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Numbers 3:17 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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17 And these are sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

Cross Reference

Exodus 6:16-19 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And these `are' the names of the sons of Levi, as to their births: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi `are' a hundred and thirty and seven years. The sons of Gershon `are' Libni, and Shimi, as to their families. And the sons of Kohath `are' Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath `are' a hundred and thirty and three years. And the sons of Merari `are' Mahli and Mushi: these `are' families of Levi, as to their births.

Numbers 15:5-23 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and wine for a libation, a fourth of the hin thou dost prepare for the burnt-offering or for a sacrifice, for the one lamb; or for a ram thou dost prepare a present of flour, two-tenth deals, mixed with oil, a third of the hin; and wine for a libation, a third part of the hin, thou dost bring near -- a sweet fragrance to Jehovah. `And when thou makest a son of the herd a burnt-offering or a sacrifice, at separating a vow or peace-offerings to Jehovah, then he hath brought near for the son of the herd a present of flour, three-tenth deals, mixed with oil, a half of the hin; and wine thou bringest near for a libation, a half of the hin -- a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah; thus it is done for the one ox, or for the one ram, or for a lamb of the sheep or of the goats. `According to the number that ye prepare, so ye do to each, according to their number; every native doth thus with these, at bringing near a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah; and when a sojourner sojourneth with you, or whoso `is' in your midst to your generations, and he hath made a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah, as ye do so he doth. `One statute is for you of the congregation and for the sojourner who is sojourning, a statute age-during to your generations: as ye `are' so is the sojourner before Jehovah; one law and one ordinance is to you and to the sojourner who is sojourning with you.' And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, `Speak unto the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, In your coming in unto the land whither I am bringing you in, then it hath been, in your eating of the bread of the land, ye heave up a heave-offering to Jehovah; the beginning of your dough a cake ye heave up -- a heave-offering; as the heave-offering of a threshing-floor, so ye do heave it. Of the beginning of your dough ye do give to Jehovah a heave-offering -- to your generations. `And when ye err, and do not all these commands which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, the whole that Jehovah hath charged upon you by the hand of Moses, from the day that Jehovah hath commanded, and henceforth, to your generations,

Numbers 23:6-23 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And he turneth back unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, he and all the princes of Moab. And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `From Aram he doth lead me -- Balak king of Moab; From mountains of the east: Come -- curse for me Jacob, And come -- be indignant `with' Israel. What -- do I pierce? -- God hath not pierced! And what -- am I indignant? -- Jehovah hath not been indignant! For from the top of rocks I see it, And from heights I behold it; Lo a people! alone it doth tabernacle, And among nations doth not reckon itself. Who hath counted the dust of Jacob, And the number of the fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of upright ones, And let my last end be like his!' And Balak saith unto Balaam, `What hast thou done to me? to pierce mine enemies I have taken thee -- and lo, thou hast certainly blessed;' and he answereth and saith, `That which Jehovah doth put in my mouth -- it do I not take heed to speak?' And Balak saith unto him, `Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, whence thou dost see it, only its extremity thou dost see, and all of it thou dost not see, and pierce it for me thence;' and he taketh him `to' the field of Zophim, unto the top of Pisgah, and buildeth seven altars, and offereth a bullock and a ram on the altar. And he saith unto Balak, `Station thyself here by thy burnt-offering, and I -- I meet `Him' there;' and Jehovah cometh unto Balaam, and setteth a word in his mouth, and saith, `Turn back unto Balak, and thus thou dost speak.' And he cometh unto him, and lo, he is standing by his burnt-offering, and the princes of Moab with him, and Balak saith to him: `What hath Jehovah spoken?' And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Rise, Balak, and hear; Give ear unto me, son of Zippor! God `is' not a man -- and lieth, And a son of man -- and repenteth! Hath He said -- and doth He not do `it'? And spoken -- and doth He not confirm it? Lo, to bless I have received: Yea, He blesseth, and I `can'not reverse it. He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, Nor hath He seen perverseness in Israel; Jehovah his God `is' with him, And a shout of a king `is' in him. God is bringing them out from Egypt, As the swiftness of a Reem is to him; For no enchantment `is' against Jacob, Nor divination against Israel, At the time it is said of Jacob and Israel, What hath God wrought!

