Numbers 3:12
in Numbers 3“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,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that openeth the womb among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine:
KJV
And 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;
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This verse in Numbers 3
Commentary
5 notes on this verseI have taken the Levites - instead of all the first-born - The Levites are taken for the service of the sanctuary in place of the first-born. The first-born were dedicated to God in commemoration of his slaying the first-born of the Egyptians, and preserving those of the Israelites. Even the cattle of the Levites were taken in place of the first-born of the cattle of the rest of the tribes. See Num 3:
This site's exposition
I have taken the Levites from
on Numbers 3:12-13
The exchange rests on the night of Exodus 12:29. Verse 13 says, “On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel”. Numbers now substitutes Levi for them.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
20 And the sons of Merari by their families; These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers. 21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
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And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
By an appointment made in memory of the last solemn judgment on Egypt (from which the Israelitish households were miraculously exempt) all the first-born were consecrated to God (Ex 13:12;
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The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַאֲנִ֞י | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| הִנֵּ֧ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| לָקַ֣חְתִּי | lakachti | I have taken | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַלְוִיִּ֗ם | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
| מִתּוֹךְ֙ | mitokh | from among | H8432 → | 418 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| תַּ֧חַת | tachat | in place of | H8478 → | 505 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּכ֛וֹר | bekhor | firstborn | H1060 → | 122 times |
| פֶּ֥טֶר | peter | [the] firstborn of | H6363 → | 12 times |
| רֶ֖חֶם | rechem | a womb | H7358 → | 26 times |
| מִבְּנֵ֣י | mibenei | from [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְהָ֥יוּ | vehayu | and they will belong | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| לִ֖י | li | to <the> me | ||
| הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ | halviyim | the Levites | H3881 → | 291 times |
וַאֲנִ֞יand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
הִנֵּ֧הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
לָקַ֣חְתִּיI have taken
lakachtiH3947 →966 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַלְוִיִּ֗םthe Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
מִתּוֹךְ֙from among
mitokhH8432 →418 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
תַּ֧חַתin place of
tachatH8478 →505 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בְּכ֛וֹרfirstborn
bekhorH1060 →122 times
פֶּ֥טֶר[the] firstborn of
peterH6363 →12 times
רֶ֖חֶםa womb
rechemH7358 →26 times
מִבְּנֵ֣יfrom [the] people of
mibeneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְהָ֥יוּand they will belong
vehayuH1961 →3559 times
לִ֖יto <the> me
li
הַלְוִיִּֽם׃the Levites
halviyimH3881 →291 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 13:2“Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”
it leads to
- Luke 2:23
(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”),
- Numbers 3:13
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…
- Deuteronomy 15:19
You must set apart to the LORD your God every firstborn male produced by your herds and flocks. You are not to put the firstborn of your oxen to work, nor are you to…
- Exodus 22:29–30
You must not hold back offerings from your granaries or vats. You are to give Me the firstborn of your sons.
- Numbers 8:16–17
For 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…
- Luke 2:23
Through
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…
it leads to
- Numbers 3:45
“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.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 3:45
Through
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.
it leads to
- Numbers 3:9
Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 34:11
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out.
- Numbers 3:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.