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Numbers Chapter
Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
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
Numbers 3:1; and
then of the Levites
as given unto them
to wait upon them
and assist them
Numbers 3:5; and
these were taken instead of the firstborn
Numbers 3:11; and
ordered to be numbered
which was done accordingly by their families
Numbers 3:14; and
the sum of each is given
and the particular work assigned to them; of the
Gershonites
Numbers 3:21; of
the Kohathites
Numbers 3:27; of
the Merarites
Numbers 3:33; the
sum total of them is given
Numbers 3:39; then
the firstborn of the children of Israel
from a month old are ordered to be
numbered
and were
Numbers 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
Numbers 3:44; which
was accordingly done
Numbers 3:49.
Numbers 3:1 Now these are the records of Aaron and Moses when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.
YLT
1And these [are] births of
Aaron and Moses
in the day of Jehovah's speaking with Moses in mount Sinai.
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
Numbers 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 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron:
Nadab
the firstborn
and Abihu
Eleazar
and Ithamar.
YLT
2And these [are] the names
of the sons of Aaron: the first-born Nadab
and Abihu
Eleazar
and Ithamar;
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 1 Corinthians 4:15
Nadab the firstborn
and Abihu
Eleazar and Ithamar; as in Exodus 6:23.
Numbers 3:3 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron
the
anointed priests
whom he consecrated to minister as priests.
YLT
3these [are] the names of
the sons of Aaron
the anointed priests
whose hand he hath consecrated for
acting as priest.
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 Exodus 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 Exodus 29:15.
Numbers 3:4 4 Nadab and Abihu had died before the Lord when they offered profane fire before the Lord in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar
and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
YLT
4And Nadab dieth -- Abihu
also -- before Jehovah
in their bringing near strange fire before Jehovah
in
the wilderness of Sinai
and sons they had not; and Eleazar -- Ithamar also --
acteth as priest in the presence of Aaron their father.
And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord
....
By
flaming fire
as the Targum of Jonathan adds
see Leviticus 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 Numbers 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 writersF14Torat Cohanim apud Ceseph Misnah in Maimon.
Melachim
c. 1. sect. 7. Chaskuniin in loc. 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"F15Which is approved by Noldius
p. 731. ; but a Jewish writerF16Chaskuni. 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.
Numbers 3:5 5 And the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT
5And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
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 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near
and present them before
Aaron the priest
that they may serve him.
YLT
6`Bring near the tribe of
Levi
and thou hast caused it to stand before Aaron the priest
and they have
served him
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 Numbers 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 7 And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the
whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting
to do the work of the
tabernacle.
YLT
7and kept his charge
and
the charge of all the company before the tent of meeting
to do the service of
the tabernacle;
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 1 Chronicles 9:14.
Numbers 3:8 8 Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the
tabernacle of meeting
and to the needs of the children of Israel
to do the
work of the tabernacle.
YLT
8and they have kept all the
vessels of the tent of meeting
and the charge of the sons of Israel
to do the
service of the tabernacle;
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 Numbers 3:25
and the charge of the children of Israel
to do the service of the
tabernacle; See Gill on Numbers 3:7.
Numbers 3:9 9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons;
they are given entirely to him[a] from among
the children of Israel.
YLT
9and thou hast given the
Levites to Aaron and to his sons; they are surely given to him out of the sons
of Israel.
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"F17נתונים נתונים "dati
dati"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Drusius. ; 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.
Numbers 3:10 10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons
and they
shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put
to death.”
YLT
10`And Aaron and his sons
thou dost appoint
and they have kept their priesthood
and the stranger who
cometh near is put to death.'
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
Acts 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 11 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT
11And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
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 12 “Now behold
I Myself have taken the Levites from
among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb
among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine
YLT
12`And I
lo
I have taken
the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born
opening a womb among the sons of Israel
and the Levites have been Mine;
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 priestsF18Vid.
Outram. de Sacrificiis
l. 1. c. 4. sect. 1
2
3. :
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.
Numbers 3:13 13 because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day
that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt
I sanctified to Myself
all the firstborn in Israel
both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am
the Lord.”
YLT
13for Mine [is] every
first-born
in the day of My smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I
have sanctified to Myself every first-born in Israel
from man unto beast; Mine
they are; I [am] Jehovah.'
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
Exodus 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 14 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai
saying:
YLT
14And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses in the wilderness of Sinai
saying
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 15 “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses
by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.”
YLT
15`Number the sons of Levi by
the house of their fathers
by their families; every male from a son of a month
and upward thou dost number them.'
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 Numbers 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 16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord
as he was commanded.
YLT
16And Moses numbereth them
according to the command of Jehovah
as he hath been commanded.
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 Numbers 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
Numbers 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 17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon
Kohath
and Merari.
YLT
17And these are sons of Levi
by their names: Gershon
and Kohath
and Merari.
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
Genesis 46:11.
Numbers 3:18 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon
by their families: Libni and Shimei.
YLT
18And these [are] the names
of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.
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
Exodus 6:17; and
from hence were the families of the Libnites and Shimites
as in Numbers 3:21.
