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Numbers Chapter
Four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 4
This
chapter relates an order to number the Levites fit for business, and gives an
account of the time and age when they should enter into service, and how long
they should continue therein, Numbers 4:1; what
their particular service should be; and first of the Kohathites, Numbers 4:4; next
of the Gershonites, Numbers 4:21; and
then of the Merarites, Numbers 4:29; after
which Moses and Aaron, with the chief of the congregation, numbered each of
them, even as many as were at the age fit for service, as the Kohathites, Numbers 4:34; the
Gershonites, Numbers 4:38; the
Merarites, Numbers 4:42; the
sum total of which is given, Numbers 4:46.
Numbers 4:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron,
saying:
YLT
1And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses, and unto Aaron, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron,.... After
they had taken the number of the Levites, and made an exchange of the firstborn
of Israel for them; and now they are ordered to number them a second time, and
take out from them such as were fit for service:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 4:2 2 “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the
children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house,
YLT
2`Take up the sum of the
sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, by their families, by the
house of their fathers;
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi,.... They were
to begin with them first, and number them:
after their families, by the house of their fathers; as many as
were of the age after mentioned; and the reason why they began with Kohath, and
not Gershon, the eldest son, as in the former numbering, was; not as Aben Ezra
suggests, because of Moses and Aaron, who sprung from him, for that, if it had
any strength in it, would have held good before; but rather, as Chaskuni and
others, because the Kohathites carried the ark and other holy things; though
the true reason seems to be, because of the order observed in taking down the
tabernacle, and removing the parts of it, and the things in it; and it was most
proper and reasonable, when they were about to take it down, first to take out
the ark, table, &c. which was the business of the Kohathites to carry; next
to take down the curtains, coverings, and hangings for the tabernacle and
court, and the doors thereof, which were the charge of the Merarites;
wherefore, in this order the sum out of each of them fit for business were
ordered to be numbered.
Numbers 4:3 3 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT
3from a son of thirty years
and upward, even till a son of fifty years, every one going in to the host, to
do work in the tent of meeting.
From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old,.... This is
the full time of the Levites service, and the prime season of man's life for
business; at thirty years of age he is at his full strength, and when fifty it
begins to decline: it is said in the MisnahF24Pirke Abot, c. 5.
sect. 21. ,"a son of thirty years for strength,'upon which one of the
commentatorsF25Bartenora in Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 21. makes this
remark, that the Levites set up the tabernacle and took it down, and loaded the
wagons, and carried on their shoulders from thirty years and upwards: thus both
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and Christ himself, entered into
their ministry at this age:
all that enter into the host; army or warfare; for
though the Levites were exempted from going forth to war, yet their service was
a sort of warfare; they were a camp of themselves about the tabernacle, and
part of their work was to watch and guard it, that it was neither defiled nor
robbed; in allusion to this, the ministry of the word is called a warfare, and
ministers of the Gospel good soldiers of Christ, and their doctrines weapons of
warfare, 1 Timothy 1:18;
some interpret this of the troop, company, or congregation of the Levites,
which a man of thirty years of age was admitted into for business:
to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation; not in the
sanctuary, either in the holy place or in the most holy place, where they were
never allowed to enter, or do any business in, such as sacrificing, burning
incense, &c. but in that part of it which was called "the tabernacle
of the congregation", or where the people assembled on occasion, and that
was the court, which was so called, as Jarchi observes on Exodus 29:32.
Numbers 4:4 4 “This is the service of the sons of Kohath in
the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things:
YLT
4`This [is] the service of
the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the holy of holies:
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath, in the
tabernacle of the congregation,.... What follows, Numbers 4:4,
about the most holy
things; which Aben Ezra interprets only of the ark, which was indeed a
most holy thing, and stood in the most holy place; but there were other holy
things, in the care of which the service of the Kohathites lay; as the
shewbread table, the candlestick, and the altars of incense and burnt offering,
and the vail, and the ministering: vessels, which Jarchi reckons with it, as
more holy than all other things.
Numbers 4:5 5 When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons
shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the
Testimony with it.
