Numbers 4:16

Listen to Numbers 4:16
16 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”

Numbers 4:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 4:16

And to the office of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,
[pertaineth] the oil for the light
The following things, to bear them, according to some Jewish writers; but rather it was to give the oil for the light, that is, the vessels, and so the vessels of the oil to the sons of the Kohathites; agreeably to which are the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, who paraphrase the words,

``and that which was delivered to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil for the light''
And indeed the words, as they are in the Hebrew text, may be rendered,
``and the oversight of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be, or "let it be", the oil for the light F26;''
the same word being so rendered in a latter clause of this same text: he had the inspection of these, and on him lay to see to it, that these were carried by the Kohathites, the oil for the light of the lamps in the candlestick; of which see ( Exodus 27:20 ) ;

and the sweet incense:
to burn on the altar of incense, ( Exodus 30:34-38 ) ;

and the daily meat offering;
offered with the lambs morning and evening, ( Exodus 29:40 Exodus 29:44 ) ;

and the anointing oil;
with which Aaron and his sons were anointed, the tabernacle and all its vessels, ( Exodus 30:23-33 ) ;

[and] the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is,
in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof:
the former, the oil for the light were his immediate oversight and care; but the oversight of these by his brother Ithamar, according to the Jewish writers.


FOOTNOTES:

F26 So Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator.
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Numbers 4:16 In-Context

14 and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.
15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.
16 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”
17 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
18 “Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites.
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