1I korero ano a Ihowa ki a Mohi raua ko Arona, i mea, 2Taua nga tama a Kohata, i roto i nga tama a Riwai, tenei hapu, tenei hapu o ratou, i nga whare o o ratou matua, 3Nga mea e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei o ratou tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, nga mea katoa e uru ana ki te mahi, ki te mea i nga mea o te tapenakara o te whakaminenga. 4Ko te mahi tenei ma nga tama a Kohata i roto i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, ko nga mea tino tapu: 5A ka maunu te puni, me haere a Arona ki roto, ratou ko ana tama, ka tuku i te arai hipoki ki raro, a ka hipoki iho ki te aaka o te whakaaturanga: 6Na ka maka iho te hipoki ki runga, ara nga hiako pateri, a ka uhi iho i tetahi kakahu ki runga, he mea puru katoa, ka kuhu i nga amo. 7Me uhi ano ki te kakahu puru te tepu taro aroaro, ka whakatakoto ai i nga rihi ki runga, me nga koko, me nga peihana, me nga kapu hei ringihanga: hei runga ano hoki te taro pumau takoto ai: 8Ka uhi ki te kakahu ngangana, ka hipoki ai ki te hiako pateri hei hipoki mo runga, ka kuhu i ona amo. 9Na ka mau ratou ki tetahi kakahu puru, ka hipoki ai i te turanga whakamarama, i ona rama hoki, i ona kuku, i ona oko ngarahu, i ona oko hinu katoa, i nga mea e minita ai ratou ki reira: 10Ka hoatu ai me ona mea katoa ki roto ki te takai, hei te mea hiako pateri, ka whakaeke ai ki runga ki te amo. 11A me uhi iho e ratou he kakahu puru ki runga ki te aata koura, ka hipoki ai ki tetahi hipoki hiako pateri, ka kuhu ai i ona amo: 12Na ka mau ki nga mea e minita ai ratou i te wahi tapu, ka hoatu ki roto ki te kakahu puru, ka hipoki ki tetahi hipoki hiako pateri, ka whakaeke ki te amo: 13Na ka tahi atu ratou i nga pungarehu o te aata, ka hipoki ai ki te kakahu papaura: 14Me whakatakoto ano ki runga ona oko katoa e minita ai ratou ki reira, nga tahu kakara, nga marau kikokiko, nga koko pungarehu, nga peihana, nga mea katoa o te aata; ka hipoki ai ki te hipoki hiako pateri, ka kuhu ai i ona amo. 15A ka oti i a Arona ratou ko ana tama te hipoki te wahi tapu, me nga mea katoa o te wahi tapu, ina tata te puni te maunu; ka mutu, na ka haere mai nga tama a Kohata ki te kauhoa: otiia kaua ratou e pa ki tetahi mea tapu kei mate ratou. Ko enei ng a mea a nga tama a Kohata e mau ai o te tapenakara o te whakaminenga. 16A, ko ta Ereatara, ko ta te tama a te tohunga, a Arona, e whakaaro ai, ko te hinu mo te whakamarama, ko te whakakakara reka, ko te whakahere totokore o tenei ra, o tenei ra, ko te hinu whakawahi, me te tirotiro i te tapenakara katoa, i nga mea k atoa hoki o reira, i te wahi tapu, i ona mea hoki. 17I korero ano a Ihowa ki a Mohi raua ko Arona, i mea, 18Kei hatepea atu e koutou te iwi o nga hapu o nga Kohati i roto i nga Riwaiti: 19Engari ko tenei ta koutou e mea ai ki a ratou, kia ora ai ratou, kei mate, ina whakatata ki nga mea tino tapu: me haere a Arona ratou ko ana tama ki roto, ka whakarite ai i a ratou ki tana mahi, ki tana mahi, ki tana amohanga, ki tana amohanga: 20Otiia kaua ratou e haere ki roto ki te matakitaki i te wahi tapu ahakoa he wa poto, kei mate ratou. 21I korero ano a Ihowa ki a Mohi, i mea, 22Taua hoki nga tama a Kerehona, i nga whare o o ratou matua, i o ratou hapu: 23Ko nga mea e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei nga tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, au e tatau ai; ko nga mea katoa hoki e uru ana ki te mahi i nga mahi o te tapenakara o te whakaminenga. 24Ko te mahi tenei ma nga hapu o nga Kerehoni, ko te mahi, ko te amo: 25Ma ratou hoki e amo nga pa o te tapenakara, te tapenakara hoki o te whakaminenga, tona hipoki, me te hipoki hiako pateri i waho ake, me te pa o te whatitoka o te tapenakara o te whakaminenga; 26Me nga pa o te marae, me te pa mo te whatitoka o te kuwaha o te marae, o tera i te tapenakara, i te aata a tawhio noa, me nga aho, me nga mea katoa mo te mahinga o aua mea, me nga mea katoa i hanga mo aua mea: ko ta ratou mahi tena. 27Kei a Arona ratou ko ana tama te tikanga mo nga mahi katoa a nga tama a nga Kerehoni, mo a ratou amohanga katoa, mo a ratou mahi katoa: ma koutou hoki e whakarite ki a ratou te tikanga mo nga mea katoa e amo ai ratou. 28Ko te mahi tenei ma nga hapu o nga tama a Kerehona i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga: a, ko nga tikanga ma ratou kei a Itamara tama a te tohunga, a Arona. 29Ko nga tama a Merari, me tatau ratou e koe i o ratou hapu, i nga whare o o ratou matua; 30Ko nga mea e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei o ratou tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, au e tatau ai, ko nga tangata katoa e uru ana ki te mahi, ki te mahi i te mahi o te tapenakara o te whakaminenga. 