Numbers 3:38-48

38 Now those who were to ¹camp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, are Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but ²the layman coming near was to be put to death.

39 All the numbered men of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the command of the LORD by their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000 * *.

Firstborn Redeemed

40 Then the LORD said to Moses, "³Number every firstborn male of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and make a list of their names.

41 "You ⁴shall take the Levites for Me, I am the LORD, instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the sons of Israel."

42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the sons of Israel, just as the LORD had commanded him;

43 and all the firstborn males by the number of names from a month old and upward, for their numbered men were ⁵ 22,273 * * * * *.

44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

45 "⁶Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel and the cattle of the Levites. And the Levites shall be Mine; I am the LORD.

46 "⁷For the ransom of the 273 * * of the firstborn of the sons of Israel who are in excess beyond the Levites,

47 you shall take ⁸five shekels apiece, per head; you shall take them in ⁹terms of the shekel of the sanctuary (¹⁰the shekel is twenty gerahs ),

48 and give the money, the ransom of those who are in excess among them, to Aaron and to his sons."

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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

Cross References 11

1. Numbers 1:53; Numbers 2:3
2. Numbers 1:51
3. Numbers 3:43; Numbers 4:48; Numbers 26:62
4. Numbers 3:15
5. Numbers 3:12, 45
6. Numbers 3:39
7. Numbers 3:12
8. Exodus 13:13, 15; Numbers 18:15, 16
9. Leviticus 27:6; Numbers 18:16
10. Exodus 30:13
11. Leviticus 27:25; Ezekiel 45:12

Footnotes 4

[a]. Lit "stranger"
[b]. Lit "word"
[c]. Lit "take the number"
[d]. I.e. A gerah equals approx one-fortieth oz