YLT
5that Aaron and his sons
have come in, in the journeying of the camp, and have taken down the vail of
the hanging, and have covered with it the ark of the testimony;
And when the camp setteth forward,.... Upon the cloud's
removing and the trumpets blowing:
Aaron shall come, and his sons; into the holy place:
and they shall take down the covering vail: the vail that
divided between the holy and the most holy place, which covered all in the holy
of holies out of sight:
and cover the ark of testimony with it; together with
the mercy seat and cherubim on it, that they might not be seen nor touched by
the Levites when they carried them. Now though the high priest himself might
not go into the most holy place but once a year, on the day of atonement, yet
on this occasion, when the tabernacle was to be taken down, and the things in
it to be removed, both he and his sons might enter without danger; since, as
Bishop Patrick observes, the divine Majesty was gone from thence in the cloud
which gave the signal for the motion of the camp, and the taking down of the
tabernacle.
Numbers 4:6 6 Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins,
and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its
poles.
YLT
6and have put on it a
covering of badger skin, and have spread a garment completely of blue above,
and have placed its staves.
And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins,.... Not that
which covered the tabernacle, for that was committed to the Gershonites, Numbers 4:25; but a
covering made of these on purpose for the present use, to preserve the ark from
rain and dust; and this covering was put not immediately upon the ark, but upon
the other coverings that were over the ark, and so preserved the vail as well
as the ark:
and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue; it is a
matter of question, whether this was over the covering of badgers' skins also;
if over the latter, as one would think it should be, by the order of the text,
how could that be a shelter from the rain and dust, which seems to be the use
of it, and therefore should be the outermost, as one of the same kind was the
outermost covering of the tabernacle? Aben Ezra observes, there were some that
say it was over the covering of badger's skin, but it is right in mine eyes,
says he, that it was spread over the covering vail; if indeed it was for the
sake of honour and dignity, the first is right, but the badger's skin was on
account of rain and dust:
and shall put in the staves thereof: having been removed
while the ark was covering, as Aben Ezra observes, or otherwise they always
remained in their rings, and were never taken out, Exodus 25:14; but
on this occasion they might, and then be put in again for the carrying of the
ark, which was the use of them; though he also remarks, that there are some
that say the sense is, they put the staves on the shoulders of them that
carried it, which is not a despicable sense; unless rather it is to be
understood of putting the staves through holes made in the coverings of the
ark, and disposing and fitting them in them, for the better carriage of it.
Numbers 4:7 7 “On the table of showbread they shall spread a blue
cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the pitchers for
pouring; and the showbread[a] shall be
on it.
YLT
7`And on the table of the
presence they spread a garment of blue, and have put on it the dishes, and the
spoons, and the bowls, and the cups of the libation, and the bread of
continuity is on it,
And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue,.... That that
also might not be seen nor touched by the Levites:
and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the
covers to cover withal: all which belonged to the shewbread table; the use of which; see
Gill on Exodus 25:29; these
seem to be put not immediately upon the table, but upon the blue cloth spread
over the table:
and the continual bread shall be thereon: the shewbread
is called "continual", because it was always on the table; for while
the one was removing by a set of priests, which had stood a week, new loaves
were placed by another set of priests: this bread seems at this time to be
placed also upon the table, spread with the blue cloth; and from hence it
appears, that the Israelites had the shewbread in the wilderness; for the
making of which they might be supplied with corn from the neighbouring
countries, though they themselves needed not any, being daily fed with manna.
Numbers 4:8 8 They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth, and cover
the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles.
YLT
8and they have spread over
them a garment of scarlet, and have covered it with a covering of badger skin, and
have placed its staves,
And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet,.... Upon the
dishes and other vessels belonging to the shewbread table, and on the shewbread
itself:
and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins; this was
clearly the outward covering, and seems to confirm the observation made in Numbers 4:6; that
the same sort of covering was the outermost covering of the ark:
and shall put in the staves thereof; which belonged to the
table, and were made to carry it with on occasion, from place to place; see Exodus 25:27; and
the same phrase being used as here of the staves of the ark in Numbers 4:6; seems
to confirm the sense of them there, that they were taken out and put in upon
this occasion, though otherwise fixed.
