THE FOURTH BOOK OF

MOSES,
called
N U M B E R S

Numbers 3

1The sons of Aaron. 5The Levites are given to the priests for the service of the tabernacle, 11instead of the firstborn. 14The Levites are numbered by their families. 21The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites, 27of the Kohathites, 33of the Merarites. 38The place and charge of Moses and Aaron. 40The firstborn are freed by the Levites. 44The surplus are redeemed.


1THESE also are the 1generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

1 Understand hereby the account not only of some particular persons, as of Moses and Aaron together with his sons and the Levites, but likewise of that which through God’s ordinance fell out and came to pass amongst them. Thus this word is likewise taken in Gen. 6:9; 25:19. See also Gen. 37:2 with the annotation there.

2And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab thea firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

a Exod. 6:22.

3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he 2consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

2 That is, who were consecrated for the service of the priesthood. See the explanation of this kind of speech Lev. 7 on verse 37. Likewise see Exod. 28:41; 29:9.

4Andb Nadab and Abihu died 3before the LORD, when they offered 4strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office 5in the sight of Aaron their father.

b Lev. 10:1, 2, etc.; Num. 26:61; 1 Chron. 24:2.

3 See Lev. 10 on verse 2.

4 See Lev. 10 on verse 1.

5 That is, while their father was still alive. See the like phrase Gen. 11:28.

5¶And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

6Bringc the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

c Num. 16:9; 18:2.

7And they shall 6keep his charge, and the charge of the 7whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

6 Or, keep his order and command. Hebr. keep his keeping. See similarity of speech in verses 8, 28, 32, 38; Num. 9:19. Likewise see Lev. 8 on verse 35.

7 That is, which the entire congregation was to observe and keep, in whose name the firstborn of the Israelites had formerly attended this charge, as appears in Exod. 19:22, but from now on it was laid on the Levites. See Num. 1:53 and compare below verse 38 and Num. 16:9.

8And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge 8of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

8 That is, which formerly belonged to the care of the children of Israel by their firstborn.

9And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the 9stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

9 That is, he who is not of the priestly house, to whom it was not at all permitted to administer the priest’s office. See also verse 38 and Num. 16:40. Likewise compare Lev. 22:10.

11And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

12And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn 10thatd openeth the matrixe among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

10 Hebr. the opening of the womb; thus are called in Scripture both people and beasts, the first that come forth out of the womb of their mother, Exod. 13:2; 34:19; Num. 18:15.

d Exod. 13:2.

e womb

13Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt If hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

f Exod. 13:2; 22:29; 34:19; Lev. 27:26; Num. 8:16; Luke 2:23.

14¶And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

15Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from 11a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

11 Hebr. from a son of the month. The numbering of the Levites was threefold: I. from one month old and upwards, at which time they were hallowed to the LORD, whereof our text here speaks and verse 40; II. from twenty-five year old and upward, when they were admitted as novices to administer the common services of the tabernacle, whereof see Num. 8:24; III. from thirty year old and upwards who were the most important (ones), not only in the administration of the tabernacle, but likewise in the transportation thereof and its furniture. See of this in Num. 4:3, who, having attained to the fiftieth year, were then exempt from further attendance in this service, and were only obliged to assist the others with their authority, inspection, direction and advice, Num. 8:25, 26.

16And Moses numbered them according to the 12word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

12 Hebr. mouth. See Gen. 41 on verse 40; Exod. 17:1 and below verse 39.

17And theseg were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and 13Kohath, and Merari.

g Exod. 6:15, 16, 17; Num. 26:57; 1 Chron. 6:1; 23:6.

13 Hebr. Kehath. Also called Kahath. In the verses 17, 19, 27, 29, all Kohath.

18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

19And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, 14from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

14 Hebr. from a son of the month, and so in the sequel.

23The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle 15westward.

15 Hebr. seaward. See Num. 2 on verse 18.

24And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

25And the 16charge 17of the sons of Gershon in 18the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

16 Hebr. keeping, or, observation; that is, what they were to keep or observe.

17 The charge of these and other Levites is briefly pointed at in this chapter, but more largely described in the next.

18 Understand by the names of tabernacle and tent all the curtains, hangings, coverings, belonging below and above to the same, which were to be carried by the Gershonites.