Numbers 24:1-25 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And Balaam seeth that `it is' good in the eyes of Jehovah to bless Israel, and he hath not gone as time by time to meet enchantments, and he setteth towards the wilderness his face; and Balaam lifteth up his eyes, and seeth Israel tabernacling, by its tribes, and the Spirit of God is upon him, and he taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor -- And an affirmation of the man whose eyes are shut -- An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- Who a vision of the Almighty seeth, Falling -- and eyes uncovered: How good have been thy tents, O Jacob, Thy tabernacles, O Israel; As valleys they have been stretched out, As gardens by a river; As aloes Jehovah hath planted, As cedars by waters; He maketh water flow from his buckets, And his seed `is' in many waters; And higher than Agag `is' his king, And exalted is his kingdom. God is bringing him out of Egypt; As the swiftness of a Reem is to him, He eateth up nations his adversaries, And their bones he breaketh, And `with' his arrows he smiteth, He hath bent, he hath lain down as a lion, And as a lioness: who doth raise him up? He who is blessing thee `is' blessed, And he who is cursing thee `is' cursed.' And the anger of Balak burneth against Balaam, and he striketh his hands; and Balak saith unto Balaam, `To pierce mine enemies I called thee, and lo, thou hast certainly blessed -- these three times; and now, flee for thyself unto thy place; I have said, I do greatly honour thee, and lo, Jehovah hath kept thee back from honour.' And Balaam saith unto Balak, `Did I not also unto thy messengers whom thou hast sent unto me, speak, saying, If Balak doth give to me the fulness of his house of silver and gold, I am not able to pass over the command of Jehovah, to do good or evil of mine own heart -- that which Jehovah speaketh -- it I speak? and, now, lo, I am going to my people; come, I counsel thee `concerning' that which this people doth to thy people, in the latter end of the days.' And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `An affirmation of Balaam son of Beor -- And an affirmation of the man whose eyes `are' shut -- An affirmation of him who is hearing sayings of God -- And knowing knowledge of the Most High; A vision of the Almighty he seeth, Falling -- and eyes uncovered: I see it, but not now; I behold it, but not near; A star hath proceeded from Jacob, And a sceptre hath risen from Israel, And hath smitten corners of Moab, And hath destroyed all sons of Sheth. And Edom hath been a possession, And Seir hath been a possession, `for' its enemies, And Israel is doing valiantly; And `one' doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.' And he seeth Amalek, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `A beginning of the Goyim `is' Amalek; And his latter end -- for ever he perisheth.' And he seeth the Kenite, and taketh up his simile, and saith: `Enduring `is' thy dwelling, And setting in a rock thy nest, But the Kenite is for a burning; Till when doth Asshur keep thee captive?' And he taketh up his simile, and saith: `Alas! who doth live when God doth this? And -- ships `are' from the side of Chittim, And they have humbled Asshur, And they have humbled Eber, And it also for ever is perishing.' And Balaam riseth, and goeth, and turneth back to his place, and Balak also hath gone on his way.

Numbers 26:57-58 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And these `are' numbered ones of the Levite by their families: of Gershon `is' the family of the Gershonite; of Kohath the family of the Kohathite; of Merari the family of the Merarite. These `are' families of the Levite: the family of the Libnite, the family of the Hebronite, the family of the Mahlite, the family of the Mushite, the family of the Korathite. And Kohath hath begotten Amram,

