1Und dieß ist das Geschlecht Aarons und Mose's, am Tage, da Jehova mit Mose redete auf dem Berge Sinai. 2Und dieß sind die Namen der Söhne Aarons: der Erstgeborne Nadab, und Abihu, Eleasar, und Ithamar. 3Dieß sind die Namen der Söhne Aarons, der gesalbten Priester, deren Hand man gefüllt hatte, um als Priester zu dienen. 4Und Nadab und Abihu starben vor Jehova, als sie fremdes Feuer vor Jehova brachten, in der Wüste Sinai; und sie hatten keine Söhne. Da ward Priester Eleasar und Ithamar neben Aaron, ihrem Vater. 5Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach: 6Laß den Stamm Levi herzutreten, und stelle ihn vor Aaron, den Priester, daß sie ihm dienen; 7und besorgen, was für ihn, und was für die ganze Gemeinde zu besorgen ist, vor dem Versammlungszelte; und den Dienst der Wohnung verrichten. 8Sie sollen nämlich alle Geräthe des Versammlungszeltes besorgen, und was für die Söhne Israels zu besorgen ist, wenn sie den Dienst der Wohnung verrichten. 9Und übergib die Leviten dem Aaron und seinen Söhnen; gegeben seyen sie ihm von den Söhnen Israels. 10Aaron aber und seine Söhne verordne, daß sie ihr Priesteramt besorgen; und würde ein Fremder sich nahen, der soll getödtet werden. 11Und Jehova redete zu Mose und sprach: 12Siehe! ich habe die Leviten aus den Söhnen Israels genommen, statt aller Erstgebornen, die die Mutter brechen unter den Söhnen Israels; deßhalb gehören mir die Leviten; 13denn mir gehört jeder Erstgeborne; an dem Tage, da ich alle Erstgebornen im Lande Aegypten schlug, habe ich mir alle Erstgebornen in Israel geheiligt, sowohl Menschen als Vieh; mir gehören sie, ich bin Jehova. 14Und Jehova redete zu Mose in der Wüste Sinai, und sprach: 15Mustere die Söhne Levi's nach ihrenm väterlichen Hause, nach ihren Geschlechtern, alle Männlichen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber, sollst du sie mustern. 16Da musterte sie Mose nach dem Befehle Jehova's, wie geboten war. 17Und dieß waren die Söhne Levi's nach ihren Namen: Gerson, und Kehath, und Merari. 18Und dieß sind die Namen der Söhne Gersons nach ihren Geschlechtern: Libni und Simei. 19Und die Söhne Kehaths nach ihren Geschlechtern: Amram, und Jizhar, Hebron, und Usiel. 20Und die Söhne Merari's nach ihren Geschlechtern: Mahli, und Muschi. Dieß sind die Geschlechter der Söhne Levi's nach ihrem väterlichen Hause. 21Von Gerson kam das Geschlecht Libni, und das Geschlecht Simei, dieß sind die Geschlechter der Gersoniten. 22Nachdem sie gemustert waren nach der Zahl aller Männlichen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber; so waren ihre Gemusterten sieben tausend fünf hundert. 23Die Geschlechter der Gersoniten lagerten sich hinter der Wohnung, gegen Abend, 24sammt dem Fürsten des väterlichen Hauses der Gersoniten Eliasaph, dem Sohne Laels. 25Und die Besorgung der Söhne Gersons im Versammlungszelte war: die Wohnung, und das Zelt, ihre Decke, und der Vorhang an der Thür des Versammlungszeltes; 26und die Umhänge des Hofes, und der Vorhang an der Thür des Hofes, der die Wohnung und den Altar umschließt, und seine Zeltstricke sammt allem Zugehör. 27Und von Kehath kam das Geschlecht der Amramiten, und das Geschlecht der Jizhariten, und das Geschlecht der Hebroniten, und das Geschlecht der Usieliten; dieß sind die Geschlechter der Kehathiten. 28Nach der Zahl alles Männlichen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber, acht tausend sechs hundert, welche besorgten, was beim Heiligthume zu besorgen war. 29Die Geschlechter der Söhne Kehaths lagerten sich an der Seite der Wohnung gegen Mittag, 30sammt dem Fürsten des väterlichen Hauses der Geschlechter der Kehathiten Elizaphan, dem Sohne Usiels. 31Und ihre Besorgung war: die Lade, und der Tisch, und der Leuchter, und die Altäre, und die heiligen Geräthe, die sie zum Dienste brauchten, und der Vorhang, sammt allem Zugehör. 32Und der oberste Fürst der Leviten, Eleasar, der Sohn Aarons, des Priesters, hatte die Oberaufsicht über die, welche besorgten, was beim Heiligthume zu besorgen war. 33Von den Merariten kam das Geschlecht der Mahliten, und das Geschlecht der Muschiten; dieß sind die Geschlechter der Merariten. 34Und ihre Gemusterten, nach der Zahl aller Männlichen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber, sechs tausend zwei hundert, 35sammt dem Fürsten des väterlichen Hauses der Geschlechter Merari's, Zuriel, dem Sohne Abihails, lagerten sich an der Seite der Wohnung gegen Mitternacht. 