Numbers 3:31-41

31 Their charge shall be the ark, the table, the lamp stand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.

32 El`azar the son of Aharon the Kohen shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, with the oversight of those who keep the charge of the sanctuary.

33 Of Merari was the family of the Machli, and the family of the Mushi. These are the families of Merari.

34 Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand two hundred.

35 The prince of the fathers' house of the families of Merari was Tzuri'el the son of Avichayil. They shall encamp on the north side of the tabernacle.

36 The appointed charge of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,

37 the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, and their cords.

38 Those who encamp before the tabernacle eastward, in front of the Tent of Meeting toward the sunrise, shall be Moshe, and Aharon and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Yisra'el. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.

39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moshe and Aharon numbered at the mitzvah of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.

40 The LORD said to Moshe, "Number all the firstborn males of the children of Yisra'el from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41 You shall take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Yisra'el; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the children of Yisra'el."

Numbers 3:31-41 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.