1And Jehovah will speak to Moses, and to Aaron, saying, 2Take the head of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the sons of Levi, according to their families, according to the house of their fathers: 3From the son of thirty years and above, and to the son of fifty years, all coming in to war to do the works of the tent of appointment 4These the works of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment, the holy of holies. 5And Aaron came, and his sons, in the removing of the camp, and they took down the vail of the covering, and they covered with it the ark of the testimony. 6And they gave upon it a covering of tahash skins, and they spread over a garment wholly cerulean purple from above, and they put up its bars. 7And upon the table of the face they shall spread a garment cerulean purple, and they gave upon it the dishes, and the censers, and the bowls and the cups pouring out: and the continual bread shall be upon it. 8And they spread upon them a garment of double scarlet, and they covered it with a cover of tahash skins, and they put up the bars. 9And they took a garment cerulean purple, and covered the chandelier of the light, and its lamps and its ,tongs and its fire pans, and all the vessels of its oil, which they shall serve to it with them: 10And they gave it and all its vessels into a covering of tahash skins, and they gave upon the bar. 11And upon the altar of gold they will spread a garment cerulean purple, and they covered it with a tahash skin covering, and they set up its bars. 12And they shall take all the vessels of the service which they shall serve in them in the holy place, and they gave to the garment of cerulean purple, and they covered them in a tahash skin covering, and they gave upon the bar. 13And they shall anoint the altar, and spread upon it a purple garment: 14And they shall give upon it all its vessels which they shall serve upon it with them, the fire pans, and the flesh hooks, and the shovels and the vases, and all the vessels of the altar; and they covered over it a tahash skin covering, and they set up its bars. 15And Aaron and his sons finished to cover the holy place, and all the vessels of the holy place, in removing the camp; and after this the sons of Kohath shall come forth to lift up: and they shall not touch the holy place, and die. These the lifting up of the sons of Kohath in the tent of appointment 16And the care of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil of the light, and the incense of aromatics, and the continual gift, and the oil of anointing, and the care of all the dwelling and all which in it, in the holy place, and in its vessels. 17And Jehovah will speak to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 18Ye shall not cut off the tribe from the families of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites. 19And this do ye to them, and they lived, and they shall not die, in their coming near the holy of holies: Aaron and his sons shall come in and set them a man, a man upon his works, and to his lifting up. 20And they shall not go in to see for a moment's time the holy place, and die. 21And Jehovah will speak to Moses, saying, 22Take the head of the sons of Gershon, them also according to the house of their fathers, according to their families; 23From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them; all going, to war the warfare, to serve the service in the tent of appointment 24This the service from the families of the Gershonites, for service, and for lifting up: 25And they lifted up the curtains of the dwelling and the tent of appointment, its covering, and the covering of tahash which is upon it from above, and the covering of the door of the tent of appointment 26And the curtains of the enclosure, and the covering of the door of the gate of the enclosure which is by the dwelling and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the vessels of their service, and all which shall be made for them: and they shall serve. 27At the mouth of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites for all their lilting up and for all their service: and ye shall appoint upon them in their watches all their lifting up. 28This the service from the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of appointment: and their watches in the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest 29The sons of Merari according to their families, according to the house of their fathers, thou shalt review them; 30From the son of thirty years and above, and even to the son of fifty years, thou shalt review them all going forth to war, to serve the service of the tent of appointment 31And this the watches from their lifting up, for all their service in the tent of appointment; the boards of the dwelling, and its bars and its pillars, and its bases, 32And the pillars of the enclosure round about, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords for all their vessels, and for all their service: and by name ye shall review the vessels of the watches of their lifting up. 33This the service from the families of the sons of Merari, for all their service in the tent of appointment, by the hand of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest. 34And Moses shall review, and Aaron, and the chiefs of the assembly, the sons of the Kohathites, according to their families, and according to the house of their fathers, 35From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, all going forth to war, to the service in the tent of appointment 36And they being numbered according to their families shall be two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 37These the reviews of the families of the Kohathites, all serving in the tent of appointment, whom Moses reviewed and Aaron, at the mouth of Jehovah by the hand of Moses. 38And they being reviewed of the sons of Gershon, according to their families, according to the house of their fathers, 39From the son of thirty years and above, even to the son of fifty years, all going forth to war, for the service in the tent of appointment, 40And they being reviewed according to their families, according to the house of their fathers, shall be two thousand six hundred and thirty. 41These the reviewings of the families of the sons of Gershon, all serving in the tent of appointment, whom Moses reviewed and Aaron, at the mouth of Jehovah. 42And they being reviewed of the families of the sons of Merari, according to their families, according to the house of their fathers, 43From the son of thirty years, even to the son of fifty years, all going forth to war, for the service in the tent of appointment; 44And they being reviewed according to their families, shall be three thousand and two hundred. 45These the reviewings of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses reviewed and Aaron, at the mouth of Jehovah, by the hand of Moses. 46All the reviewings which Moses reviewed, and Aaron, and the chiefs of Israel, the Levites, according to their families, and according to the house of their fathers, 47From the son of thirty years and above, and even to the son of fifty years, all going forth to serve the works of the service, and the works of lifting up in the tent of appointment; 48And they being reviewed shall be eight thousand and five hundred and eighty. 49At the mouth of Jehovah he reviewed them by the hand of Moses, a man, a man for his works and for his lifting up: and they were reviewed which Jehovah commanded Moses.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 2 OF THE LEVITES' SERVICE. (Num. 4:1-49)
sons of Kohath, from thirty years old and upward--This age was specifically fixed (see on
Num 8:24) as the full maturity of bodily energy to perform the laborious duties assigned them in the wilderness, as well as of mental activity to assist in the management of the sacred services. And it was the period of life at which John the Baptist and Christ entered on their respective ministries.
even unto fifty--The term prescribed for active duty was a period of twenty years, at the end of which they were exempted from the physical labors of the office, though still expected to attend in the tabernacle (
Num 8:26).
all that enter into the host--so called from their number, the order and discipline maintained through their ranks, and their special duty as guards of the tabernacle. The Hebrew word, however, signifies also a station or office; and hence the passage may be rendered, "All that enter into the sacerdotal office" (
Num 4:23).
