1Und dies sind die Nachkommen Aharons und Mosches am Tag, da der Ewige mit Mosche auf dem Berg Sinai redete. 2Und dies sind die Namen der Söhne Aharons: Der Erstgeborene Nadab, dann Abihu, El'asar und Itamar. 3Dies sind die Namen der Söhne Aharons, der gesalbten Priester, die man ins Amt eingesetzt hatte, als Priester zu dienen. 4Es starben aber Nadab und Abihu vor dem Ewigen, als sie fremdes Feuer vor dem Ewigen darbrachten, in der Wüste Sinai; Söhne aber hatten sie nicht, so dienten El'asar und Itamar angesichts ihres Vaters Aharon als Priester. 5Und der Ewige redete zu Mosche und sprach: 6«Laß den Stamm Lewi herzutreten und stelle ihn vor den Priester Aharon, daß sie ihn bedienen. 7Und sie sollen die Wartung wahren für ihn und für die ganze Gemeinde vor dem Erscheinungszelt, um den Dienst der Wohnung zu verrichten. 8Und sie sollen achthaben auf alle Geräte des Erscheinungszeltes und auf die Wartung für die Kinder Jisraël, um den Dienst der Wohnung zu verrichten. 9Und du sollst die Lewiten Aharon und seinen Söhnen übergeben; gegeben, gegeben seien sie ihm von den Kindern Jisraël. 10Aharon aber und seine Söhne sollst du bestellen, daß sie ihres Priestertums warten; doch der Fremde, der sich naht, soll getötet werden.» 11Und der Ewige redete zu Mosche und sprach: 12«Ich aber, sieh, ich habe die Lewiten aus den Kindern Jisraël herausgenommen anstatt alles Erstgeborenen, das den Mutterschoß löst, unter den Kindern Jisraël; so sollen die Lewiten mir gehören. 13Denn mein ist alles Erstgeborene; am Tag, da ich alles Erstgeborene im Land Mizraim schlug, habe ich mir alles Erstgeborene in Jisraël geheiligt, von Mensch bis Vieh; mir sollen sie gehören, ich bin der Ewige.» 14Und der Ewige redete zu Mosche in der Wüste Sinai und sprach: 15«Mustere die Söhne Lewis nach ihrem Vaterhaus, nach ihren Familien; alles Männliche, vom Einmonatkind an und darüber, sollst du sie mustern.» 16Da musterte sie Mosche nach dem Befehl des Ewigen, wie ihm geboten war. 17Und dies waren die Söhne Lewis mit ihren Namen: Gerschon, Kehat und Merari. 18Und dies die Namen der Söhne Gerschons nach ihren Familien: Libni und Schim'i. 19Und die Söhne Kehats nach ihren Familien: Amram und Jizhar, Hebron und Usiël. 20Und die Söhne Meraris nach ihren Familien: Mahli und Muschi. Dies sind die Familien des Lewi nach ihrem Vaterhaus: 21Von Gerschon: Die Familie des Libni und die Familie des Schim'i; dies sind die Familien von Gerschon. 22Ihre Gemusterten in der Zählung alles Männlichen vom Einmonatkind und darüber, ihre Gemusterten waren siebentausendfünfhundert. 23Die Familien von Gerschon sollen hinter der Wohnung lagern gegen Westen. 24Und der Fürst des Vaterhauses von Gerschon war Eljasaf, Sohn Laëls. 25Und die Wartung der Söhne Gerschons im Erscheinungszelt war: Die Wohnung und das Zelt, seine Decke und der Vorhang am Eingang des Erscheinungszeltes, 26sowie die Umhänge des Hofes und der Vorhang am Eingang des Hofes, der rings um die Wohnung und den Altar war, und seine Seile zu all seiner Arbeit. 27Und von Kehat: Die Familie der Amramiten, die Familie der Jizhariten, die Familie der Hebroniten und die Familie der Usiëliten; dies sind die Familien der Kehatiten. 