Numbers 3:7

7 and shall keep his charges, and the charges of the children of Israel, before the tabernacle of witness, to do the works of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:7 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:7

And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole
congregation
The charge of Aaron and of all the people of Israel, which was to secure the sanctuary from being polluted or plundered: this the Levites were to be employed about, and thereby ease the high priest and the other priests, and the people, of what otherwise would have been incumbent on them:

before the tabernacle of the congregation;
not within it, neither in the holy place, nor in the most holy place, where they might not enter, to do any service peculiar thereunto, but at the door of the tabernacle, and in the court of it, and in the rooms and chambers in it: and do the service of the tabernacle; not to offer sacrifices on the altar of the burnt offering, which stood in the court, and much less to burn incense on the altar of incense, and to him the lamps, and set on the shewbread in the holy place; and still less to enter into the most holy place, and do there what was to be done on the day of atonement; but to do all that is before observed, and to bring the people's offerings to the priest, and to assist in slaying them; and to keep all profane and polluted persons out of it, the tabernacle, as we find in later times; they were porters at it, and some of them were singers in it, and had the care of various things belonging to it: see ( 1 Chronicles 9:14 1 Chronicles 9:26-29 ) ( 1 Chronicles 23:3-5 1 Chronicles 23:28-30 ) .

Numbers 3:7 In-Context

5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
6 Take the tribe of Levi, and thou shalt set them before Aaron the priest, and they shall minister to him,
7 and shall keep his charges, and the charges of the children of Israel, before the tabernacle of witness, to do the works of the tabernacle.
8 And they shall keep all the furniture of the tabernacle of witness, and the charges of the children of Israel as to all the works of the tabernacle.
9 And thou shalt give the Levites to Aaron, and to his sons the priests; they are given for a gift to me of the children of Israel.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.