Joshua 21:1-45 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And the heads of the fathers of the Levites draw nigh unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and they speak unto them in Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, saying, `Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses to give to us cities to dwell in, and their suburbs for our cattle.' And the sons of Israel give to the Levites, out of their inheritance, at the command of Jehovah, these cities and their suburbs: And the lot goeth out for the families of the Kohathite, and there are for the sons of Aaron the priest (of the Levites), out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, by lot thirteen cities, and for the sons of Kohath who are left, out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, by lot ten cities: And for the sons of Gershon `are', out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, by lot, thirteen cities. For the sons of Merari, for their families, `are', out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities. And the sons of Israel give to the Levites these cities and their suburbs, as Jehovah commanded by the hand of Moses, by lot. And they give out of the tribe of the sons of Judah, and out of the tribe of the sons of Simeon, these cities which are called by name; and they are for the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathite, of the sons of Levi, for theirs hath been the first lot; and they give to them the city of Arba father of Anak (it `is' Hebron), in the hill-country of Judah, and its suburbs round about it; and the field of the city and its villages they have given to Caleb son of Jephunneh for his possession. And to the sons of Aaron the priest they have given the city of refuge `for' the man-slayer, Hebron and its suburbs, and Libnah and its suburbs, and Jattir and its suburbs, and Eshtemoa and its suburbs, and Holon and its suburbs, and Debir and its suburbs, and Ain and its suburbs, and Juttah and its suburbs, Beth-Shemesh and its suburbs; nine cities out of these two tribes. And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon and its suburbs, Geba and its suburbs, Anathoth and its suburbs, and Almon and its suburbs -- four cities; all the cities of the sons of Aaron the priests, `are' thirteen cities and their suburbs. And for the families of the sons of Kohath, the Levites, who are left of the sons of Kohath, even the cities of their lot are of the tribe of Ephraim; and they give to them the city of refuge `for' the man-slayer, Shechem and its suburbs, in the hill-country of Ephraim, and Gezer and its suburbs, and Kibzaim and its suburbs, and Beth-Horon and its suburbs -- four cities. And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh and its suburbs, Gibbethon and its suburbs, Aijalon and its suburbs, Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs -- four cities. And out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, Taanach and its suburbs, and Gath-Rimmon and its suburbs -- two cities; all the cities `are' ten and their suburbs, for the families of the sons of Kohath who are left. And for the sons of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, the city of refuge `for' the man-slayer, Golan in Bashan and its suburbs, and Beeshterah and its suburbs -- two cities. And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon and its suburbs, Dabarath and its suburbs, Jarmuth and its suburbs, En-Gannim and its suburbs -- four cities. And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal and its suburbs, Abdon and its suburbs, Helkath and its suburbs, and Rehob and its suburbs -- four cities. And out of the tribe of Naphtali, the city of refuge `for' the man-slayer, Kedesh in Galilee and its suburbs, and Hammoth-Dor and its suburbs, and Kartan and its suburbs -- three cities; all the cities of the Gershonite, for their families, `are' thirteen cities and their suburbs. And for the families of the sons of Merari, the Levites, who are left, `are,' out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam and its suburbs, Kartah and its suburbs, Dimnah and its suburbs, Nahalal and its suburbs -- four cities. And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer and its suburbs, and Jahazah and its suburbs, Kedemoth and its suburbs, and Mephaath and its suburbs -- four cities. And out of the tribe of Gad, the city of refuge `for' the man-slayer, Ramoth in Gilead and its suburbs, and Mahanaim and its suburbs, Heshbon and its suburbs, Jazer and its suburbs -- `in' all four cities. All the cities for the sons of Merari, for their families, who are left of the families of the Levites -- their lot is twelve cities. All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel `are' forty and eight cities, and their suburbs. These cities are each city and its suburbs round about it; so to all these cities. And Jehovah giveth to Israel the whole of the land which He hath sworn to give to their fathers, and they possess it, and dwell in it; and Jehovah giveth rest to them round about, according to all that which He hath sworn to their fathers, and there hath not stood a man in their presence of all their enemies, the whole of their enemies hath Jehovah given into their hand; there hath not fallen a thing of all the good thing which Jehovah spake unto the house of Israel -- the whole hath come.

1 Chronicles 6:1-2 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

Sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

1 Chronicles 6:16-19 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

Sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. And these `are' names of sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. And sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. Sons of Merari; Mahli and Mushi. And these `are' families of the Levite according to their fathers;