31A ko te tikanga ano tenei mo ta ratou e amo ai, i a ratou mahinga katoa i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga; ko nga papa o te tapenakara, me ona kaho, me ona pou, me ona turanga pou; 32Me nga pou o te marae a tawhio noa, me nga turanga pou, me nga titi, me nga aho, me nga mea katoa o aua mea, me nga mea katoa o ena mahinga: me tatau a ingoa nga mea kei a ratou nei te tikanga mo te amo. 33Ko te mahi tenei a nga hapu o nga tama a Merari, i a ratou mahinga katoa i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, i raro i te ringa o Itamara tama a te tohunga, a Arona. 34Na ka taua e Mohi ratou ko Arona, ko nga ariki o te whakaminenga, nga tama a nga Kohati, i o ratou hapu, i nga whare ano o o ratou matua, 35Nga mea e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei o ratou tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, nga tangata katoa i uruki te mahi, ki te mahi i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga: 36A taua ake o ratou, i o ratou hapu, e rua mano e whitu rau e rima tekau. 37Ko enei i taua o nga hapu o nga Kohati, ko nga tangata hei mahi i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, i taua nei e Mohi raua ko Arona, pera me ta Ihowai whakahau ai, na te ringa o Mohi. 38Ataua ake o nga tama a Kerehona i o ratou hapu, i nga whare o o ratou matua, 39Nga mea e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei o ratou tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, nga mea katoa i uru ki te mahi, ki te mahi i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, 40Taua ake o ratou i o ratou hapu, i nga whare o o ratou matua, e rua mano e ono rau e toru tekau. 41Ko enei i taua o nga hapu o nga tama a Kerehona, o nga tangata katoa hei mahi i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, i taua nei e Mohi raua ko Arona, pera me ta Ihowa i whakahau ai. 42A taua ake o nga hapu o nga tama a Merari, i o ratou hapu, i nga whare o o ratou matua, 43Nga mea hoki e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei o ratou tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, nga tangata katoa i uru ki te mahi, hei mahi i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga, 44Taua ake o ratou i o ratou hapu, e toru mano e rua rau. 45Ko enei i taua o nga hapu o nga tama a Merari, i taua nei e Mohi raua ko Arona, pera me ta Ihowa i whakahau ai, na te ringa o Mohi. 46Ko nga tangata katoa o nga Riwaiti i taua, a Mohi ratou ko Arona, ko nga ariki o Iharaira i tatau ai, i o ratou hapu, i nga whare o o ratou matua, 47Ko nga mea hoki e toru tekau, he maha atu ranei o ratou tau, a tae noa ki nga mea e rima tekau o ratou tau, ko nga tangata katoa i uru ki te mahi i nga mahi e mahia ana, ki te mahi hoki, ki te amoamo i roto i te tapenakara o te whakaminenga; 48Taua ake o ratou e waru mano e rima rau e waru tekau. 49Rite tonu ki ta Ihowa i whakahau ai te tauanga o ratou e te ringa o Mohi, tenei, tenei, me tana mahi, me tana amo: na poto ake ratou te tatau e ia, te pera me ta Ihowa i whakahau ai ki a Mohi.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 We have here a second muster of the tribe of Levi. As that tribe was taken out of all Israel to be God's peculiar, so the middle-aged men of that tribe were taken from among the rest to be actually employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now observe,
I. Who were to be taken into this number. All the males from thirty years old to fifty. Of the other tribes, those that were numbered to go forth to war were from twenty years old and upward, but of the Levites only from thirty to fifty; for the service of God requires the best of our strength, and the prime of our time, which cannot be better spent than to the honour of him who is the first and best. And a man may make a good soldier much sooner than a good minister. Now,
1. They were not to be employed till they were thirty years old, because till then they were in danger of retaining something childish and youthful and had not gravity enough to do the service, and wear the honour, of a Levite. They were entered as probationers at twenty-five years old, (
Num 8:24), and in David's time, when there was more work to be done, at twenty (
1Chr 23:24, and so
Ezra 3:8); but they must be five years learning and waiting, and so fitting themselves for service; nay, in David's time they were ten years in preparation, from twenty to thirty. John Baptist began his public ministry, and Christ his, at thirty years old. This is not in the letter of it obligatory on gospel ministers now, as if they must either not begin their work till thirty years old or must leave off at fifty; but it gives us two good rules: - (1.) That ministers must not be novices,
1Tim 3:6. It is a work that requires ripeness of judgment and great steadiness, and therefore those are very unfit for it who are but babes in knowledge and have not put away childish things. (2.) That they must learn before they teach, serve before they rule, and must
first be proved, 1Tim 3:10.