26And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

27¶And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

28In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, 19keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

19 See on verse 7.

29The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle 20southward.

20 The south has its name in the Hebrew from the right hand, because they, which turn themselves with their faces towards the east, have the south, in that posture, on the right hand.

30And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

31And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the 21altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith 22they minister, and the 23hanging, and all the 24service thereof.

21 Understand the altar of incense and the altar of the burnt offerings, as may be seen in Num. 4:11, 13, whereof the latter stood in the court, and the former within the holy place.

22 Namely, the priests.

23 Hereby understand the veil of partition between the holy place and the most holy, together with the covers we read of Num. 4:5, 6, 7, etc.

24 Hebr. and all his service, that is, all the furniture, utensils and implements belonging thereunto. Compare Num. 4:26.

32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be 25chief over 26the chief of the Levites, and have 27the oversight of them 28that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

25 Who was to be put over the principals of the Levites, and the next in status after the high priest, whose place he guarded in time of emergency. See 1 Kings 4 on verse 4; being therefore called the second priest, 2 Kings 25:18.

26 Whereof there were three, one of each family of Levi; namely, Eliasaph of Gershon’s family, verse 24, and Elizaphan of Kohath’s family, verse 30, and Zuriel of Merari’s family, verse 35.

27 Namely, of Eleazar, who was the principal of the Levites’ principals. Other, this is the office of them that take care of the guard of the sanctuary, taking these words to be the conclusion of what is said touching the office of the Kohathites.

28 That is, who have any charge or office in the service of God.

33¶Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

34And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

35And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

36And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be 29the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

29 In regard that the Merarites had a greater burden to carry than the Gershonites, as appears by comparing this and the next verse with the previous verses 25, 26, therefore the Merarites were allowed four wagons for their service and eight oxen, whereas the Gershonites were to have but two wagons and four oxen. See Num. 7:7, 8.

37And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

38¶But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary 30for the charge of the children of Israel; 31and the strangerh that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

30 That is, instead of the guard which the children of Israel ought otherwise to have observed. See on verse 7.

31 See on verse 10.

h verse 10; Num. 16:40.

39All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were 32twenty and two thousand.

32 Viewing the previous verses 22, 28, 34, we find that the number of the Gershonites was 7500, that of the Kohathites 8600, and the Merarites, 6200, making in all, 22,300, rounded off 300 more than are mentioned in this verse here; but it must be remembered, that unto the number of 22,000, the priests, being of the family of the Kohathites, and the firstborn of the Levites themselves were to be added, who (making up 300 together) were not being given to the priests, but remaining Gods own in a peculiar manner, Exod. 13:2, and not being able to serve for the redeeming of others, being themselves first-born; therefore there are justly reckoned to 22,000 only, because no more were given to the priests.

40¶And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

42And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

44¶And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

45Take the 33Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.

33 Namely, those 22,000 who were numbered, of whom see verse 39.

46And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are 34more than the Levites;

34 The amount of the Levites was only 22,000, verse 39, and the firstborn twenty-two thousand, two hundred-seventy-three, verse 43.

47Thou shalt even take 35five shekels apiece by the poll, 36after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (thei shekel is twenty 37gerahs:)

35 Hebr. five five shekels, by the head or skull.

36 See Gen. 20 on verse 16 and Gen. 23 on verse 15.

i Exod. 30:13; Lev. 27:25; Num. 18:16; Ezek. 45:12.

37 See Lev. 27 on verse 25.

48And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

49And Moses took the redemption money of them 38that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

38 Namely, by 273, mentioned before in verse 46, and consequently so many firstborn were to be redeemed with money. Compare the annotation on verse 46.

50Of 39the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; 40a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

39 Namely, who exceeded the number of the Levites.

40 Each head of the 273 firstborn, exceeding the number of the Levites, was to pay five shekels for his redemption, verse 47. Therefore, the foresaid number being multiplied by five, produces this number.

51And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the 41word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

41 Hebr. mouth.