36Und der Dienst, den die Söhne Merari's zu besorgen hatten, waren: die Bretter der Wohnung, und ihre Riegel, und ihre Säulen, und ihre Füße, und alle ihre Geräthe, sammt allem Zugehör, 37und die Säulen des Hofes ringsum, und ihre Füße, und ihre Pfähle, und ihre Zeltstricke. 38Und die vor der Wohnung gegen Osten sich lagerten, vor dem Versammlungszelte gegen Aufgang, waren Mose, und Aaron, und seine Söhne, welche besorgten, was zu besorgen war im Heiligthume, für die Söhne Israels; und ein Fremder, der nahte, mußte sterben. 39Alle Gemusterten der Leviten, die Mose und Aaron musterten, nach dem Befehle Jehova's, nach ihren Geschlechtern, alle Männlichen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber, waren zwei und zwanzig tausend. 40Und Jehova sprach zu Mose: Mustere alle erstgebornen Männlichen von den Söhnen Israels, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber, und nimm die Zahl ihrer Namen auf. 41Und nimm die Leviten für mich, ich bin Jehova, statt aller Erstgebornen der Söhne Israels, und das Vieh der Leviten statt aller Erstgebornen unter dem Vieh der Söhne Israels. 42Da musterte Mose, wie Jehova ihm geboten hatte, alle Erstgebornen der Söhne Israels. 43Und es betrugen alle erstgebornen Männlichen nach der Zahl der Namen, vom Kinde eines Monates an, und darüber, alle Gemusterten zwei und zwanzig tausend zwei hundert und drei und siebenzig. 44Und es redete Jehova zu Mose und sprach: 45Nimm die Leviten statt aller Erstgebornen unter den Söhnen Israels, und das Vieh der Leviten statt ihres Viehes; so sollen die Leviten mein seyn, ich bin Jehova. 46Und als Lösegeld für die zwei hundert drei und siebenzig, die noch über die Zahl der Leviten von den Erstgebornen der Söhne Israels sind. 47nimm fünf Sekel für jedes Haupt; nach dem heiligen Sekel nimm sie; zwanzig Gera betragen einen Sekel; 48und gib das Silber Aaron, und seinen Söhnen, das Lösegeld für die, welche noch unter ihnen überzählig sind. 49Da nahm Mose das Silber des Lösegeldes von denen, die überzählig waren über die durch die Leviten Ausgelösten. 50Von den Erstgebornen der Söhne Israels nahm er das Silber, tausend drei hundert und fünf und sechzig Sekel nach dem heiligen Gewichte. 51Und Mose gab das Silber des Lösegeldes Aaron und seinen Söhnen nach dem Befehle Jehova's, wie Jehova dem Mose geboten hatte.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 THE LEVITES' SERVICE. (Num. 3:1-51)
These . . . are the generations of Aaron and Moses, &c.--This chapter contains an account of their families; and although that of Moses is not detailed like his brother's, his children are included under the general designation of the Amramites (
Num 3:27), a term which comprehends all the descendants of their common father Amram. The reason why the family of Moses was so undistinguished in this record is that they were in the private ranks of the Levites, the dignity of the priesthood being conferred exclusively on the posterity of Aaron; and hence, as the sacerdotal order is the subject of this chapter, Aaron, contrary to the usual style of the sacred history, is mentioned before Moses.
in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai--This is added, because at the date of the following record the family of Aaron was unbroken.
2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron--All the sons of Aaron, four in number, were consecrated to minister in the priest's office. The two oldest enjoyed but a brief term of office (
Lev 10:1-
Lev 10:2;
Num 3:4;
Num 26:61); but Eleazar and Ithamar, the other two, were dutiful, and performed the sacred service during the lifetime of their father, as his assistants, and under his superintendence.
5 Bring the tribe of Levi near--The Hebrew word "bring near" is a sacrificial term, denoting the presentation of an offering to God; and the use of the word, therefore, in connection with the Levites, signifies that they were devoted as an offering to the sanctuary, no longer to be employed in any common offices. They were subordinate to the priests, who alone enjoyed the privilege of entering the holy place; but they were employed in discharging many of the humbler duties which belonged to the sanctuary, as well as in various offices of great utility and importance to the religion and morals of the people.
9 they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel, &c.--The priests hold the place of God, and the Levites are the servants of God in the obedience they render to the priests.