Numbers 4:9 9 And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the
lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all
its oil vessels, with which they service it.
YLT
9and have taken a garment of
blue, and have covered the candlestick of the lamp, and its lights, and its
snuffers, and its snuff-dishes, and all its oil vessels wherewith they minister
to it;
And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of
the light, and his lamps,.... Which had lamps in it, and were continually lighted, and
gave light in the holy place:
and his tongs, and his snuff dishes, and all the oil vessels
thereof,
wherewith they minister unto it; by supplying the lamps
with oil, and snuffing and trimming them.
Numbers 4:10 10 Then they shall put it with all its utensils in a
covering of badger skins, and put it on a carrying beam.
YLT
10and they have put it and
all its vessels unto a covering of badger skin, and have put [it] on the bar.
And they shall put it, and all the vessels thereof, within a
covering of badgers' skins,.... Which here also was the outermost
covering; the ark and the shewbread table had three coverings, but the
candlestick only two, they being more sacred than that, especially the ark:
and shall put it upon a bar; the word "mot"
perhaps signifies a kind of mat or mattress, on which the candlestick and its
vessels, bundled together in the covering of the badgers' skins, were laid and
carried between men on staves; and so the Septuagint render the word
"staves"; as does the Targum of Onkelos.
Numbers 4:11 11 “Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth,
and cover it with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles.
YLT
11`And on the golden altar
they spread a garment of blue, and have covered it with a covering of badger
skin, and have placed its staves;
And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue,.... The altar
of incense, which was overlaid with gold, and therefore called a golden one, to
which the allusion is in Revelation 8:3,
and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins; after the
cloth of blue was spread upon it:
and shall put to the staves thereof; into the rings, both
made to bear and carry it, upon occasion, from place to place.
Numbers 4:12 12 Then they shall take all the utensils of service with
which they minister in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover
them with a covering of badger skins, and put them on a carrying beam.
YLT
12and have taken all the
vessels of ministry wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and have put
[them] unto a garment of blue, and have covered them with a covering of badger
skin, and have put [them] on the bar,
And they shall take all the instruments of ministry,
wherewith they minister in the sanctuary,.... The
garments in which the priests, ministered in the sanctuary, which were laid up
in proper places, and which they only wore when in service:
and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a
covering of badgers' skins; all wrapped up in one bundle:
and shall put them on a bar; the same sort of
carriage on which the candlestick and its vessels were borne; see Gill on Numbers 4:10.
Numbers 4:13 13 Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar,
and spread a purple cloth over it.
YLT
13and have removed the ashes
of the altar, and have spread over it a garment of purple;
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a
purple cloth thereon. Having cleared the holy of holies, and the holy place, they were
to come forth from thence into the court of the tabernacle, where stood the altar
of burnt offering, which is here meant, and on which sacrifices being daily
burnt, there were always ashes to be removed; and which at this time was highly
necessary to be done, when the tabernacle was taken down, and all belonging to
it to be carried away; and though no mention is made of the fire, which was
always burning on it, it was doubtless preserved, and care was taken for the
carrying it along with the altar, or in a separate vessel from it. Bishop
Patrick supposes it might be carried upon the grate.
Numbers 4:14 14 They shall put on it all its implements with which
they minister there—the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the basins, and all
the utensils of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of badger
skins, and insert its poles.
