Numbers 3:38-48

38 Moses and Aaron and his sons camped to the east of The Dwelling, toward the rising sun, in front of the Tent of Meeting. They were in charge of maintaining the Sanctuary for the People of Israel and the rituals of worship. Anyone else who tried to perform these duties was to be put to death.

39 The sum total of Levites counted at God's command by Moses and Aaron, clan by clan, all the males one month and older, numbered 22,000.

40 God spoke to Moses: "Count all the firstborn males of the People of Israel who are one month and older. List their names.

41 Then set apart for me the Levites - remember, I am God - in place of all the firstborn among the People of Israel, also the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. I am God."

42 So, just as God commanded him, Moses counted all the firstborn of the People of Israel.

43 The total of firstborn males one month and older, listed by name, numbered 22,273.

44 Again God spoke to Moses. He said,

45 "Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are mine, I am God.

46 Redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of Levites

47 by collecting five shekels for each one, using the Sanctuary shekel (the shekel weighing twenty gerahs).

48 Give that money to Aaron and his sons for the redemption of the excess number of Israelites."

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.