Numbers 3

CHAPTER 3THEME: Aaron and Moses; tribe of Levi given to Aaron; three families of Levi; census of firstborn of all IsraelAs we come to the third chapter, we can see that God is preparing the children of Israel for the wilderness march. First of all, there must be the order of the camp. We have seen that there was a census so that the men of war might be chosen. The people needed to be certain who they were, and to have the assurance that they were sons of Abraham. Then they needed the standards for the order of the camp so they would know where they belonged. Chapter 3 will give us a look at the tribe of Levi and what they are to do. This is the tribe that had the oversight of the tabernacle. Although they were not included in the first census, a census is taken of them separately so that they may be assigned to a definite position in the camp.

Numbers 3:1

AARON AND MOSESFirst, we are given the family of Aaron and of Moses. What we have here confirms the record that was given in the Book of Leviticus. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed because they intruded into the high priest’s office, which they should not have done.

Numbers 3:5

TRIBE OF LEVI GIVEN TO AARONThe tribe of Levi was given to the high priest, Aaron, to assist him. You and I, in the church as believers, are a priesthood of believers. As such, we have been given to our Great High Priest. Listen to the Lord Jesus in His high-priestly prayer: “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word” (Joh_17:6). Believers, which collectively are called the church, have been given to the Lord Jesus. This entire chapter records His wonderful prayer for us.

We have been given as a love gift from the Father to the Son. Some of us may feel that He didn’t get very much. We need to remember that it is not what we are now, but what He is going to make out of us, that is important. This giving of the Levites to Aaron is mentioned again.

Numbers 3:9

Now the reason is stated:

Numbers 3:12

That was the way God put it back there. I think today He still asks every family to give Him not only our possessions but to give Him the members of our household. Have you dedicated your own to the Lord? Have you turned them over to Him? It is a wonderful thing to be able to dedicate your own to Him. The firstborn belongs to the Lord. That doesn’t mean that he must go into the ministry, but he was to be redeemed to show that he belonged to God. In Israel, instead of taking the firstborn from each tribe, God had them numbered; and He took the tribe of Levi.

Numbers 3:14

THREE FAMILIES OF LEVIThere were three families in the tribe of Levi, families of his three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. The family of Gershon is counted. They are told to pitch their tents behind the tabernacle westward. Their assignment was to take care of the curtains, coverings and cords of the tabernacle (vv. Num_3:21-26). The family of Kohath is counted. They are to pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward. Their assignment is to be in charge of the articles of furniture of the tabernacle (vv. Num_3:27-32). The family of Merari is counted. They are to pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward. Their assignment is to be in charge of the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, and vessels of the tabernacle (vv. Num_3:33-37). We can now visualize the pattern of Israel encamped on the wilderness march. The tabernacle formed a rectangle in the center of the camp. Another rectangle was formed around the tabernacle by the camps of the Levites. Still another, larger rectangle was formed around that by the camps of the twelve tribes. The tabernacle was always set with the door to the east. Aaron and Moses with their families camped before the door of the tabernacle on the east side. Merari was on the north, Gershon on the west, Kohath on the south. These formed the rectangle surrounding the tabernacle. Then beyond this were the camps of Judah, Issachar, Zebulun on the east; Dan, Ashur, Naphthali on the north; Ephraim, Manasseh, Benjamin on the west; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad on the south.

Numbers 3:40

CENSUS OF FIRSTBORN OF ALL ISRAELSo Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel and found there were 22,273 males from a month old and upward who were the firstborn. This meant there were 273 more firstborn males than there were Levites; so this additional number was to be redeemed with five shekels apiece, and this was to be given to Aaron and his sons. To the critic of the Bible there appears in this chapter contradictions in the numbers given. Rather than to devote space to a study of this kind, I refer the interested reader to the very fine work done by Keil and Delitzsch in the third volume of their Commentary on the Old Testament.