YLT
14and have put on it all its
vessels wherewith they minister about it, the censers, the hooks, and the
shovels, and the bowls, all the vessels of the altar, and have spread on it a
covering of badger skin, and have placed its staves:
And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof,.... Upon the
altar covered with a blue cloth; on that were to be put everything belonging to
the altar:
wherewith they minister about it; the priests, when they
offered sacrifice on it:
even the censers,
the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basins,
all the vessels of the altar; of which see Exodus 27:3,
and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins: to prevent
the rains falling upon them, which being all of brass, would be apt to tarnish:
and put to the staves of it; which were made to bear
and carry it on such an occasion as this, Exodus 27:6. No
mention is made of the laver, though there is both in the Septuagint and
Samaritan versions, which add,"and they shall take a purple cloth and
cover the layer, and its base, and shall put it into a covering of skin of a
blue colour, and put it upon bearers:'but perhaps the reason why this is not
mentioned is, because it was carried uncovered; the mystery of which, Ainsworth
conjectures, was this, that it might be a lively representation of the grace of
God in Christ, continuing and opened as an ever springing fountain, where
always God's elect, having faith in him, may wash and purge themselves in the
blood of Christ unto forgiveness of sin sanctification of the Spirit, and
salvation; see Zechariah 13:1.
Numbers 4:15 15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the
sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go,
then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not
touch any holy thing, lest they die.
“These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which
the sons of Kohath are to carry.
YLT
15`And Aaron hath finished --
his sons also -- covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary,
in the journeying of the camp, and afterwards do the sons of Kohath come in to
bear [it], and they do not come unto the holy thing, that they have died; these
[things are] the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
And when Aaron and his sons had made an end of covering the
sanctuary,.... Not the holy place, nor the most holy place, for these were
not covered by them; but "the holy things" in them, as the Septuagint
version, the ark, shewbread table, &c. and all "the vessels of the
sanctuary"; all appertaining to those holy things, which are before
mentioned. Jarchi interprets the "sanctuary", or the
"holiness", of the ark and altar:
and all the vessels of the sanctuary; of the
candlestick and the instruments of ministry:
as the camp is to set forward; which made the covering
of them necessary, in order to their being carried as that moved:
after that the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it; or rather
them, all the holy things, and their vessels, and that upon their shoulders:
but they shall not touch any holy thing; even in
bearing them, neither the ark nor any other, only the staves and bar, on which
they were carried: lest they die; by the immediate hand of God:
these things are the burden of the sons of Kohath, in the
tabernacle of the congregation; the above things, the ark, &c. which
they were to bear on their shoulders, and not make use of wagons to carry them.
Numbers 4:16 16 “The appointed duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the
priest is the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily grain
offering, the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, of all that is
in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.”
YLT
16`And the oversight of
Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, [is] the oil of the lamp, and the
spice-perfume, and the present of continuity, and the anointing oil, the
oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that [is] in it, in the sanctuary,
and in its vessels.'
And to the office of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
pertaineth the oil for
the light,.... The following things, to bear them, according to some Jewish
writers; but rather it was to give the oil for the light, that is, the vessels,
and so the vessels of the oil to the sons of the Kohathites; agreeably to which
are the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, who paraphrase the words,"and
that which was delivered to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil for
the light, &c.'And indeed the words, as they are in the Hebrew text, may be
rendered,"and the oversight of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall
be, or "let it be", the oil for the light, &c.F26So
Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator. ;'the same word being so rendered in a
latter clause of this same text: he had the inspection of these, and on him lay
to see to it, that these were carried by the Kohathites, the oil for the light
of the lamps in the candlestick; of which see Exodus 27:20,
and the sweet incense: to burn on the altar of
incense, Exodus 30:34,
and the daily meat offering; offered with the lambs
morning and evening, Exodus 29:40,
and the anointing oil; with which Aaron and his
sons were anointed, the tabernacle and all its vessels, Exodus 30:23,
and the oversight of all the
tabernacle, and of all that therein is,
in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof: the former,
the oil for the light, &c. were his immediate oversight and care; but the
oversight of these by his brother Ithamar, according to the Jewish writers.
Numbers 4:17 17 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses and Aaron, saying:
YLT
17And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron,.... And gave
them a very solemn and awful charge about this affair of the Kohathites, it
being a very hazardous one they were employed in:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 4:18 18 “Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the
Kohathites from among the Levites;
YLT
18`Ye do not cut off the
tribe of the families of the Kohathite from the midst of the Levites;
Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from
among the Levites. Or give no occasion, as the Targum of Jonathan; or be not the
cause of their cutting off, as Jarchi, through negligence or inadvertency of
theirs, in packing up the above things, and delivering them to them.
