Numbers 3

Numbers 3:10

10. — priest’s office: ] It was the proper and peculiar office of the priests to bless the people in the name of the Lord; to offer incense; and to minister at the altar, Numb. xviii. 7; Deut. xxi. 5; I Chron. xxiii. 13. Bp. Kidder.

— the stranger ] Any one, though a Levite, that was not of the sons of Aaron. God Himself sent out fire to consume Korah and his company, who presumed to offer incense, being only Levites, and not priests, chap. xvi. Bp. Patrick.

Numbers 3:12

12. — I have taken the Levites—instead of all the firstborn &c. ] Whereas before the firstborn of the family was ordained to execute the office of priesthood, and to offer sacrifices for the rest, now I have confined this office to one tribe alone; so that only those of Levi, instead of the firstborn, shall be set apart for this work. Bp. Hall.

families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Numbers 3:13

13. — I am the Lord. ] Who, as such, may take whom I please to be employed in My service, and therefore much more make such an exchange. Dr. Wells.

Numbers 3:14

14. — the Lord spake unto Moses ] And not to Aaron also. The number of the Israelites was to be taken by them both, chap. i. 3, as was that of the Kohathites, chap. iv. 2. And the Gershonites and Merarites were numbered by Aaron as well as by Moses, chap. iv. 41, 45. But the precept to number the Levites here is directed to Moses only, and by him was executed, ver. 16, whatever assistance or approbation Aaron might give, ver. 39. And again we find that Moses alone was concerned in numbering the firstborn of Israel, ver. 40—42, in which no mention at all is made of Aaron. For since the money, with which the firstborn of Israel, that exceeded the number of the Levites, were to be redeemed, was to be paid to Aaron and his sons,

Before CHRIST 1490. The firstborn are freed by the Levites. Before CHRIST 1600. Korath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

Numbers 3:32

32. And Eleazar the son of Aaron &c.] There was one officer in chief set over each of these great families, ver. 24, 30, 35; and over all these officers there was one supreme chief, namely, Eleazar, who was more than a Levite, being the eldest son of Aaron the high priest. Bp. Patrick.

Numbers 3:39

39.— twenty and two thousand.] The foregoing sums amount to 22,300; a greater number than that of the firstborn of the Israelites, which was 22,273. Yet we find the number to be redeemed was 273, ver. 46. So that 300 are omitted here, where the several sums are collected; and a price is paid for 273, which were indeed over and above the number here mentioned, but

twenty-seven short of the real number of the Levites. It is probable, therefore, that the 300, not reckoned here, were the firstborn of the Levites; which, being due to God before from the tribe of Levi, as well as from the other tribes, were not to be reckoned among those Levites, who were to be taken instead of the firstborn of Israel. Bp. Kidder, Dr. Wall.

It is singular that the tribe of Levi should be much less numerous than any of the others. Their number of males from a month old amounts only to 22,300; whereas, of the other tribes, Judah was 74,500, chap. i. 27, and the rest, one with another, about 40,000, none so few as 30,000. Dr. Wall.

Numbers 3:41

41.— the cattle of the Levites] In the gross. Dr. Wells. Not to be sacrificed, or taken from the Levites; but to continue in their possession, by God’s allow-

The age and time of the Levites’ service. Before CHRIST 1496. c Exod. 30. 13. Lev. 27. 25. chap. 18. 16. Exch. 45. 12.

Numbers 3:47

47. Thou shalt — take five shekels apiece.] This was the price of redemption ever after, chap. xviii. 16. It had been lately constituted the value of a man-child, from a month to five years old, Lev. xxvii. 6. Which of the firstborn was to be redeemed by money, and which to be exchanged for a Levite, was probably determined by lot: unless the congregation redeemed the 273 firstborn out of a common stock. Bp. Patrick.

Chap. IV. ver. 3. From thirty years old and upward] In the work, to which they are here appointed, they were not employed till they reached thirty years of age: but they were admitted to attend at the tabernacle, and do other service at twenty-five years: see chap. viii. 24. The work, here alluded to, was that of carrying the ark, and the most holy things, which were always borne on men’s shoulders. It is spoken of by the word “burden” in ver. 15, 19, 24, 31, 47. Bp. Patrick. Probably, at twenty-five years of age they went in as

learners; and at thirty began to do the hard services. Dr. Wall.

— all that enter into the host.] All that are fit to enter upon this ministry, being of just age, and sufficient strength, and not legally excluded, chap. v. 2; i. 3. This service was a spiritual warfare; and he that entered into it, is said to enter into the host. See ver. 23, and 1 Tim. i. 18; 2 Tim. ii. 3. Bp. Kidder. Their watching continually about the tabernacle made them a sort of guard. Bp. Patrick.