Numberschapter 3

A.Aaron's sons, and the two who diedvv. 1-4

1 This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

B.Levi given in place of the firstbornvv. 5-13

5 Then the LORD said to Moses, 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. 7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle. 8 They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle. 9 Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites. 10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.” 11 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 12 “Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me, 13 for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”

C.Gershon, Kohath, Merari and their chargesvv. 14-39

14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 “Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.” 16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he had been commanded. 17 These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. 19 The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families. 21 From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans. 22 The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500. 23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle, 24 and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. 25 The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items. 27 From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites. 28 The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary. 29 The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, 30 and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. 31 Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items. 32 The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary. 33 From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. 34 The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200. 35 The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items, 37 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes. 38 Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death. 39 The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

D.Two hundred seventy-three redeemed with silvervv. 40-51

40 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names. 41 You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.” 42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn of the Israelites, as the LORD had commanded him. 43 The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273. 44 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 45 “Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites, 47 you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs. 48 Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.” 49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those in excess of the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

The Levites numbered.

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The Levites numbered. Aaron's sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. The first two dead; Eleazar and Ithamar minister. Levites given to Aaron for the service of the tabernacle; the LORD takes the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel (since the night of the tenth plague). Three clans. Gershon (7,500), Kohath (8,600), Merari (6,200). Total 22,000 Levites; 22,273 firstborn. A surplus of 273 firstborn redeemed at five shekels apiece. Clans assigned positions: Gershon westward, Kohath southward, Merari northward, Moses and Aaron and priests eastward at the entrance of the tabernacle.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Law · Moses — Numbers overview

A. 1–4 Aaron's sons, and the two who died
B. 5–13 Levi given in place of the firstborn
C. 14–39 Gershon, Kohath, Merari and their charges
D. 40–51 Two hundred seventy-three redeemed with silver

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Numbers 316 verses
- Numbers 3:7They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
- Numbers 3:12“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,
- Numbers 3:15“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”
- Numbers 3:19The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
- Numbers 3:20And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.
- Read Numbers 3: 10 more there →
Numbers 27 verses
- Numbers 2:3On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard:
- Numbers 2:9The total number of men in the divisions of the camp of Judah is 186,400; they shall set out first.
- Numbers 2:10On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard:
- Numbers 2:11The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur, and his division numbers 46,500.
- Numbers 2:17In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the Levites. They are to set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard.
- Numbers 2:25On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard:
- Read Numbers 2: 1 more there →
Exodus 66 verses
- Exodus 6:16These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
- Exodus 6:17The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans.
- Exodus 6:18The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
- Exodus 6:19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.
- Exodus 6:20And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
- Exodus 6:23And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Read Exodus 6 →
Numbers 15 verses
- Numbers 1:21those registered to the tribe of Reuben numbered 46,500.
- Numbers 1:49“Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites.
- Numbers 1:50Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp around it.
- Numbers 1:51Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.
- Numbers 1:53But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
- Read Numbers 1 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Numbers 45 verses
- Numbers 4:27All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.
- Numbers 4:35everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 4:37These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses.
- Numbers 4:38Then the Gershonites were numbered by their clans and families,
- Numbers 4:47from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting.
- Read Numbers 4 →
1 Chronicles 64 verses
- 1 Chronicles 6:3The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- 1 Chronicles 6:17These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei.
- 1 Chronicles 6:18The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
- 1 Chronicles 6:19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites listed according to their fathers:
- Read 1 Chronicles 6 →
Numbers 184 verses
- Numbers 18:1So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.
- Numbers 18:6Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 18:7But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”
- Numbers 18:15The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.
- Read Numbers 18 →
Numbers 84 verses
- Numbers 8:11Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.
- Numbers 8:15After you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to serve at the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 8:16For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
- Numbers 8:19And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”
- Read Numbers 8 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.