Numbers 4:19 19 but do this in regard to them, that they may live and
not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in
and appoint each of them to his service and his task.
YLT
19but this do to them, and
they have lived, and do not die in their drawing nigh the holy of holies: --
Aaron and his sons go in, and have set them, each man to his service, and unto
his burden,
But thus do unto them,.... As after directed:
that they may live and not die; live long, and not die a
sudden and violent death:
when they approach unto the most holy things; the ark, the
shewbread table, &c. to take them up and carry them:
Aaron and his sons shall go in; into the holy and most
holy places:
and appoint them in everyone to his service, and to his burden; what everyone
shall do, and how they shall take them up, and bear them.
Numbers 4:20 20 But they shall not go in to watch while the holy
things are being covered, lest they die.”
YLT
20and they go not in to see
when the holy thing is swallowed, that they have died.'
But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered,.... They were
not to be present while they were packing up, test they should see any of them
with their eyes; they were not to go in until they were quite covered out of
sight; which may signify the hiding of the mysteries of grace in those things
under the former dispensation, when even the Levites themselves were not
admitted to a sight of them; see Ephesians 3:4,
lest they die; by the immediate hand of God.
Numbers 4:21 21 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses, saying:
YLT
21And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Though Aaron is not
mentioned here, he was concerned in taking the sum of the Gershonites, as well
as of the Kohathites, as appears from Numbers 4:41,
saying; as follows.
Numbers 4:22 22 “Also take a census of the sons of Gershon, by their
fathers’ house, by their families.
YLT
22`Take up the sum of the
sons of Gershon also by the house of their fathers, by their families;
Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon,.... As well
as of the sons of Kohath; for though Gershon was Levi's eldest son, yet his
posterity were not excused from the service of the tabernacle, and bearing
things of it in journeying:
throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; all in their
several houses, and in the several families in those houses, that were of the
age next mentioned, were to be numbered.
Numbers 4:23 23 From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, you shall number them, all who enter to perform the service, to do the
work in the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT
23from a son of thirty years
and upward, till a son of fifty years thou dost number them, every one who is
going in to serve the host, to do the service in the tent of meeting.
From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old,
shalt thou number them,.... Take an account how
many there are of that age, and so fit for serviceF1לצבא צבא "ad militandum
militiam", Montanus, Drusius. ; See Gill on Numbers 4:3,
to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation; as the rest
of the Levites; see Numbers 4:3;
Numbers 4:24 24 This is the service of the families of the
Gershonites, in serving and carrying:
YLT
24`This [is] the service of
the families of the Gershonite, to serve -- and for burden,
This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to
serve, and for burdens. The former of these phrases Aben Ezra interprets of setting up
the tabernacle, making the bread (the shewbread), slaying (the sacrifices), and
keeping, that is, watching and guarding, the tabernacle; and the latter of what
they did when journeying, bearing and carrying the things assigned to them,
afterwards mentioned.
Numbers 4:25 25 They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and
the tabernacle of meeting with its covering, the covering of badger
skins that is on it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of
meeting,
YLT
25and they have borne the
curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting, its covering, and the
covering of the badger [skin] which [is] on it above, and the vail at the
opening of the tent of meeting,
And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle,.... The ten
curtains of fine linen, Exodus 26:1,
and the tabernacle of the congregation; the curtains
of goats' hair made for a tent over it, as Jarchi, see Exodus 26:7,
his covering the covering of rams skins dyed red, Exodus 26:14,
and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon
it; over all the rest:
and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; the eastern
vail, as Jarchi calls it, which was for the door of the tent that led into the
tabernacle, the holy place, Exodus 26:36.
Numbers 4:26 26 the screen for the door of the gate of the court, the
hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and altar, and
their cords, all the furnishings for their service and all that is made for
these things: so shall they serve.
YLT
26and the hangings of the
court, and the vail at the opening of the gate of the court which [is] by the
tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the vessels
of their service, and all that is made for them -- and they have served.
