Numbers 3:40-51

Levites rescue the oldest male Israelites

40 The LORD said to Moses: Enroll all the oldest males of the Israelites over one month of age and record their names.

41 Take the Levites for me, in place of all the oldest sons of the Israelites, for I am the LORD, and the cattle of the Levites in place of all the oldest cattle of the Israelites.

42 Moses enrolled all the oldest males of the Israelites as the LORD commanded.

43 All the oldest males over one month old, recorded by name according to their enrollment, were 22,273.

44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses:

45 Take the Levites in place of all the oldest Israelites and the cattle of the Levites in place of their cattle. The Levites are mine; I am the LORD.

46 To rescue the 273 remaining oldest Israelites over and above the number of Levites,

47 you will receive five shekels each. You will receive them according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs to the shekel.

48 You will give the money for their rescue to Aaron and his sons.

49 So Moses took the money from those rescued over and above the ones rescued by the Levites.

50 He took the money from the oldest of the Israelites, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

51 Moses gave the money for those rescued to Aaron and his sons according to the LORD's word, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 3:40-51 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.