FRAMEWORKS:
Numbers
4 :
The Levite Clans
Part
1.2: Ch.3 & 4: The Levites & their Roles
Ch.3:
Introducing the Levites
Ch.4:
The Levite Clans
FRAMEWORKS:
Numbers
4 :
The Levite Clans
Part
A: The Work to be done by each clan
v.1-4
The Kohathites' Service
v.5-14
The Priests to Cover the Furniture, Utensils etc
v.15-20
The Kohathites to carry the covered items
v.21-24
The Gershonites' Service
v.25-28
The Gershonites to carry the Tent, Curtains etc.
v.29-33
The Merarites to Carry the structure
Part
B: The Number of each clan available to serve
v.34-37
The Numbering of the Kohathites
v.38-41
The Numbering of the Gershonites
v.42-45
The Numbering of the Merarites
v.46-49
The Levite Men available for service
[Preliminary
Notes: When we examine the breakdown
of the Chapter it is very straight forward:
Verses
1 to 33
cover the work of each of the three clans of
Levi in carrying the Tabernacle. Note in particular that Moses
and Aaron were to completely cover up all the furniture &
utensils so that the carriers cannot actually see these holy things.
Even in moving the Tabernacle the concept of holiness is kept
to the fore. The servants, the Levites, are not to have access
to the holy, only Moses & Aaron.
Verses
34 to 49
are a second census of the Levites, but now only including men
between 30 and 50 who are available to serve.
This
chapter is all about the service of moving the Tabernacle.
To
help the reader be clear on names here, we provide the following
reminder:
Father
|
Sons
|
Role
|
Aaron
|
(Nadab
Abihu), Eleazar and Ithamar.
|
Priests
|
Levi
|
Gershon,
Kohath and Merari. |
Tabernacle
carriers |
v.1-4
The Kohathites' Service
1 The
Lord said to Moses and Aaron:
2 “Take
a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites
by their clans and families.
3 Count
all the men from thirty to fifty years of age
who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
4 “This
is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the
care of the most holy things.
[Notes:
A call to number the middle-age males of Kohathite clan
whose role was to move the furniture and utensils of the Tabernacle.
Although Kohath was the middle son, the fact that his clan has
to carry the holy things from within the Tabernacle, means his
clan is listed first.]
v.5-14
The Priests to Cover the Furniture, Utensils etc
5 When
the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are
to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the
ark of the covenant law.
6 Then
they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a
cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
7 “Over
the table of the Presence they are to spread
a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls,
and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is
continually there is to remain on it.
8 They
are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable
leather and put the poles in place.
9 “They
are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand
that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers
and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it.
10 Then
they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the
durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.
11 “Over
the gold altar [of
incense] they are to spread
a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the
poles in place.
12 “They
are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary,
wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather
and put them on a carrying frame.
13 “They
are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple
cloth over it.
14 Then
they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering
at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels
and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering
of the durable leather and put the poles in place.
[Notes:
Before the Levites are allowed to move the furniture
and utensils, Aaron and his sons, the other priests, are to cover
them all up, hidden from sight.]
v.15-20
The Kohathites to carry the covered items
15 “After
Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings
and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move,
only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But
they must not touch the holy things or they will die.
The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent
of meeting.
16 “Eleazar
son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil
for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering
and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire
tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings
and articles.”
17 The
Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
18 “See
that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the
Levites.
19 So
that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy
things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the
sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.
20 But
the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even
for a moment, or they will die.”
[Notes:
Here are strong words about the Levites NOT actually
touching the holy things from inside the Tabernacle, as noted
above. Only the priests [Aaron and his two sons] could touch them
or even see them. Eleazar [Aaron's third son, the first of the
two surviving sons] gets a second mention [see also 3:32] as having
the overall oversight of the Levites as they handle the Tabernacle
at each move.]
v.21-24
The Gershonites' Service
21 The
Lord said to Moses,
22 “Take
a census also of the Gershonites by their families
and clans.
23 Count
all the men from thirty to fifty years of age
who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
24 “This
is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their
other work:
[Notes:
The middle aged males of the clan of the oldest son,
Gershon, are to be counted.]
v.25-28
The Gershonites to carry the Tent, Curtains etc.
25 They
are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle,
that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering
of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent
of meeting,
26 the
curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,
the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all
the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites
are to do all that needs to be done with these things.
27 All
their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to
be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You
shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry.
28 This
is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting.
Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar
son of Aaron, the priest.
[Notes:
Their role is to carry all the Tabernacle coverings.
Their particular duties are to be overseen by Aaron's youngest
son, Ithamar.]
v.29-33
The Merarites to Carry the Structure
29 “Count
the Merarites by their clans and families.
30 Count
all the men from thirty to fifty years of age
who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
31 As
part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry
the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases,
32 as
well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases,
tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to
their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry.
33 This
is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent
of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son
of Aaron, the priest.”
[Notes:
The middle aged males of the clan of the youngest son
of Levi, Merari, are to be counted, whose role is to carry the
structural member of the Tabernacle. Again they are to be overseen
by Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son.]
v.34-37
The Numbering of the Kohathites
34 Moses,
Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites
by their clans and families.
35 All
the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in
the work at the tent of meeting,
36 counted
by clans, were 2,750.
37 This
was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at
the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to
the Lord 's command through Moses.
[Notes:
The middle aged men to serve from the clan of the second
son of Levi are counted.]
v.38-41
The Numbering of the Gershonites
38 The
Gershonites were counted by their clans and
families.
39 All
the men from thirty to fifty years of age who
came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,
40 counted
by their clans and families, were 2,630.
41 This
was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the
tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the
Lord 's command.
[Notes:
The middle aged men to serve from the clan of the oldest
son of Levi are counted.]
v.42-45
The Numbering of the Merarites
42 The
Merarites were counted by their clans and families.
43 All
the men from thirty to fifty years of age who
came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,
44 counted
by their clans, were 3,200.
45 This
was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron
counted them according to the Lord 's command through Moses.
[Notes:
The middle aged men to serve from the clan of the youngest
son of Levi are counted.]
v.46-49
The Levite Men available for service
46 So
Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites
by their clans and families.
47 All
the men from thirty to fifty years of age who
came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting
48
numbered 8,580 .
49 At
the Lord 's command through Moses, each was assigned his work
and told what to carry.
Thus
they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.
[Notes:
The total number middle aged men to serve from the clans
of Levi are counted.]