Números 3
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Números 3
NJB (MT versing) Levites To be Priesthood The Sons of Aaron The Levites Are Set Apart for Special Service Aaron's Sons The Tribe of Levi a. the Priests 3:1-4 3:1-4 3:1-4 3:1-4 3:1 3:2 The Levites Serve in the Tabernacle The Levites Are Appointed to Serve the Priests 3:3-4 b. the Levites: their duties 3:5-10 3:5-13 3:5-10 3:5-10 3:5 3:6-9 3:10 c. their privileged status 3:11-13 3:11-13 3:11-13 3:11 Census of the Levites Commanded The Census of Levites 3:12-13 d. census of Levites 3:14-20 3:14-26 3:14-20 3:14-20 3:14 3:15 3:16-17 3:18-20 3:21-24 3:21-26 3:21-26 3:21-26 Duties of the Priests 3:25-26 3:27-32 3:27-32 3:27-32 3:27-31 3:27-31 3:32 3:32 3:33-37 3:33-37 3:33-37 3:33-37 3:33-37 3:38-39 3:38-39 3:38-39 3:38-39 3:38 3:39 Firstborn Redeemed Levites Dedicated Instead of the Firstborn The Levites Take the Place of the First-born Sons e. the Levites and the ransoming of the first-born 3:40-43 3:40-43 3:40-43 3:40-43 3:40-41 3:42-43 3:44-51 3:44-51 3:44-51 3:44-51 3:44-48 3:49-51 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS Numbers 3 is all about the family of Moses and Aaron. This is the family of the tribe of Levi (cf. Num. 3:6-9). The different Levitical families were given specific tasks related to the Tabernacle. the family of Gershon the covering of the inner shrine, Num. 3:25 the screen at the entrance to the inner shrine, Num. 3:25 hangings of the court, Num. 3:26 screen of the doorway of the court, Num. 3:26 outer fencing around the Tabernacle, Num. 3:26 the cords of "e," Num. 3:26 (cf. Exod. 35:18; how these "cords" differ from Num. 3:26,44, is uncertain) the family of Kohath taking care of the furniture of the inner shrine (after it was packed by priests), Num. 3:31 the utensils of the inner shrine, Num. 3:31 the two altars and their screen, Num. 3:31 Eleazar (son of Aaron, Num. 3:2) and his successors were to be overseers of the Levitical workers, Num. 3:32 the family of Merari the frames of the Tabernacle, Num. 3:36 all that was involved in holding it together, Num. 3:26 The tribe of Levi, not of the family of Moses and Aaron, were to take the place of "the firstborn" of Exodus 13, cf. Num. 3:21, 41 There is some question about the size of Israel's population. A good brief discussion is found in Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 65-67. For a good brief discussion of OT genealogies see NIDOTTE, vol. 4, pp. 654-662.
Números 3:1-4
3:1 Moses' and Aaron's genealogy is also found in Exod. 6:20-27. This family became the priests. It is very unusual for "Aaron" to be listed before "Moses" (i.e., Exod. 6:20; Num. 26:59; 1 Chr. 23:13). ▣ "on Mount Sinai" This is stated as being given at the same general time as Num. 1:1. For the location of Mt. Sinai see SPECIAL TOPIC: LOCATION OF MT. SINAI. 3:3 "anointed" Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel, p. 105, makes a good point about this verse. only High Priests anointed ‒ Exod. 29:4-9; Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:13, 15; 8:12; 16:32 all priests anointed ‒ Exod. 28:41; 30:30; 40:12-15; Lev. 7:35-36; 10:7; and here See SPECIAL TOPICS: "ANOINTING" IN THE BIBLE and LEVITICAL PRIESTS. ▣ NASB, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA "ordained" NKJV, Peshitta "consecrated" "invested with the power" "had been installed" "whose hands they had validated" The MT has the idiom, "to fill the hand" (BDB 388 and the VERB BDB 569, KB 583, Piel PERFECT, cf. Exod. 32:29). This idiom comes from the ordination of Aaron in Leviticus 8 (esp. vv.18, 22, 27, 33; also note Exod. 28:41). 3:4 The account of Nadab and Abihu's disobedience is recorded in Leviticus 10:1-7. They may have been drunk (cf. Lev. 10:8-11).