Nehemiah 11:1-12 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

And the heads of the people dwell in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people have caused to fall lots to bring in one out of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city, and nine parts in the cities, and the people give a blessing to all the men who are offering themselves willingly to dwell in Jerusalem. And these `are' heads of the province who have dwelt in Jerusalem, and in cities of Judah, they have dwelt each in his possession in their cities; Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinim, and the sons of the servants of Solomon. And in Jerusalem have dwelt of the sons of Judah, and of the sons of Benjamin. Of the sons of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalaleel, of the sons of Perez; and Masseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-Hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of Shiloni; all the sons of Perez who are dwelling in Jerusalem `are' four hundred sixty and eight, men of valour. And these `are' sons of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jesaiah; and after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight. And Joel son of Zichri `is' inspector over them, and Judah son of Senuah `is' over the city -- second. Of the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin, Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, leader of the house of God, and their brethren doing the work of the house `are' eight hundred twenty and two; and Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malchiah,

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 3

Commentary on Numbers 3 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 3

This chapter and the next are concerning the tribe of Levi, which was to be mustered and marshalled by itself, and not in common with the other tribes, intimating the particular honour put upon them and the particular duty and service required from them. The Levites are in this chapter considered,

  • I. As attendants on, and assistants to, the priests in the temple-service. And so we have an account,
    • 1. Of the priests themselves (v. 1-4) and their work (v. 10).
    • 2. Of the gift of the Levites to them (v. 5-9), in order to which they are mustered (v. 14-16), and the sum of them taken (v. 39). Each particular family of them is mustered, has its place assigned and its charge, the Gershonites (v. 17-26), the Kohathites (v. 27-32), the Merarites (v. 33-39).
  • II. As equivalents for the first-born (v. 11-13).
    • 1. The first-born are numbered, and the Levites taken instead of them, as far as the number of the Levites went (v. 40-45).
    • 2. What first-born there were more than the Levites were redeemed (v. 46, etc.).

Num 3:1-13

Here,

  • I. The family of Aaron is confirmed in the priests' office, v. 10. They had been called to it before, and consecrated; here they are appointed to wait on their priests' office: the apostle uses this phrase (Rom. 12:7), Let us wait on our ministry. The office of the ministry requires a constant attendance and great diligence; so frequent are the returns of its work, and yet so transient its favourable opportunities, that it must be waited on. Here is repeated what was said before (ch. 1:51): The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death, which forbids the invading of the priest's office by any other person whatsoever; none must come nigh to minister but Aaron and his sons only, all others are strangers. It also lays a charge on the priests, as door-keepers in God's house, to take care that none should come near who were forbidden by the law; they must keep off all intruders, whose approach would be to the profanation of the holy things, telling them that if they came near it was at their peril, they would die by the hand of God, as Uzza did. The Jews say that afterwards there was hung over the door of the temple a golden sword (perhaps alluding to that flaming sword at the entrance of the garden of Eden), on which was engraven, The stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
  • II. A particular account is given of this family of Aaron; what we have met with before concerning them is here repeated.
    • 1. The consecration of the sons of Aaron, v. 3. They were all anointed to minister before the Lord, though it appeared afterwards, and God knew it, that two of them were wise and two were foolish.