28In der Zählung alles Männlichen vom Einmonatkind und darüber: Achttausendsechshundert, Wahrer der Wartung des Heiligtums. 29Die Familien der Söhne Kehats sollen an der Seite der Wohnung lagern gegen Süden. 30Und der Fürst des Vaterhauses der Familien von Kehat: Elizafan, Sohn Usiëls. 31Und ihre Wartung war: Die Lade, der Tisch, der Leuchter, die Altäre und die heiligen Geräte, mit denen man den Dienst verrichtete, sowie der Vorhang und all seine Arbeit. 32Und der Fürst der Lewitenfürsten war El'asar, Sohn Aharons, des Priesters, im Amt über die Wahrer der Wartung des Heiligtums. 33Von Merari: Die Familie des Mahli und die Familie des Muschi; dies sind die Familien von Merari. 34Und ihre Gemusterten in der Zählung alles Männlichen vom Einmonatkind und darüber: Sechstausendzweihundert. 35Und der Fürst des Vaterhauses für die Familien von Merari: Zuriël, Sohn Abihails; an der Seite der Wohnung sollen sie lagern gegen Norden. 36Und das Amt der Wartung der Söhne Meraris: Die Bretter der Wohnung, ihre Querhölzer, ihre Säulen und ihre Sockel, sowie alle ihre Geräte und all deren Arbeit, 37und die Säulen des Hofes ringsum und ihre Sockel, sowie ihre Pflöcke und Seile. 38Die aber vor der Wohnung gegen Osten, vor dem Erscheinungszelt gegen Morgen Lagernden: Mosche und Aharon und seine Söhne, als Wahrer der Wartung des Heiligtums nach der Verpflichtung für die Kinder Jisraël; der Fremde aber, der sich naht, soll getötet werden. 39Alle Gemusterten der Lewiten, die Mosche und Aharon gemustert hatten auf Befehl des Ewigen nach ihren Familien, alles Männliche vom Einmonatkind und darüber: Zweiundzwanzigtausend. 40Und der Ewige sprach zu Mosche: «Mustere alle männlichen Erstgeborenen bei den Kindern Jisraël vom Einmonatkind und darüber und nimm die Zahl ihrer Namen auf. 41Und nimm die Lewiten für mich, mich, den Ewigen, anstatt aller Erstgeborenen unter den Kindern Jisraël, und das Vieh der Lewiten anstatt alles Erstwurfs unter dem Vieh der Kinder Jisraël.» 42Da musterte Mosche, wie der Ewige ihm befohlen hatte, alles Erstgeborene unter den Kindern Jisraël. 43Und es waren alle männlichen Erstgeborenen in der Zählung der Namen vom Einmonatkind und darüber nach ihren Gemusterten: Zweiundzwanzigtausendzweihundertdreiundsiebzig. 44Und der Ewige redete zu Mosche und sprach: 45«Nimm die Lewiten anstatt aller Erstgeborenen unter den Kindern Jisraël und das Vieh der Lewiten anstatt ihres Viehs; so sollen die Lewiten mir gehören, ich bin der Ewige. 46Und als die Lösung der zweihundertdreiundsiebzig, die überzählig sind über die Lewiten von den Erstgeborenen der Kinder Jisraël, 47sollst du je fünf Schekel für den Kopf nehmen, nach dem Schekel des Heiligtums sollst du es nehmen, zwanzig Gera der Schekel. 48Und gib das Geld Aharon und seinen Söhnen als Lösung der Überzähligen unter ihnen.» 49Und Mosche nahm das Geld der Lösung von denen, die überzählig waren über die Lösung durch die Lewiten. 50Von den Erstgeborenen der Kinder Jisraël nahm er das Geld, eintausenddreihundertfünfundsechzig nach dem Schekel des Heiligtums. 51Und Mosche gab das Geld der Lösung Aharon und seinen Söhnen nach dem Befehl des Ewigen, wie der Ewige Mosche befohlen.
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.