2. They were discharged at fifty years old from the toilsome part of the service, particularly that of carrying the tabernacle; for that is the special service to which they are here ordained, and which there was most occasion for while they were in the wilderness. When they began to enter upon old age, they were dismissed, (1.) In favour to them, that they might no be over-toiled when their strength began to decay. Twenty years' good service was thought pretty well for one man. (2.) In honour to the work, that it might not be done by those who, through the infirmities of age, were slow and heavy. The service of God should be done when we are in the most lively active frame. Those do not consider this who put off their repentance to old age, and so leave the best work to be done in the worst time.
II. How their work is described. They are said to
enter into the host, or warfare,
to do the work in the tabernacle. The ministry is
a good work (
1Tim 3:1): ministers are not ordained to the honour only, but to the labour, not only to have the wages, but to do the work. It is also a
good warfare, 1Tim 1:18. Those that enter into the ministry must look upon themselves as entered into the
host, and approve themselves
good soldiers, 2Tim 2:3. Now, as to the sons of Kohath in particular, here is,
1. Their service appointed them, in the removes of the tabernacle. Afterwards, when the tabernacle was fixed, they had other work assigned them; but this was the work of the day, which was to be done in its day. Observe, Wherever the camp of Israel went, the tabernacle of the Lord went with them, and care must be taken for the carriage of it. Note, Wherever we go, we must see to it that we take our religion along with us, and not forget that or any part of it. Now the Koliathites were to carry all the holy things of the tabernacle. They were charged with those things before (
Num 3:31), but here they have more particular instructions given them. (1.) Aaron, and his sons the priests, must pack up the things which the Kohathites were to carry, as here directed,
Num 4:5, etc. God had before appointed that none should come into the most holy place, but only Aaron once a year with a cloud of incense (
Lev 16:2); and yet, the necessity of their unsettled state requiring it, that law is here dispensed with; for every time they removed Aaron and his sons went in to take down the ark, and make it up for carriage; for (as the learned bishop Patrick suggests) the
shechinah, or display of the divine majesty, which was over the mercy-seat, removed for the present in the pillar of cloud, which was taken up, and then the ark was not dangerous to be approached. (2.) All the holy things must be covered, the ark and table with three coverings, all the rest with two. Even the ashes of the altar, in which the holy fire was carefully preserved and raked up, must have a purple cloth spread over them,
Num 4:13. Even the brazen altar, though in the court of the sanctuary it stood open to the view of all, yet was covered in the carriage of it. All these coverings were designed, [1.] For safety, that these holy things might not be ruffled with the wind, sullied with the rain, nor tarnished with the sun, but that they might be preserved in their beauty; for
on all the glory shall be a defence. The coverings of badgers' skins, being thick and strong, would keep out wet; and, while we are in our passage through the wilderness of this world, it concerns us to be fenced
for all weathers, Isa 4:5,
Isa 4:6. [2.] For decency and ornament. Most of these things had a cloth of blue, or purple, or scarlet, spread outmost; and the ark was covered with a cloth
wholly of blue (
Num 4:6), an emblem (say some) of the azure skies, which are spread like a curtain between us and the Majesty on high,
Job 26:9. Those that are faithful to God should endeavour likewise to appear beautiful before men, that they may
adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. [3.] For concealment. It signified the darkness of that dispensation. That which is now brought to light by the gospel, and revealed to babes, was then hidden from the wise and prudent. They saw only the coverings, not the holy things themselves (
Hebre 10:1); but now Christ has
destroyed the face of the covering, Isa 25:7. (3.) When all the holy things were covered, then the Kohathites were to carry them on their shoulders. These things that had staves were carried by their staves (
Num 4:6,
Num 4:8,
Num 4:11,
Num 4:14); those that had not were carried upon a bar, or bier, or bearing barrow,
Num 4:10,
Num 4:12. See how the tokens of God's presence in this world are movable things; but we look for a kingdom that cannot be moved.