    • 2. The fall of the two elder (v. 4): they offered strange fire, and died for so doing, before the Lord. This is mentioned here in the preamble to the law concerning the priesthood, for a warning to all succeeding priests; let them know, by this example, that God is a jealous God, and will not be mocked; the holy anointing oil was an honour to the obedient, but not a shelter to the disobedient. It is here said, They had no children, Providence so ordering it, for their greater punishment, that none of their descendants should remain to be priests, and so bear up their name who had profaned God's name.
    • 3. The continuance of the two younger: Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the sight of Aaron. It intimates,
      • (1.) The care they took about their ministration not to make any blunders; they kept under their father's eye, and took instruction from him in all they did, because, probably, Nadab and Abihu got out of their father's sight when they offered strange fire. Note, It is good for young people to act under the direction and inspection of those that are aged and experienced.
      • (2.) The comfort Aaron took in it; it pleased him to see his younger sons behave themselves prudently and gravely, when his two elder had miscarried. Note, It is a great satisfaction to parents to see their children walk in the truth, 3 Jn. 4.
  • III. A grant is made of the Levites to be assistants to the priests in their work: Give the Levites to Aaron, v. 9. Aaron was to have a greater propriety in, and power over, the tribe of Levi than any other of the prices had in and over their respective tribes. There was a great deal of work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only three pairs of hands to do it all, Aaron's and his two sons'; for it does not appear that they had either of them any children at this time, at least not any that were of age to minister, therefore God appoints the Levites to attend upon them. Note, Those whom God finds work for his will find help for. Here is,
    • 1. The service for which the Levites were designed: they were to minister to the priests in their ministration to the Lord (v. 6), and to keep Aaron's charge (v. 7), as the deacons to the bishops in the evangelical constitution, serving at tables, while the bishops waited on their ministry. The Levites killed the sacrifices, and then the priests needed only to sprinkle the blood and burn the fat: the Levites prepared the incense, the priests burnt it. They were to keep, not only Aaron's charge, but the charge of the whole congregation. Note, It is a great trust that is reposed in ministers, not only for the glory of Christ, but for the good of his church; so that they must not only keep the charge of the great high priest, but must also be faithful to the souls of men, in trust for whom a dispensation is committed to them.
    • 2. the consideration upon which the Levites were demanded; they were taken instead of the first-born. The preservation of the first-born of Israel, when all the first-born of the Egyptians (with whom they were many of them mingled) were destroyed, was looked upon by him who never makes any unreasonable demands as cause sufficient of the appropriating of all the first-born thenceforward to himself (v. 13): All the first-born are mine. That was sufficient to make them his, though he had given no reason for it, for he is the sole fountain and Lord of all beings and powers; but because all obedience must flow from love, and acts of duty must be acts of gratitude, before they were challenged into peculiar services they were crowned with peculiar favours. Note, When he that made us saves us we are thereby laid under further obligations to serve him and live to him. God's right to us by redemption corroborates the right he has to us by creation. Now because the first-born of a family are generally the favourites, and some would think it a disparagement to have their eldest sons servants to the priests, and attending before the door of the tabernacle, God took the tribe of Levi entire for his own, in lieu of the first-born, v. 12. Note, God's institutions put no hardships upon men in any of their just interests or reasonable affections. It was presumed that the Israelites would rather part with the Levites than with the first-born, and therefore God graciously ordered the exchange; yet for us he spared not his own Son.