Números 3:5-10
3:6 The other families from Levi were to help the priests serve the Tabernacle. "Bring" (BDB 897, KB 1132, Hiphil IMPERATIVE) denotes bringing someone. into YHWH's presence (i.e., inner shrine). Here it refers to the consecration of the Levites to service the priests and the Tabernacle. 3:7 At the beginning of this verse the root שׁרמ ‒ appears three times (also note vv. 8,10,28,32,38). they shall perform ‒ BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal PERFECT with waw) the duties ‒ BDB 1038 (for Aaron) #2 repeated in MT, duties for the whole congregation (cf. Num. 3:8) also used of priests in Num. 3:10a The Levites were to both serve and guard the Tabernacle (cf. Num. 3:10). 3:9 Notice the VERB "give" is repeated three times. you shall give ‒ BDB 678, KB 733, Qal PERFECT with waw Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE twice NASB translates #2 above has "they are wholly given." 3:10b This is also mentioned in v. 38 and Num. 18:7. In Exod. 30:33, it also means "layman," not foreigner. See note at Num. 1:51.
Números 3:11-13
3:12-13 The last plague on Egypt was the death of the firstborn of Egypt, both cattle and humans (cf. Exodus 11). Because of this, all firstborn of animals and humans belonged to YHWH, for His service (Exodus 13). In time, the tribe of Levi replaced these as the servants of YHWH. For a good brief discussion of "substitution" see article in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, p. 824.
Números 3:14-20
3:14 "the wilderness of Sinai" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WILDERNESSES OF THE EXODUS. 3:15 "Number" This word (BDB 823, KB 955) is used often in this chapter. It has a wide semantic field (i.e., attend to, visit, appoint), but in ths context it means "muster." Num. 3:15,40 ‒ Qal IMPERATIVE Num. 3:15 ‒ Qal IMPERFECT Num. 3:15,42 ‒ Qal IMPERFECT with waw Num. 3:22 (twice), 34,39,43 ‒ Qal PASSIVE PARTICIPLE Num. 3:39 ‒ Qal PERFECT 3:16 "the word of the Lord" "Word" is literally "mouth" (BDB 804, cf. Exod. 17:1; 3:39,51; 33:2). YHWH is spirit. He does not have a physical body but humans are forced to use anthropomorphic words to speak of God. See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE DEITY.
Números 3:25-26
3:25 There are several terms used to describe different aspects of the portable worship place. the tent of meeting ‒ BDB 13 CONSTRUCT BDB 417 the Tabernacle ‒ BDB 1015, UBS Text Project, p. 212, says this refers to "the tapestries covering the wood structures of the tent" the tent ‒ BDB 13 covering ‒ BDB 492, UBS Text Project, p. 212, says this refers to "the covering piece of goat-hair which was spread out over the whole tent" (cf. Exod. 26:7; 36:14) screen for the doorway ‒ BDB 697 says it refers to the three "screens" of the Tabernacle at the gate ‒ Exod. 27:16; 35:17; 38:18; 39:40; 40:8,33; Num. 3:26; 4:26 at the entrance to the tent ‒ Exod. 26:30,37; 35:15; 36:37; 39:38; 40:5,28; Num. 3:25,31; 4:25 before the Holy of Holies ‒ Exod. 35:12; 39:34; 40:21; Num. 4:5 3:26 "the altar" This refers to the altar of sacrifice because the altar of incense mentioned in v. 31. See SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF SACRIFICE. 3:26 "the altar" This refers to the altar of sacrifice because of the altar of incense mentioned in v. 31. See SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF SACRIFICE.
Números 3:27-32
3:27 "Kohath" Moses and Aaron were from this family of Levi (cf. Num. 26:59; Exod. 6:20). 3:31 "the ark" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ARK OF THE COVENANT. ▣ "the table" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SHOW BREAD OF THE PRESENCE. ▣ "the lampstand" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LAMPSTAND (Menorah). ▣ "the altars" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF INCENSE.
Números 3:38-39
3:39 "22,000" This total number does not fit the sums given in vv. 14-30. Gordon Wenham, Tyndale OT Commentaries, vol. 4, p. 71, mentions that probably the "8,600" of v. 28 is a scribal error between the "6," שׁשׁ, and "3," שׁלשׁ. This change is supported by some LXX MSS and the Armenian version.
Números 3:44-51
3:46 These numbers of firstborn among the other tribes were greater than the number of firstborn of Levi, so Israel had to pay a ransom price for the 273 extras (i.e., very precise number). See SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM. It is surprising that the firstborn males of Levi were so close to the firstborn of all the other tribes combined. But remember, the other tribes were numbered from 20 years and up, while the Levites from one month up. If a baby reached one year of age, it was expected to live to adulthood. Firstborn of domestic animals were sacrificed but firstborn of humans were ransomed (i.e., Luke 2:27). See SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRSTBORN. ▣ "shekel. . .gerah" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES. 3:51 This is a repeated refrain (cf. Num. 1:54; 2:34; 3:16).