2. Eleazar, now the eldest son of Aaron, is appointed overseer of the Kohathites in this service (
Num 4:16); he must take care that nothing was forgotten, left behind, or displaced. As a priest he had more honour than the Levites, but then he had more care; and that care was a heavier burden, no doubt, upon his heart, than all the burdens that were laid upon their shoulders. It is much easier to do the work of the tabernacle than to discharge the trusts of it, to obey than to rule.
3. Great care must be taken to preserve the lives of these Levites, by preventing their unseasonable irreverent approach to the most holy things:
Cut you not off the Kohathites, Num 4:18. Note, Those who do not what they can to keep others from sin do what they can to cut them off. [1.] The Kohathites must not see the holy things till the priests had covered them,
Num 4:20. Even those that bore the vessels of the Lord saw not what they bore, so much were even those in the dark concerning the gospel whose office it was to expound the law. And, [2.] When the holy things were covered, they might not touch them, at least not the ark, called here
the holy thing, upon pain of death,
Num 4:15. Uzza was struck dead for the breach of this law. Thus were the Lord's ministers themselves then kept in fear, and that was a dispensation of terror, as well as darkness; but now, through Christ, the case is altered; we have
seen with our eyes, and our
hands have handles, the word of life (
1John 1:1), and we are encouraged to
come boldly to the throne of grace. 21 We have here the charge of the other two families of the Levites, which, though not so honourable as the first, yet was necessary, and was to be done regularly. 1. The Gershonites were charged with all the drapery of the tabernacle, the curtains, and hangings, and the coverings of badgers' skins,
Num 4:22-
Num 4:26. These they were to take down when the cloud removed, and the ark and the rest of the holy things were carried away, to pack up and bring with them, and then to set up again, where the cloud rested. Aaron and his sons allotted to them their respective charge: You shall take care of such a curtain, and you of such a hanging, that every one may know his work, and there may be no confusion,
Num 4:27. Ithamar particularly was to take the oversight of them,
Num 4:28. 2. The Merarites were charged with the heavy carriage, the boards and bars, the pillars and sockets, the pins and cords, and these were delivered to them by name,
Num 4:31,
Num 4:32. An inventory was given them of every particular, that it might be forthcoming, and nothing to seek, when the tabernacle was to be set up again. Though these seemed of less importance than the other things pertaining to the sanctuary, yet there was this care taken of them, to teach us with the greatest exactness to preserve pure and entire all divine institutions, and to take care that nothing be lost. It also intimates the care God takes of his church, and every member of it; the good Shepherd
calls his own sheep by name, John 10:3. Here were thousands of men employed about these services, though a much less number would have served for the bearing of those burdens; but it was requisite that the tabernacle should be taken down, and set up, with great expedition, and many hands would make quick work, especially when every one knew his work. They had tents of their own to take care of, and to take along with them, but the young men under thirty, and the old men above fifty, might serve for them; nor is there any mention of them, for God's house must always be preferred before our own. Their care was preposterous who built and ceiled their own houses while God's house lay waste,
Hag 1:4,
Hag 1:9. The death of the saints is represented as the taking down of the tabernacle (
2Cor 5:1), and the putting of it off,
2Pet 1:14. The immortal soul, like the most holy things, is first covered and taken away, carried by angels, unseen, under the inspection of the Lord Jesus, our Eleazar. Care is also taken of the body - the skin and flesh, which are as the curtains, the bones and sinews which are as the bars and pillars; none of these shall be lost; commandment is given concerning the bones, a covenant made with the dust; these are in safe custody, and shall all be produced in the great day, when this tabernacle shall be set up again, and these vile bodies made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ.
34 We have here a particular account of the numbers of the three families of the Levites respectively, that is, of the effective men, between thirty years old and fifty. Observe, 1. The Kohathites were, in all, 8600 from a month old and upwards; but of these there were but 2750 serviceable men, not a third part. The Gershonites, in all, 7500, and of them but 2630 serviceable men, little more than a third part. Note, Of the many that add to the numbers of the church, there are comparatively but few that contribute to the service of it. So it has been, and so it is; many have a place in the tabernacle that do but little of the work of the tabernacle,
Phili 2:20,
Phili 2:21. 2. That the Merarites were but 6200 in all, and yet of these there were 3200 serviceable men, that is, more than half. The greatest burden lay upon that family, the boards, and pillars, and sockets; and God so ordered it that, though they were the fewest in number, yet they should have the most able men among them; for whatever service God calls men to he will furnish them for it, and give strength in proportion to the work, grace sufficient. 3. The whole number of the able men of the tribe of Levi who entered into God's host to war his warfare was but 8580, whereas the able men of the other tribes that entered into the host of Israel to war their warfare were many more. The least of the tribes had almost four times as many able men as the Levites, and some of them more than eight times as many; for those that are engaged in the service of this world, and war after the flesh, are many more than those that are devoted to the service of God, and
fight the good fight of faith.