacle, and bearing things of it in journeying:
throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; all in their several houses, and in the several families in those houses, that were of the age next mentioned, were to be numbered.
Numbers 4:23
Ver. 23. From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old,
shalt thou number them,.... Take an account how many there are of that age, and so fit for service {a}; See Gill on "Nu 4:3";
to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation; as the rest of the Levites; see Nu 4:3;
{a} abu abul "ad militandum militiam", Montanus, Drusius.
Numbers 4:24
Ver. 24. This [is] the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens. The former of these phrases Aben Ezra interprets of setting up the tabernacle, making the bread (the shewbread), slaying (the sacrifices), and keeping, that is, watching and guarding, the tabernacle; and the latter of what they did when journeying, bearing and carrying the things assigned to them, afterwards mentioned.
Numbers 4:25
Ver. 25. And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle,.... The ten curtains of fine linen, Ex 26:1;
and the tabernacle of the congregation; the curtains of goats' hair made for a tent over it, as Jarchi, see Ex 26:7;
his covering the covering of rams skins dyed red, Ex 26:14;
and the covering of the badgers' skins that [is] above upon it; over all the rest:
and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; the eastern vail, as Jarchi calls it, which was for the door of the tent that led into the tabernacle, the holy place, Ex 26:36.
Numbers 4:26
Ver. 26. And the hangings of the court,.... Which made the great court that surrounded the tabernacle, Ex 27:9;
and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court; the eastern gate that led into the court, an hanging of twenty cubits, Ex 27:16;
which [is] by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about; that is, which hangings that formed the court, and were round about the tabernacle, and the altar of burnt offering; See Gill on "Ex 26:36";
and their cords; which fastened the hangings to pins or stakes fixed in the ground to keep them tight, that they might not be moved to and fro with the wind:
and all the instruments of their service; in the court, as the tables on which the sacrifices were laid, and the hooks, and cords, and pins, on which they were hung and fastened, as Aben Ezra; see Eze 40:39;
and all that is made for them; for the vessels of service, or for the tabernacle, or the altar, as the same writer intimates:
so shall they serve; by bearing them and carrying them.
Numbers 4:27
Ver. 27. At the appointment of Aaron and his sons,.... As they shall order and direct:
shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites; everyone of them was to take their share, as Aaron and his sons should appoint them:
in all their burdens, and in all their service; what each of them should carry, and in what they should perform duty:
and ye shall appoint to them in charge all their burdens; charge them carefully to keep all that were committed to them to bear, that none be lost, not a pin nor a cord.
Numbers 4:28
Ver. 28. This [is] the service of the families of the sons of Gershon,.... Which they should execute when the camp and tabernacle were in motion:
in the tabernacle of the congregation in the court; where they should take up their burdens, or which lie in things respecting the tabernacle; this was the part they were to be employed in, namely, in taking care of the hangings of the tabernacle, &c.
and their charge [shall be] under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest; the things committed to their care were delivered by him to them, and they were under his inspection and direction.
Numbers 4:29
Ver. 29. As for the sons of Merari,.... The third and youngest son of Levi:
thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; which is the form of expression used of them all;
See Gill on "Nu 4:2".
Numbers 4:30
Ver. 30. From thirty years old and upward,.... The Septuagint version here, and in Nu 4:3, renders it, from twenty five years old and upward, agreeable to Nu 8:24, at the which age the Levites went into the tabernacle, to wait and to learn their business, but they did not enter upon it till thirty;
even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them; at which age they were discharged from business:
everyone that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation; See Gill on "Nu 4:3".
Numbers 4:31
Ver. 31. And this [is] the charge of their burden,.... What should be committed to their care and charge, and they should bear and carry:
according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; which was assigned to them as their part, and which was very heavy and cumbersome, and therefore they had wagons allowed them, Nu 7:8;
the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof; all these belonged to the holy and to the most holy place; see Ex 26:15.
Numbers 4:32
Ver. 32. And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets,
and their pins, and their cords,.... These belonged to the court of the tabernacle; the pillars were what the hangings were hung upon, and the sockets, into which the pillars were set, and the and cords, with which the hangings were fastened; see Ex 27:9;
with all their instruments, and with all their service; whatever else were used in, and served for the support of this part of the tabernacle:
and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden; everything, even the least that were committed to their charge, and they were to bear and carry, either they themselves, or in wagons, were to be mentioned by name; and not only every board, pillar, and socket, were to be told out to them, and particularly named, how many they were, to what they belonged, from whence they were taken, and where to be replaced; but every pin, and cord, and the use of them, that so when they came to set up the tabernacle again, there might be nothing wanting in its place to secure it, and make it as firm as at first: such particular notice and care does God take of all his people, and Christ of all committed to him, and so should ministers of the word of all that are their charge, who must one day give an account to God,
Heb 13:17.
