Numbers Chapter 3
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
Numbers 3:1-13
Bible Verses:
1These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
2And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest’s office.
4And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest’s office in the sight of Aaron their father.
5And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
7And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
8And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
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 stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
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 that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
13Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord.
There was much work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites to attend them. Those whom God finds work for, he will find help for. The Levites were taken instead of the first-born. When He that made us, saves us, as the first-born of Israel were saved, we are laid under further obligations to serve him faithfully. God's right to us by redemption, confirms the right he has to us by creation.
Numbers 3:14-39
Bible Verses:
14And 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 a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
16And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.
17And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
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, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
23The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
Numbers 3:40-51
Bible Verses:
40And 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.
44And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45Take the Levites 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.
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 more than the Levites;
47Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)
48And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.