Numbers 3:9

9 And thou shalt give by free gift the Levites to Aaron and to his sons, to whom they be given (out) of the sons of Israel. (And thou shalt give the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons, to whom they be given from all the Israelites.)

Numbers 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:9

And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons,
&c.] To be their ministers and servants:

they [are] wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel:
even all of them entirely, none excepted; the whole tribe which were not in the priestly office; those were separated from the rest of the tribes of Israel, and appointed for the service of the priests: or they were "given, given" F17; which is repeated not only to show that they were wholly given, as we render it, but to denote the certainty of it, that they were really given; and especially to declare the freeness of the gift; the priests had them as free gifts, nor did they pay them any thing for, their service; they were maintained another way, namely, by the tithes of the people; and indeed the priests received a tithe out of the tithe of the Levites; so far were they from contributing any thing to their support, or in consideration of the service they did them.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (Mynwtn Mynwtn) "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius.

Numbers 3:9 In-Context

7 and (to stand) watch, and that they keep whatever thing pertaineth to the religion of the multitude, before the tabernacle of witnessing; (and to keep charge, and to do whatever thing pertaineth to the service of the multitude, in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing;)
8 and that they keep (charge of) the vessels of the tabernacle, and serve in the service of it.
9 And thou shalt give by free gift the Levites to Aaron and to his sons, to whom they be given (out) of the sons of Israel. (And thou shalt give the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons, to whom they be given from all the Israelites.)
10 Soothly thou shalt ordain Aaron and his sons on the religion of priesthood; a stranger that nigheth for to minister, shall die. (And thou shalt ordain Aaron and his sons to serve in the priesthood; a stranger who cometh near to try to minister, shall be put to death.)
11 And the Lord spake to Moses, saying,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.