Numbers 3:32

32 The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

Numbers 3:32 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:32

And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest
Who was of the first of these families, the Amramites:

[shall be] chief over the chief of the Levites;
over the three chiefs of the three houses of the Levites, who were Eliasaph the son of Lael, the chief of the Gershonites; and Elizaphan the son of Uzziel, the chief of the Kohathites; and Zuriel the son of Abihail, the chief of the Merarites:

[and have] the oversight of them that keep the charge of the
sanctuary;
the Kohathites, who had the care of the things belonging to the holy and most holy places; and these were particularly under the inspection of Eleazar, because they were things the priests had a, special concern in; see ( Numbers 4:32 ) .

Numbers 3:32 In-Context

30 The leader of {his family} according to the clans of the Kohathites [is] Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

31 Their responsibility [was] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar, and the vessels of the sanctuary, with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all of its use.

32 The {chief of the leaders} of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [who had] oversight of those keeping the responsibility of the sanctuary.

33 {To Merari belonged} the clan of Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these [are] the clans of Merari.

34 The {ones counted} according to the number of every male from {one month} and above [were] six thousand two hundred.

Footnotes

• [a] Literally "the leader of leaders"
• [b] Hebrew "Levite"