And the hangings of the court,.... Which made the great
court that surrounded the tabernacle, Exodus 27:9,
and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court; the eastern
gate that led into the court, an hanging of twenty cubits, Exodus 27:16,
which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about; that is,
which hangings that formed the court, and were round about the tabernacle, and
the altar of burnt offering; See Gill on Exodus 26:36,
and their cords; which fastened the hangings to pins or
stakes fixed in the ground to keep them tight, that they might not be moved to
and fro with the wind:
and all the instruments of their service; in the court,
as the tables on which the sacrifices were laid, and the hooks, and cords, and
pins, on which they were hung and fastened, as Aben Ezra; see Ezekiel 40:39,
and all that is made for them; for the vessels of
service, or for the tabernacle, or the altar, as the same writer intimates:
so shall they serve; by bearing them and
carrying them.
Numbers 4:27 27 “Aaron and his sons shall assign all the service of
the sons of the Gershonites, all their tasks and all their service. And you
shall appoint to them all their tasks as their duty.
YLT
27`By the command of Aaron
and his sons is all the service of the sons of the Gershonite in all their
burden, and in all their service; and ye have laid a charge on them concerning
the charge of all their burden.
At the appointment of Aaron and his sons,.... As they
shall order and direct:
shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites; everyone of
them was to take their share, as Aaron and his sons should appoint them:
in all their burdens, and in all their service; what each of
them should carry, and in what they should perform duty:
and ye shall appoint to them in charge all their burdens; charge them
carefully to keep all that were committed to them to bear, that none be lost,
not a pin nor a cord.
Numbers 4:28 28 This is the service of the families of the sons
of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting. And their duties shall be under
the authority[b] of Ithamar
the son of Aaron the priest.
YLT
28This [is] the service of
the families of the sons of the Gershonite in the tent of meeting; and their
charge [is] under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon,.... Which
they should execute when the camp and tabernacle were in motion:
in the tabernacle of the congregation in the court; where they
should take up their burdens, or which lie in things respecting the tabernacle;
this was the part they were to be employed in, namely, in taking care of the
hangings of the tabernacle, &c.
and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son
of Aaron the priest; the things committed to their care were delivered by him to
them, and they were under his inspection and direction.
Numbers 4:29 29 “As for the sons of Merari, you shall number
them by their families and by their fathers’ house.
YLT
29`The sons of Merari, by
their families, by the house of their fathers, thou dost number them;
As for the sons of Merari,.... The third and
youngest son of Levi:
thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their
fathers; which is the form of expression used of them all; See Gill on Numbers 4:2.
Numbers 4:30 30 From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of
the tabernacle of meeting.
YLT
30from a son of thirty years
and upward even unto a son of fifty years thou dost number them, every one who
is going in to the host, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
From thirty years old and upward,.... The Septuagint
version here, and in Numbers 4:3,
renders it, from twenty five years old and upward, agreeable to Numbers 8:24, at
the which age the Levites went into the tabernacle, to wait and to learn their
business, but they did not enter upon it till thirty:
even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them; at which age
they were discharged from business:
everyone that entereth into the service, to do the work of the
tabernacle of the congregation; See Gill on Numbers 4:3.
Numbers 4:31 31 And this is what they must carry as all their
service for the tabernacle of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, its bars,
its pillars, its sockets,
YLT
31`And this [is] the charge
of their burden, of all their service in the tent of meeting; the boards of the
tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,
And this is the charge of their burden,.... What
should be committed to their care and charge, and they should bear and carry:
according to all their service in the tabernacle of the
congregation; which was assigned to them as their part, and which was very
heavy and cumbersome, and therefore they had wagons allowed them, Numbers 7:8,
the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the
pillars thereof, and sockets thereof; all these belonged to
the holy and to the most holy place; see Exodus 26:15.
Numbers 4:32 32 and the pillars around the court with their sockets,
pegs, and cords, with all their furnishings and all their service; and you
shall assign to each man by name the items he must carry.
YLT
32and the pillars of the
court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, of all
their vessels, and of all their service; and by name ye do number the vessels
of the charge of their burden.
