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Numbers 3:38-48

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38 Those encamped before the tabernacle to the east--before the tent of assembly to the east--[were] Moses and Aaron and his sons; they will keep the responsibility of the sanctuary {for the Israelites}; and the stranger who approaches will be put to death.
39 All those counted from the Levites whom Moses and Aaron mustered according to {the word of Yahweh}, according to their clans, every male from {one month} and above [were] twenty-two thousand.
40 And Yahweh said to Moses, "Muster every firstborn male from the {Israelites} from {one month} and above and {count} their names.
41 And you will receive the Levites for me--I [am] Yahweh--in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the animals among the {Israelites}."
42 So Moses mustered all the firstborn among the {Israelites} just as Yahweh commanded him.
43 And all [the] firstborn males among the number of names from {one month} and above, the {ones counted}, [were] twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
44 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
45 "Receive the Levites in the place of all [the] firstborn among the {Israelites}, and the animals of the Levites in the place of their animals; the Levites will be mine. I [am] Yahweh.
46 And the ransom of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the {Israelites} who are excessive over the Levites,
47 you will receive five shekels a person, in the sanctuary shekel; you will collect twenty gerahs [per] shekel.
48 You will give the money to Aaron, and to his sons the ransom of the ones who are excessive among them."
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Numbers 3:38-48 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 3

In this chapter an account is given of the genealogy of the priests and Levites, and of the gift of the Levites to the priests, of the numbering of them, and the service they were to perform; and first of the priests, the sons of Aaron, Nu 3:1-4; and then of the Levites, as given unto them, to wait upon them, and assist them, Nu 3:5-10; and these were taken instead of the firstborn, Nu 3:11-13; and ordered to be numbered, which was done accordingly by their families, Nu 3:14-20; and the sum of each is given, and the particular work assigned to them; of the Gershonites, Nu 3:21-26; of the Kohathites, Nu 3:27-32; of the Merarites, Nu 3:33-38; the sum total of them is given, Nu 3:39; then the firstborn of the children of Israel, from a month old are ordered to be numbered, and were, Nu 3:40-43; and these appearing to be more in number than the Levites, by two hundred seventy three a direction is given that the two hundred seventy three should be redeemed at the rate of five, shekels apiece, and the money paid to Aaron and his sons, Nu 3:44-48; which was accordingly done, Nu 3:49-51.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Footnotes 20

  • [a]. Literally "for the responsibility of the children of Israel"
  • [b]. Or "outsider"
  • [c]. Or "counted," or "summoned," or "enrolled"
  • [d]. Literally "the mouth of Yahweh"
  • [e]. Literally "the son of a month"
  • [f]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [g]. Literally "the son of a month"
  • [h]. Literally "and lift up the number of"
  • [i]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [j]. Hebrew "animal"
  • [k]. Hebrew "animal"
  • [l]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [m]. Or "counted" or "summoned" or "enrolled"
  • [n]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [o]. Hebrew "male"
  • [p]. Literally "the son of a month"
  • [q]. Literally "the ones counted of them," or "the ones mustered of them"
  • [r]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [s]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
  • [t]. Hebrew "gerah"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.