Numbers 4:16

16 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is overseer—the oil of the light, and the incense of composition, and the daily meat-offering and the anointing oil, are his charge; even the oversight of the whole tabernacle, and all things that are in it in the holy place, in all the works.

Numbers 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 4:16

And to the office of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
[pertaineth] the oil for the light
The following things, to bear them, according to some Jewish writers; but rather it was to give the oil for the light, that is, the vessels, and so the vessels of the oil to the sons of the Kohathites; agreeably to which are the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, who paraphrase the words,

``and that which was delivered to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil for the light''

And indeed the words, as they are in the Hebrew text, may be rendered,

``and the oversight of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be, or "let it be", the oil for the light F26;''

the same word being so rendered in a latter clause of this same text: he had the inspection of these, and on him lay to see to it, that these were carried by the Kohathites, the oil for the light of the lamps in the candlestick; of which see ( Exodus 27:20 ) ;

and the sweet incense:
to burn on the altar of incense, ( Exodus 30:34-38 ) ;

and the daily meat offering;
offered with the lambs morning and evening, ( Exodus 29:40 Exodus 29:44 ) ;

and the anointing oil;
with which Aaron and his sons were anointed, the tabernacle and all its vessels, ( Exodus 30:23-33 ) ;

[and] the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is,
in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof:
the former, the oil for the light were his immediate oversight and care; but the oversight of these by his brother Ithamar, according to the Jewish writers.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 So Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator.

Numbers 4:16 In-Context

14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels with which they minister upon it, and the fire-pans, and the flesh-hooks, and the cups, and the cover, and all the vessels of the altar; and they shall put on it a blue cover of skins, and shall put in its staves; and they shall take a purple cloth, and cover the laver and its foot, and they shall put it into a blue cover of skin, and put it on bars.
15 And Aaron and his sons shall finish covering the holy things, and all the holy vessels, when the camp begins to move; and afterwards the sons of Caath shall go in to take up ; but shall not touch the holy things, lest they die: these shall the sons of Caath bear in the tabernacle of witness.
16 Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is overseer—the oil of the light, and the incense of composition, and the daily meat-offering and the anointing oil, are his charge; even the oversight of the whole tabernacle, and all things that are in it in the holy place, in all the works.
17 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
18 Ye shall not destroy the family of Caath from the tribe out of the midst of the Levites.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.