4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath, &c.--They are mentioned first, from their close connection with Aaron; and the special department of duty assigned to them during the journeyings of Israel accorded with the charge they had received of the precious contents of the tabernacle. But these were to be previously covered by the common priests, who, as well as the high priest, were admitted on such necessary occasions into the holy place. This was an exception to the general rule, which prohibited the entrance of any but the high priest. But when the cloud removed from the tabernacle, the sanctuary might be entered by the common priests, as to them was reserved the exclusive privilege of packing the sacred utensils; and it was not till the holy things were thus ready for carriage, that the Kohathites were allowed to approach.
5 covering veil--the inner veil, which separated the holy from the most holy place. (See on
Exod 36:35).
6 covering of badgers' skins--(See on
Exod 25:5). The covering, however, referred to was not that of the tabernacle, but one made for the special purpose of protecting the ark.
put in the staves--These golden staves were now taken out. (See on
Exod 25:15, compared with
1Kgs 8:8). The Hebrew word rendered "put in," signifies also "dispose," and probably refers here to their insertion through the openings in the coverings made for receiving them, to preserve them from the touch of the carriers as well as from the influence of the weather. It is worthy of notice that the coverings did not consist of canvas or coarse tarpaulin, but of a kind which united beauty with decency.
7 continual showbread--Though the people were in the wilderness fed upon manna, the sacred loaves were constantly made of corn, which was probably raised in small quantities from the verdant patches of the desert.
10 a bar--or bier, formed of two poles fastened by two cross pieces and borne by two men, after the fashion of a sedan chair.
12 instruments of ministry--the official dress of the priests (
Exod 31:10).
13 shall take away the ashes from the altar, &c.--The necessity of removing ashes from the altar plainly implies that sacrifices were offered in the wilderness (compare
Exod 18:12;
Exod 24:4), though that rebellious race seems frequently to have neglected the duty (
Amos 5:25). No mention is made of the sacred fire; but as, by divine command, it was to be kept constantly burning, it must have been transferred to some pan or brazier under the covering, and borne by the appointed carriers.
15 the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die--The mode of transport was upon the shoulders of the Levites (see on
Num 7:9), although afterwards wheeled vehicles were employed (
2Sam 6:3;
1Chr 15:12). And it was allowed to touch the covering, but not the things covered, on the penalty of death, which was inflicted more than once (
1Sam 6:19;
2Sam 6:6-7). This stern denunciation was designed to inspire a sentiment of deep and habitual reverence in the minds of those who were officially engaged about holy things.
16 to the office of Eleazar . . . pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, &c.--He was charged with the special duty of superintending the squadron who were employed in the carrying of the sacred furniture; besides, to his personal care were committed the materials requisite for the daily service, and which it was necessary he should have easily at his command (
Exod 29:38).
17 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, &c.--a solemn admonition to Moses and Aaron to beware, lest, by any negligence on their part, disorder and improprieties should creep in, and to take the greatest care that all the parts of this important service be apportioned to the proper parties, lest the Kohathites should be disqualified for their high and honorable duties. The guilt of their death would be incurred by the superintending priest, if he failed to give proper directions or allowed any irreverent familiarity with sacred things.
24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, &c.--They were appointed to carry "the curtains of the tabernacle"--that is, the goats' hair covering of the tent--the ten curious curtains and embroidered hangings at the entrance, with their red morocco covering, &c.
28 their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron, &c.--The Levites were generally subject to the official command of the priests in doing the ordinary work of the tabernacle. But during the journeyings Eleazar, who was next in succession to his father, took the special charge of the Kohathites [
Num 4:16], while his brother Ithamar had the superintendence of the Gershonites and Merarites [
Num 4:33].
29 As for the sons of Merari--They carried the coarser and heavier appurtenances, which, however, were so important and necessary, that an inventory was kept of them--not only on account of their number and variety, but of their comparative commonness and smallness, which might have led to their being lost or missing through carelessness, inadvertency, or neglect. It was a useful lesson, showing that God disregards nothing pertaining to His service, and that even in the least and most trivial matters, He requires the duty of faithful obedience.
34 Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites, &c.--This enumeration was made on a different principle from that which is recorded in the preceding chapter [
Num 3:15]. That was confined to the males from a month old and upward, while this was extended to all capable of service in the three classes of the Levitical tribe. In considering their relative numbers, the wisdom of Divine Providence appears in arranging that, whereas in the Kohathites and Gershonites, whose burdens were few and easier, there were but about a third part of them which were fit for service; the Merarites, whose burdens were more and heavier, had above one half of them fit for this work [POOLE]. The small population of this tribe, so inferior to that of the other tribes, is attempted to be explained (see on
Num 3:39).