Numbers 4:33
Ver. 33. This [is] the service of the families of the sons of Merari,.... The Mahlites and Mushites, namely, the service before observed, the particulars of which are given:
according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; agreeably to what was allotted to them in that part of the tabernacle they were concerned in:
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest; who had the oversight of these as well as of the Gershonites, as Eleazar had of the Kohathites; though as Eleazar was the chief of the tribe of Levi, it is thought that Ithamar acted under him, Nu 3:32.
Numbers 4:34
Ver. 34. And Moses and Aaron, and the chief of the congregation,
numbered the sons of the Kohathites,.... Perhaps these chiefs were the same with those who were concerned with Moses and Aaron in numbering all the tribes whose names were given, Nu 1:5; the Kohathites are begun with, according to the divine direction, and then the Gershonites and Merarites in their order; and in Nu 4:34 is only an account of the numbering of each of them, as ordered by the Lord, and this account is expressed in the same terms in them all; there remains nothing to be observed but the particular sums of each of them, the number of the Kohathites from thirty years old even to fifty, men able and fit for business, were 2750, Nu 4:36; whereas their number from a month old were 8600, Nu 3:28; so that not a third part of them were at an age for service: the number of the Gershonites were 2630, Nu 4:40; whose number of males in all were 7500, Nu 3:22; so that they were rather more than a third part who were able-bodied then and fit for business; and the number of the Merarites were 3200, Nu 4:44; and as the number of males of a month old and upwards were 6200, Nu 3:34; there were more than half of them able and fit men for service; in which, as Ainsworth observes, may be seen the wisdom of divine Providence, that whereas the service of the Kohathites and Gershonites were the lightest, and what was committed to them the easiest of carriage, they had the fewer hands of able men to be employed, though their numbers of individuals were the greatest; and the Merarites, who had the smallest number of males, yet having the heaviest work to do in carrying burdens, loading and unloading wagons, were superior to the rest in their number of able bodied men; and thus God makes good his promise, that as the day of his people is, their strength shall be; whatever work and service God calls men to, he will fit them for it: the sum total of the Levites, in the several divisions of them, who were between: thirty and fifty years of age, in which they performed their office, was 8580, Nu 4:48; a small number, as the above writer observes, of such as warred the spiritual warfare in the sanctuary of God, when the tribe of Judah afforded 74,600 for the outward warfare.
after their families, and after the house of their fathers;
See Gill on "Nu 4:2".
Numbers 4:35
Ver. 35. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:36
Ver. 36. And those that were numbered of them by their families,....
See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:37
Ver. 37. These [were] they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:38
Ver. 38. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon,....
See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:39
Ver. 39. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:40
Ver. 40. Even those that were numbered of them,....
See Gill on "Nu 4:34";
Numbers 4:41
Ver. 41. These [are] they that were numbered of the families,....
See Gill on "Nu 4:34";
Numbers 4:42
Ver. 42. And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34";
Numbers 4:43
Ver. 43. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:44
Ver. 44. Even those that were numbered of them after their families,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:45
Ver. 45. These [be] those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34";
Numbers 4:46
Ver. 46. All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered,.... See Gill on "Nu 3:34".
Numbers 4:47
Ver. 47. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:48
Ver. 48. Even those that were numbered of them,....
See Gill on "Nu 4:34".
Numbers 4:49
Ver. 49. According to the commandment of the Lord, they were numbered by the hand of Moses,.... Aaron and the chief of the congregation of Israel assisting it:
everyone according to his service; called in Nu 4:47 "the service of the ministry", or "service of service", which Jarchi interprets of that part of the service of the Levites, which lay in singing the song with cymbals and harps; which, he says, was a service to another service; though it seems to be better explained, by Chaskuni, of their taking down and setting up of the tabernacle, which was a service incumbent on all the Levites:
and according to his burden: called "the service of the burden", Nu 4:47; which the last mentioned writer restrains to the ark, table, candlestick, and altars, which the Kohathites carried on their shoulders; but may be extended to what each of them bore and carried when journeying:
thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses; from thirty years old to fifty, as Jarchi observes; for that was the order given to Moses by the Lord, which he punctually attended to, as a faithful servant in the house of God.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.