And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets,
and their pins, and their cords,.... These belonged to
the court of the tabernacle; the pillars were what the hangings were hung upon,
and the sockets, into which the pillars were set, and the and cords, with which
the hangings were fastened; see Exodus 27:9,
with all their instruments, and with all their service; whatever else
were used in, and served for the support of this part of the tabernacle:
and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their
burden; everything, even the least that were committed to their charge,
and they were to bear and carry, either they themselves, or in wagons, were to
be mentioned by name; and not only every board, pillar, and socket, were to be
told out to them, and particularly named, how many they were, to what they
belonged, from whence they were taken, and where to be replaced; but every pin,
and cord, and the use of them, that so when they came to set up the tabernacle
again, there might be nothing wanting in its place to secure it, and make it as
firm as at first: such particular notice and care does God take of all his
people, and Christ of all committed to him, and so should ministers of the word
of all that are their charge, who must one day give an account to God, Hebrews 13:17.
Numbers 4:33 33 This is the service of the families of the sons
of Merari, as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting, under the
authority[c] of Ithamar
the son of Aaron the priest.”
YLT
33`This [is] the service of
the families of the sons of Merari, for all their service, in the tent of
meeting, by the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.'
This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari,.... The
Mahlites and Mushites, namely, the service before observed, the particulars of
which are given:
according to all their service in the tabernacle of the
congregation; agreeably to what was allotted to them in that part of the
tabernacle they were concerned in:
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest; who had the
oversight of these as well as of the Gershonites, as Eleazar had of the
Kohathites; though as Eleazar was the chief of the tribe of Levi, it is thought
that Ithamar acted under him, Numbers 3:32.
Numbers 4:34 34 And Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation
numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers’
house,
YLT
34And Moses numbereth --
Aaron also, and the princes of the company -- the sons of the Kohathite, by
their families, and by the house of their fathers,
And Moses and Aaron, and the chief of the congregation,
numbered the sons of the Kohathites,.... Perhaps these chiefs
were the same with those who were concerned with Moses and Aaron in numbering
all the tribes whose names were given, Numbers 1:5; the
Kohathites are begun with, according to the divine direction, and then the
Gershonites and Merarites in their order; and in Numbers 4:34 is
only an account of the numbering of each of them, as ordered by the Lord, and
this account is expressed in the same terms in them all; there remains nothing
to be observed but the particular sums of each of them, the number of the
Kohathites from thirty years old even to fifty, men able and fit for business,
were 2750, Numbers 4:36;
whereas their number from a month old were 8600, Numbers 3:28; so
that not a third part of them were at an age for service: the number of the
Gershonites were 2630, Numbers 4:40; whose
number of males in all were 7500, Numbers 3:22; so
that they were rather more than a third part who were able-bodied then and fit
for business; and the number of the Merarites were 3200, Numbers 4:44; and
as the number of males of a month old and upwards were 6200, Numbers 3:34; there
were more than half of them able and fit men for service; in which, as
Ainsworth observes, may be seen the wisdom of divine Providence, that whereas
the service of the Kohathites and Gershonites were the lightest, and what was
committed to them the easiest of carriage, they had the fewer hands of able men
to be employed, though their numbers of individuals were the greatest; and the
Merarites, who had the smallest number of males, yet having the heaviest work
to do in carrying burdens, loading and unloading wagons, were superior to the
rest in their number of able bodied men; and thus God makes good his promise,
that as the day of his people is, their strength shall be; whatever work and
service God calls men to, he will fit them for it: the sum total of the
Levites, in the several divisions of them, who were between: thirty and fifty
years of age, in which they performed their office, was 8580, Numbers 4:48; a
small number, as the above writer observes, of such as warred the spiritual
warfare in the sanctuary of God, when the tribe of Judah afforded 74,600 for
the outward warfare.
after their families, and after the house of their fathers; See Gill on Numbers 4:2.
Numbers 4:35 35 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting;
YLT
35from a son of thirty years
and upward even unto a son of fifty years, every one who is going in to the
host, for service in the tent of meeting,
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:36 36 and those who were numbered by their families were two
thousand seven hundred and fifty.
