Numbers Chapter 3
1 Now this is the history of the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spoke with Moses in Mount Sinai.
2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests who were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
4 Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the presence of Aaron their father.
5 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
6 "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.
7 They shall keep his requirements, and the requirements of the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.
8 They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
9 You shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons. They are wholly given to him on the behalf of the children of Israel.
10 You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood, but the stranger who comes near shall be put to death."
11 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
12 "Behold, I have taken the Levites from amongst the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn who open the womb amongst the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine,
13 for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I made holy to me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and animal. They shall be mine. I am the LORD."
14 The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15 "Count the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families. You shall count every male from a month old and upward."
16 Moses counted them according to the LORD's word, as he was commanded.
17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
18 These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.
19 The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20 The sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.
21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimeites. These are the families of the Gershonites.
22 Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, even those who were counted of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
23 The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.
24 Eliasaph the son of Lael shall be the prince of the fathers' house of the Gershonites.
25 The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,
26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, and its cords for all of its service.
27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites.
28 According to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand and six hundred keeping the requirements of the sanctuary.
29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the south side of the tabernacle.
30 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
31 Their duty shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, the screen, and all its service.
32 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the requirements of the sanctuary.
33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites. These are the families of Merari.
34 Those who were counted of them, according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
35 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.
36 The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,
37 the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.
38 Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting towards the sunrise, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the requirements of the sanctuary for the duty of the children of Israel. The outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
39 All who were counted of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the commandment of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.
40 The LORD said to Moses, "Count all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41 You shall take the Levites for me-I am the LORD-instead of all the firstborn amongst the children of Israel; and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn amongst the livestock of the children of Israel."
42 Moses counted, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn amongst the children of Israel.
43 All the firstborn males according to the number of names from a month old and upward, of those who were counted of them, were twenty-two thousand and two hundred and seventy-three.
44 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
45 "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn amongst the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD.
46 For the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel who exceed the number of the Levites,
47 you shall take five shekels apiece for each one; according to the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs);
48 and you shall give the money, with which their remainder is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons."
49 Moses took the redemption money from those who exceeded the number of those who were redeemed by the Levites;
50 from the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand and three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary;
51 and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and to his sons, according to the LORD's word, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Footnotes
- Verse 12 (Behold)
- "Behold" means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
- Verses 22, 28, 34
- 22,000 is the sum rounded to 2 significant digits. The sum of the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites given above is 22,300, but the traditional Hebrew text has the number rounded to 2 significant digits, not 3 significant digits.
- Verse 47 (Shekel)
- A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces.
- Verse 47 (Gerah)
- A gerah is about 0.5 grams or about 7.7 grains.
- Verse 50 (Shekel)
- A shekel is about 10 grams or about 0.35 ounces, so 1365 shekels is about 13.65 kilograms or about 30 pounds.
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Numbers Chapter 3 Guide
The account of the arrangements for the service of the Levites is fully and carefully given in this and the following chapter. In the rites are certain matters of principle which are of permanent value. First there is the fact of the separation of this tribe by divine arrangement to the sacred service of the sanctuary. It must ever be borne in mind that the Levites occupied that position in a representative capacity. The original provision was that the first-born in every family should be set apart to the work of priesthood. In all probability for the sake of cohesion and order this tribe was now appointed to represent the first-born. This they did, man for man, their number at this period being twenty-two thousand. When the census of the first-born was taken, it was found that there were 273 more first-born than Levites. These unrepresented first-born were commanded to pay a redemption price devoted to the service of the sanctuary. All these arrangements solemnly emphasized for the people the supreme importance of worship and at the same time revealed to them the orderliness of Jehovah. It is of interest to remember that while Our Lord after the flesh was not of the tribe of Levi, He was the Firstborn and so, according to the original provision, a Priest.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Numbers Chapter 3 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The sons of Aaron, The Levites taken instead of the first-born. -- (1-13)
- The Levites numbered by their families, Their duties. -- (14-39)
- The first-born are numbered. -- (40-51)
Verses 1-13
There was much work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites to attend them. Those whom God finds work for, he will find help for. The Levites were taken instead of the first-born. When He that made us, saves us, as the first-born of Israel were saved, we are laid under further obligations to serve him faithfully. God's right to us by redemption, confirms the right he has to us by creation.
Verses 14-39
The Levites were in three classes, according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and these were subdivided into families. The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites; thus it was plain, that Moses did not seek the advancement of his own family, or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God's chosen are but a little flock in comparison with the world.
Verses 40-51
The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, came near to each other. Known unto God are all his works beforehand; there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear, when they are compared together. The small number of first-born, over and above the number of the Levites, were to be redeemed, and the redemption-money given to Aaron. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as they were, with silver and gold; but, being devoted by sin to the justice of God, is ransomed with the precious blood of the Son of God. All men are the Lord's by creation, and all true christians are his by redemption. Each should know his own post and duty; nor can any service required by such a Master be rightly accounted mean or hard.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.