11 I have taken the Levites, &c.--The consecration of this tribe did not originate in the legislative wisdom of Moses, but in the special appointment of God, who chose them as substitutes for the first-born. 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 (
Exod 13:12;
Exod 22:29), who thus, under peculiar circumstances, seemed to adopt the patriarchal usage of appointing the oldest to act as the priest of the family. But the privilege of redemption that was allowed the first-born opened the way for a change; and accordingly, on the full organization of the Mosaic economy, the administration of sacred things formerly committed to the first-born was transferred from them to the Levites, who received that honor partly as a tribute to Moses and Aaron, partly because this tribe had distinguished themselves by their zeal in the affair of the golden calf (
Exod 32:29), and also because, being the smallest of the tribes, they could ill find suitable employment and support in the work. (See on
Deut 33:8). The designation of a special class for the sacred offices of religion was a wise arrangement; for, on their settlement in Canaan, the people would be so occupied that they might not be at leisure to wait on the service of the sanctuary, and sacred things might, from various causes, fall into neglect. But the appointment of an entire tribe to the divine service ensured the regular performance of the rites of religion. The subsequent portion of the chapter relates to the formal substitution of this tribe.
I am the Lord--that is, I decree it to be so; and being possessed of sovereign authority, I expect full obedience.
14 Number the children of Levi--They were numbered as well as the other tribes; but the enumeration was made on a different principle--for while in the other tribes the number of males was calculated from twenty years and upward [
Num 1:3], in that of Levi they were counted "from a month old and upward." The reason for the distinction is obvious. In the other tribes the survey was made for purposes of war [
Num 1:3], from which the Levites were totally exempt. But the Levites were appointed to a work on which they entered as soon as they were capable of instruction. They are mentioned under the names of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, sons of Levi, and chiefs or ancestral heads of three subdivisions into which this tribe was distributed. Their duties were to assist in the conveyance of the tabernacle when the people were removing the various encampments, and to form its guard while stationary--the Gershonites being stationed on the west, the Kohathites on the south, and the families of Merari on the north. The Kohathites had the principal place about the tabernacle, and charge of the most precious and sacred things--a distinction with which they were honored, probably, because the Aaronic family belonged to this division of the Levitical tribe. The Gershonites, being the oldest, had the next honorable post assigned them, while the burden of the drudgery was thrown on the division of Merari.
32 chief--rather, "chiefs" of the Levites. Three persons are mentioned as chiefs of these respective divisions [
Num 3:24,
Num 3:30,
Num 3:35]. And Eleazar presided over them; whence he is called "the second priest" (
2Kgs 25:18); and in the case of the high priest's absence from illness or other necessary occasions, he performed the duties (
1Kgs 4:4).
38 those that encamp, &c.--That being the entrance side, it was the post of honor, and consequently reserved to Moses and the priestly family. But the sons of Moses had no station here.
39 twenty and two thousand--The result of this census, though made on conditions most advantageous to Levi, proved it to be by far the smallest in Israel. The separate numbers stated in
Num 3:22,
Num 3:28,
Num 3:34, when added together, amount to twenty-two thousand three hundred. The omission of the three hundred is variously accounted for--by some, because they might be first-born who were already devoted to God and could not be counted as substitutes; and by others, because in Scripture style, the sum is reckoned in round numbers. The most probable conjecture is, that as Hebrew letters are employed for figures, one letter was, in the course of transcription, taken for another of like form but smaller value.
40 Number all the first-born of the males of the children of Israel, &c.--The principle on which the enumeration of the Levites had been made was now to be applied to the other tribes. The number of their male children, from a month old and upward, was to be reckoned, in order that a comparison might be instituted with that of the Levites, for the formal adoption of the latter as substitutes for the first-born. The Levites, amounting to twenty-two thousand, were given in exchange for an equal number of the first-born from the other tribes, leaving an excess of two hundred seventy-three; and as there were no substitutes for these, they were redeemed at the rate of five shekels for each (
Num 18:15-
Num 18:16). Every Israelite would naturally wish that his son might be redeemed by a Levite without the payment of this tax, and yet some would have to incur the expense, for there were not Levites enough to make an equal exchange. Jewish writers say the matter was determined by lot, in this manner: Moses put into an urn twenty-two thousand pieces of parchment, on each of which he wrote "a son of Levi," and two hundred seventy-three more, containing the words, "five shekels." These being shaken, he ordered each of the first-born to put in his hand and take out a slip. If it contained the first inscription, the boy was redeemed by a Levite; if the latter, the parent had to pay. The ransom-money, which, reckoning the shekel at half a crown, would amount to 12s. 6d. each, was appropriated to the use of the sanctuary. The excess of the general over the Levitical first-born is so small, that the only way of accounting for it is, by supposing those first-born only were counted as were males remaining in their parents' household, or that those first-born only were numbered which had been born since the departure from Egypt, when God claimed all the first-born as his special property.
41 the cattle of the Levites--These, which they kept to graze on the glebes and meadows in the suburbs of their cities, to supply their families with dairy produce and animal food, were also taken as an equivalent for all the firstlings of the cattle which the Israelites at that time possessed. In consequence of this exchange the firstlings were not brought then, as afterwards, to the altar and the priests.