Numbers 3:19 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram
Izehar
Hebron
and Uzziel.
YLT
19And the sons of Kohath
by
their families
[are] Amram and Izhar
Hebron and Uzziel.
And the sons of Kohath
by their families
.... Who was
the second son of Levi:
Amram
and Izehar
Hebron
and Uzziel; so in Exodus 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
Numbers 3:27.
Numbers 3:20 20 And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and
Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.
YLT
20And the sons of Merari by
their families [are] Mahli and Mushi; these are the families of the Levites
by
the house of their fathers.
And the sons
of Merari
by their families
.... The third
son of Levi:
Mahli and Mushi; the same as in Exodus 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 21 From Gershon came the family of the Libnites
and the family of the Shimites; these were the families of the
Gershonites.
YLT
21Of Gershon [is] the family
of the Libnite
and the family of the Shimite; these are the families of the
Gershonite.
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 22 Those who were numbered
according to the number of
all the males from a month old and above—of those who were numbered there
were seven thousand five hundred.
YLT
22Their numbered ones
in
number
every male from a son of a month and upward
their numbered ones [are]
seven thousand and five hundred.
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 23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind
the tabernacle westward.
YLT
23The families of the
Gershonite
behind the tabernacle
do encamp westward.
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
Numbers 1:18.
Numbers 3:24 24 And the leader of the father’s house of the
Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.
YLT
24And the prince of a
father's house for the Gershonite [is] Eliasaph son of Lael.
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 25 The duties of the children of Gershon in the
tabernacle of meeting included the tabernacle
the tent with its
covering
the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting
YLT
25And the charge of the sons
of Gershon in the tent of meeting [is] the tabernacle
and the tent
its
covering
and the vail at the opening of the tent of meeting
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
Numbers 3:36; but
the curtains
as Aben Ezra
or the under curtains
as Jarchi calls them
which
were made of fine twined linen
Exodus 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 Exodus 26:7
the covering thereof: made of rams' skins
and
badgers' skins
which were thrown over the tent
Exodus 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
Numbers 3:31; but
the vail or hanging which was at the door of the tent
or which led into the
holy place
Exodus 26:36.
Numbers 3:26 26 the screen for the door of the court
the hangings of
the court which are around the tabernacle and the altar
and their
cords
according to all the work relating to them.
YLT
26and the hangings of the
court
and the vail at the opening of the court
which [is] by the tabernacle
and by the altar round about
and its cords
to all its service.
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; Exodus 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
Exodus 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 על
sometimes signifies "about"F19Vid. Nold. Partic. Ebr.
Concord. p. 992.
and the word סביב
"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
Exodus 38:18; the
cords of the court were in the charge of the Merarites
Numbers 3:37
for all the service thereof: for that part of the
tabernacle and court which the Gershonites had in their care and custody.
Numbers 3:27 27 From Kohath came the family of the Amramites
the family of the Izharites
the family of the Hebronites
and the family of
the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.
YLT
27And of Kohath [is] the
family of the Amramite
and the family of the Izharite
and the family of the
Hebronite
and the family of the Uzzielite; these are families of the
Kohathite.
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
Numbers 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
Numbers 3:19
these are the families of the Kohathites; which were as
many as both the other sons of Levi.
Numbers 3:28 28 According to the number of all the males
from a month
old and above
there were eight thousand six[b] hundred
keeping charge of the sanctuary.
YLT
28In number
all the males
from a son of a month and upward
[are] eight thousand and six hundred
keeping
the charge of the sanctuary.
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 29 The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on
the south side of the tabernacle.
YLT
29The families of the sons of
Kohath encamp by the side of the tabernacle southward.
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
Numbers 16:1.
Numbers 3:30 30 And the leader of the fathers’ house of the families
of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
YLT
30And the prince of a
father's house for the families of the Kohathite [is] Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
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
Leviticus 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 31 Their duty included the ark
the table
the
lampstand
the altars
the utensils of the sanctuary with which they
ministered
the screen
and all the work relating to them.
YLT
31And their charge [is] the
ark
and the table
and the candlestick
and the altars
and the vessels of the
sanctuary with which they serve
and the vail
and all its service.
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
Numbers 3:25
and all the service thereof; what belonged to the
things in this part of the tabernacle.
Numbers 3:32 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be
chief over the leaders of the Levites
with oversight of those who kept
charge of the sanctuary.
YLT
32And [to] the prince of the
princes of the Levites
Eleazar son of Aaron the priest
[is] the oversight of
the keepers of the charge of the sanctuary.
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 Numbers 4:32.
Numbers 3:33 33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and
the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari.
YLT
33Of Merari [is] the family
of the Mahlite
and the family of the Mushite; these [are] the families of
Merari.
Of Merari were the family of the Mahlites
and the family
of the Mushites
.... So called from his two sons Mahli and Mushi
Numbers 3:20
these are the families of Merari; the youngest
son of Levi
Numbers 3:17.
Numbers 3:34 34 And those who were numbered
according to the number
of all the males from a month old and above
were six thousand two hundred.