Num 3:14-39

The Levites being granted to Aaron to minister to him, they are here delivered to him by tale, that he might know what he had, and employ them accordingly. Observe,

  • I. By what rule they were numbered: Every male from a month old and upward, v. 15. The rest of the tribes were numbered only from twenty years old and upwards, and of them those only that were able to go forth to war; but into the number of the Levites they must take in both infants, and infirm; being exempted from the war, it was not insisted upon that they should be of age and strength for the wars. Though it appears afterwards that little more than a third part of the Levites were fit to be employed in the service of the tabernacle (about 8000 out of 22,000, ch. 4:47, 48), yet God would have them all numbered as retainers to his family; that none may think themselves disowned and rejected of God because they are not in a capacity of doing him that service which they see others do him. The Levites of a month old could not honour God and serve the tabernacle, as those that had grown up; yet out of the mouths of babes and sucklings the Levites' praise was perfected. Let not little children be hindered from being enrolled among the disciples of Christ, for such was the tribe of Levi, of such is the kingdom of heaven, that kingdom of priests. The redemption of the first-born was reckoned from a month old (ch. 18:15, 16), therefore from that age the Levites were numbered. They were numbered after the house of their fathers, not their mothers, for, if the daughter of a Levite married one of another tribe, her son was not a Levite; but we read of a spiritual priest to out God who inherited the unfeigned faith which dwelt in his mother and grandmother, 2 Tim. 1:5.
  • II. How they were distributed into three classes, according to the number of the sons of Levi, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and these subdivided into several families, v. 17-20.
    • 1. Concerning each of these three classes we have an account,
      • (1.) Of their number. The Gershonites were 7500. The Kohathites were 8600. The Merarites were 6200. The rest of the tribes had not their subordinate families numbered by themselves as those of Levi; this honour God put upon his own tribe.
      • (2.) Of their post about the tabernacle on which they were to attend. The Gershonites pitched behind the tabernacle, westward, v. 23. The Kohathites on the right hand, southward, v. 29. The Merarites on the left hand, northward, v. 35. And, to complete the square, Moses and Aaron, with the priests, encamped in the front, eastward, v. 38. Thus was the tabernacle surrounded with its guards; and thus does the angel of the Lord encamp round about those that fear him, those living temples, Ps. 34:7. Every one knew his place, and must therein abide with God.
      • (3.) Of their chief or head. As each class had its own place, so each had its own prince. The commander of the Gershonites was Eliasaph (v. 24); of the Kohathites Elizaphan (v. 30), of whom we read (Lev. 10:4) that he was one of the bearers at the funeral of Nadab and Abihu; of the Merarites Zuriel, v. 35.
      • (4.) Of their charge, when the camp moved. Each class knew their own business; it was requisite they should, for that which is every body's work often proves nobody's work. The Gershonites were charged with the custody and carriage of all the curtains and hangings and coverings of the tabernacle and court (v. 25, 26), the Kohathites of all the furniture of the tabernacle-the ark, altar, table, etc. (v. 31, 32), the Merarites of the heavy carriage, boards, bars, pillars, etc., v. 36, 37.
    • 2. Here we may observe,
      • (1.) That the Kohathites, though they were the second house, yet were preferred before the elder family of the Gershonites. Besides that Aaron and the priests were of that family, they were more numerous, and their post and charge more honourable, which probably was ordered to put an honour upon Moses, who was of that family. Yet,
      • (2.) The posterity of Moses were not at all dignified or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites, that it might appear he did not seek the advancement of his own family, nor to entail any honours upon it either in church or state; he that had honour enough himself coveted not to have his name shine by that borrowed light, but rather to have the Levites borrow honour from his name. Let none think contemptibly of the Levites, though inferior to the priests, for Moses himself though it preferment enough for his sons to be Levites. Probably it was because the family of Moses were Levites only that in the title of this chapter, which is concerning that tribe (v. 1), Aaron is put before Moses.
  • III. The sum total of the numbers of this tribe. They are computed in all 22,000, v. 39. The sum of the particular families amounts to 300 more; if this had been added to the sum total, the Levites, instead of being 273 fewer than the first-born, as they were (v. 43), would have been twenty-seven more, and so the balance would have fallen the other way; but it is supposed that the 300 which were struck off from the account when the exchange was to be made were the first-born of the Levites themselves, born since their coming out of Egypt, which could not be put into the exchange, because they were already sanctified to God. But that which is especially observable here is that the tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. Note, God's part in the world is too often the smallest part. His chosen are comparatively a little flock.

Num 3:40-51

Here is the exchange made of the Levites for the first-born.

  • 1. The first-born were numbered from a month old, v. 42, 43. Those certainly were not reckoned who, though first-born, had become heads of families themselves, but those only that were under age; and the learned bishop Patrick is decidedly of opinion that none were numbered but those only that were born since their coming out of Egypt, when the first-born were sanctified, Ex. 13:2. If there were 22,000 first-born males, we may suppose as many females, and all these brought forth in the first year after they came out of Egypt, we must hence infer that in the last year of their servitude, even when it was in the greatest extremity, there were abundance of marriages made among the Israelites; they were not discouraged by the present distress, but married in faith, expecting that God would shortly visit them with mercy, and that their children, though born in bondage, should live in liberty and honour. And it was a token of good to them, an evidence that they were blessed of the Lord, that they were not only kept alive, but greatly increased, in a barren wilderness.
  • 2. The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, by a special providence, came pretty near to each other; thus, when he divided the nations, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel, Deu. 32:8. Known unto God are all his works beforehand, and there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear when they come to be compared. The Levites' cattle are said to be taken instead of the firstlings of the cattle of the children of Israel, that is, the Levites, with all their possessions, were devoted to God instead of the first-born and all theirs; for, when we give ourselves to God, all we have passes as appurtenances with the premises.
  • 3. The small number of first-born which exceeded the number of the Levites (273 in all) were to be redeemed, at five shekels apiece, and the redemption-money given to Aaron; for it would not do well to have them added to the Levites. It is probable that in the exchange they began with the eldest of the first-born, and so downward, so that those were to be redeemed with money who were the 273 youngest of the first-born; more likely so than either that it was determined by lot or that the money was paid out of the public stock. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as these 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.