Numbers 3:11-21

11 And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,

12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn that breaketh open the womb among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine;

13 for every firstborn is mine. On the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and beast; mine shall they be: I am Jehovah.

14 And Jehovah spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

15 Number the sons of Levi according to their fathers' houses, after their families; every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

16 And Moses numbered them, according to the commandment of Jehovah, -- as he had been commanded.

17 And these are the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon according to their families: Libni and Shimei.

19 And the sons of Kohath according to their families: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

20 And the sons of Merari according to their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their fathers' houses.

21 Of Gershon, the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

Numbers 3:11-21 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit. 'mouth:' as very frequently in Numbers.