YLT
36and their numbered ones, by
their families, are two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
And those that were numbered of them by their families,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:37 37 These were the ones who were numbered of the
families of the Kohathites, all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting,
whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
YLT
37These [are] those numbered
of the families of the Kohathite, every one who is serving in the tent of
meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, by the command of Jehovah, by the hand
of Moses.
These were they that were numbered of the families of the
Kohathites,.... See Gill on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:38 38 And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by
their families and by their fathers’ house,
YLT
38And those numbered of the
sons of Gershon, by their families, and by the house of their fathers,
And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:39 39 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting—
YLT
39from a son of thirty years
and upward even unto a son of fifty years, every one who is going in to the
host, for service in the tent of meeting,
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:40 40 those who were numbered by their families, by their
fathers’ house, were two thousand six hundred and thirty.
YLT
40even their numbered ones,
by their families, by the house of their fathers, are two thousand and six
hundred and thirty.
Even those that were numbered of them,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34;
Numbers 4:41 41 These are the ones who were numbered of the
families of the sons of Gershon, of all who might serve in the tabernacle of
meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord.
YLT
41These [are] those numbered
of the families of the sons of Gershon, every one who is serving in the tent of
meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the command of Jehovah.
These are they that were numbered of the families,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34;
Numbers 4:42 42 Those of the families of the sons of Merari who were
numbered, by their families, by their fathers’ house,
YLT
42And those numbered of the
families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by the house of their
fathers,
And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34;
Numbers 4:43 43 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting—
YLT
43from a son of thirty years
and upward even unto a son of fifty years, every one who is going in to the
host, for service in the tent of meeting,
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:44 44 those who were numbered by their families were three
thousand two hundred.
YLT
44even their numbered ones,
by their families, are three thousand and two hundred.
Even those that were numbered of them after their families,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:45 45 These are the ones who were numbered of the
families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the
word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
YLT
45These [are] those numbered
of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, by the
command of Jehovah, by the hand of Moses.
These be those that were numbered of the families of the
sons of Merari,.... See Gill on Numbers 4:34;
Numbers 4:46 46 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses,
Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and by their
fathers’ houses,
YLT
46All those numbered, whom
Moses numbered -- Aaron also, and the princes of Israel -- of the Levites, by
their families, and by the house of their fathers,
All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron
and the chief of Israel numbered,.... See Gill on Numbers 3:34.
Numbers 4:47 47 from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years
old, everyone who came to do the work of service and the work of bearing
burdens in the tabernacle of meeting—
YLT
47from a son of thirty years
and upward even unto a son of fifty years, every one who is going in to do the
work of the service, even the service of burden in the tent of meeting,
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:48 48 those who were numbered were eight thousand five
hundred and eighty.
YLT
48even their numbered ones
are eight thousand and five hundred and eighty;
Even those that were numbered of them,.... See Gill
on Numbers 4:34.
Numbers 4:49 49 According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, each according to his
service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, as the Lord commanded Moses.
YLT
49by the command of Jehovah
hath [one] numbered them, by the hand of Moses, each man by his service, and by
his burden, with his numbered ones, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
According to the commandment of the Lord, they were numbered by
the hand of Moses,.... Aaron and the chief of the congregation of Israel assisting
it:
everyone according to his service; called in Numbers 4:47
"the service of the ministry", or "service of service",
which Jarchi interprets of that part of the service of the Levites, which lay
in singing the song with cymbals and harps; which, he says, was a service to
another service; though it seems to be better explained, by Chaskuni, of their
taking down and setting up of the tabernacle, which was a service incumbent on
all the Levites:
and according to his burden: called "the service
of the burden", Numbers 4:47; which
the last mentioned writer restrains to the ark, table, candlestick, and altars,
which the Kohathites carried on their shoulders; but may be extended to what
each of them bore and carried when journeying:
thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses; from thirty
years old to fifty, as Jarchi observes; for that was the order given to Moses
by the Lord, which he punctually attended to, as a faithful servant in the
house of God.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)