YLT
34And their numbered ones
in
number
all the males from a son of a month and upward
[are] six thousand and
two hundred.
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 35 The leader of the fathers’ house of the families of
Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. These were to camp on the
north side of the tabernacle.
YLT
35And the prince of a
father's house for the families of Merari [is] Zuriel son of Abihail; by the
side of the tabernacle they encamp northward.
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 Numbers 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 36 And the appointed duty of the children of Merari included
the boards of the tabernacle
its bars
its pillars
its sockets
its utensils
all the work relating to them
YLT
36And the oversight -- the
charge of the sons of Merari -- [is] the boards of the tabernacle
and its
bars
and its pillars
and its sockets
and all its vessels
and all its
service
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
Numbers 7:6
and the bars thereof; which kept the boards
tight and close
see Exodus 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
Exodus 26:32
and the sockets thereof; in which both the boards
and pillars were put
Exodus 26:19.
Numbers 3:37 37 and the pillars of the court all around
with their
sockets
their pegs
and their cords.
YLT
37and the pillars of the
court round about
and their sockets
and their pins
and their cords.
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 Exodus 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 Exodus 27:19.
Numbers 3:38 38 Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle
on the east
before the tabernacle of meeting
were Moses
Aaron
and
his sons
keeping charge of the sanctuary
to meet the needs of the children of
Israel; but the outsider who came near was to be put to death.
YLT
38And those encamping before
the tabernacle eastward
before the tent of meeting
at the east
[are] Moses
and Aaron
and his sons
keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of
the sons of Israel
and the stranger who cometh near is put to death.
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 39 All who were numbered of the Levites
whom Moses and
Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord
by their
families
all the males from a month old and above
were twenty-two
thousand.
YLT
39All those numbered of the
Levites whom Moses numbered -- Aaron also -- by the command of Jehovah
by
their families
every male from a son of a month and upward
[are] two and
twenty thousand.
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 שש
six
is put
instead of שלש
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 TalmudF20T. Bab.
Becoroth
fol. 5. 1.
these three hundred were firstborn
and there is no
firstborn redeems a firstborn
or frees from the redemption price of five
shekels.
Numbers 3:40 40 Then the Lord said to
Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month
old and above
and take the number of their names.
YLT
40And Jehovah saith unto
Moses
`Number every first-born male of the sons of Israel from a son of a
month and upward
and take up the number of their names;
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 41 And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the Lord—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel
and the
livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of
the children of Israel.”
YLT
41and thou hast taken the
Levites for Me (I [am] Jehovah)
instead of every first-born among the sons of
Israel
and the cattle of the Levites instead of every firstling among the
cattle of the sons of Israel.'
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 42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children
of Israel
as the Lord commanded him.
YLT
42And Moses numbereth
as
Jehovah hath commanded him
all the first-born among the sons of Israel.
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 43 And all the firstborn males
according to the number
of names from a month old and above
of those who were numbered of them
were
twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
YLT
43And all the first-born --
male -- by the number of names
from a son of a month and upward
of their
numbered ones
are two and twenty thousand two hundred and seventy and three.
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
Numbers 3:39.
Numbers 3:44 44 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT
44And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
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 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among
the children of Israel
and the livestock of the Levites instead of their
livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord.
YLT
45`Take the Levites instead
of every first-born among the sons of Israel
and the cattle of the Levites
instead of their cattle; and the Levites have been Mine; I [am] Jehovah.
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 46 And for the redemption of the two hundred and
seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel
who are more than the
number of the Levites
YLT
46`And [from] those ransomed
of the two hundred and seventy and three (who are more than the Levites) of the
first-born of the sons of Israel
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
Numbers 3:39
whereas the sum total of the firstborn of Israel were 22
273
Numbers 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 47 you shall take five shekels for each one individually;
you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary
the
shekel of twenty gerahs.
YLT
47thou hast even taken five
shekels a-piece by the poll -- by the shekel of the sanctuary thou takest;
twenty gerahs the shekel [is];
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
Numbers 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 Leviticus 27:25.
Numbers 3:48 48 And you shall give the money
with which the excess
number of them is redeemed
to Aaron and his sons.”
YLT
48and thou hast given the
money to Aaron
and to his sons
whereby those over and above are ransomed.'
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 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were
over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites.
YLT
49And Moses taketh the ransom
money from those over and above those ransomed by the Levites;
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 50 From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took
the money
one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels
according
to the shekel of the sanctuary.
YLT
50from the first-born of the
sons of Israel he hath taken the money
a thousand and three hundred and sixty
and five -- by the shekel of the sanctuary;
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 מאת is sometimes usedF21Vid.
Nold. Partic. Ebr. Concord. p. 579. ; 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 TalmudF23T.
Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 17. 1. 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.
Numbers 3:51 51 And Moses gave their redemption money to Aaron and his
sons
according to the word of the Lord
as the Lord commanded Moses.
YLT
51and Moses giveth the money
of those ransomed to Aaron
and to his sons
according to the command of
Jehovah
as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed
.... That were
redeemed this way
and not by Levites
as in Numbers 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; Numbers 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 Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)