Numbers 3 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Numbers 3

The Sons of Aaron

3:1 These are the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD spoke with Moses on 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 anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. 4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of Aaron their father.

Duties of the Levites

5 And 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 guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle. 8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle. 9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel. 10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”

11 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. 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 consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the LORD.”

14 And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “List the sons of Levi, by fathers’ houses and by clans; every male from a month old and upward you shall list.” 16 So Moses listed them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers’ houses.

21 To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. 22 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was¹ 7,500. 23 The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, 24 with Eliasaph, the son of Lael as chief of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites. 25 And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service connected with these.

27 To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites and the clan of the Izharites and the clan of the Hebronites and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were 8,600, keeping guard over the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Kohathites. 31 And their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service connected with these. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.

33 To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. 34 Their listing according to the number of all the males from a month old and upward was 6,200. 35 And the chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these; 37 also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.

38 Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect² the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 All those listed among the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron listed at the commandment of the LORD, by clans, all the males from a month old and upward, were 22,000.

Redemption of the Firstborn

40 And the LORD said to Moses, “List all the firstborn males of the people of Israel, from a month old and upward, taking the number of their names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for me—I am the LORD—instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the people of Israel.” 42 So Moses listed all the firstborn among the people of Israel, as the LORD commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names, from a month old and upward as listed were 22,273.

44 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. The Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD. 46 And as the redemption price for the 273 of the firstborn of the people of Israel, over and above the number of the male Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels³ per head; you shall take them according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel of twenty gerahs⁴), 48 and give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for those who are over.” 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the people of Israel he took the money, 1,365 shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Footnotes

[1] 3:22 Hebrew their listing was
[2] 3:38 Hebrew guard
[3] 3:47 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[4] 3:47 A gerah was about 1/50 ounce or 0.6 gram

Commentary

v1: This period, between the arrival at Sinai, and moving on, was important, as God laid down many instructions for their daily living.

v2-4: Eleazar and Ithamar, being the two surviving sons, served under Aaron, just as Joshua served under Moses.

v5-13: Special role and responsibilities for the Levites.

v6: The first role of the Levites was to assist Aaron, as High Priest.

v7: They also had to attend to the needs of the whole nation.

v8: They also had to look after the fabric of the Tabernacle.

v9-10: The Levites were appointed by God to serve with Aaron. This was an exclusive role, as others were not allowed to approach the Tabernacle in the same way.

v11-13: The Levites were to be the Lord's. This may follow from their support of Moses in Ex 32.26,28, when they rallied to Moses at the golden calf incident. Here they are to be joined to God in a special way, even as the first born had been redeemed in Egypt.

v14-20: The Levites were therefore to be numbered, not for war, but for service. We note that there were much fewer of them than of the other tribes, see v39. They were numbered from one month old; for all belonged to Levi, meaning ‘joined.’

v21-26: The family of Gershon, totalling 7,500. They camped behind the Tabernacle, out of sight of all who came to worship, yet their work was important; compare 1 Cor 12.22-24. We must be faithful in our service even when we are not seen by men.

v27-32: The Kohathites looked after the precious things of the tabernacle. This was more 'glamorous', yet also more dangerous, as some errors could be fatal, as Nadab and Abihu found (Lev 10).

v33-37: The family of Merari, totalling 6,200. Their responsibility was the fabric of the tent itself, which was heavy work. This was to do with foundations, which are essential.

The different numbers here are genuine not rigged. We would not expect this if the figures were invented.

These verses highlight the importance of 'practical' work. Without the Merarites faithfully carrying the fabric of the tabernacle, the whole pattern of worship would have stalled. Thus, God gives 'practical' tasks for His people to fulfil. It is not demeaning to think in these terms.

v38: Aaron and his sons, with Moses, had to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary.

v39: The Levites numbered 22,000, including those from one month old; far fewer than the other tribes.

v40-43: The number of first born males was counted, from a month old, so comparing like with like. They were to be 'swapped' with the Levites (v12-13).

v44-48: The excess of 273 had to be redeemed, for the Lord does 'obey His own rules'. This teaches the people that there is a correct way to do things.

See also my blog on the division of labour amongst the three Levite tribes: Service & Organisation (biblenotes.org.uk)