Numbers 3:15

15 “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”

Numbers 3:15 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
English Standard Version (ESV)
15 "List the sons of Levi, by fathers' houses and by clans; every male from a month old and upward you shall list."
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 “Record the names of the members of the tribe of Levi by their families and clans. List every male who is one month old or older.”
The Message Bible (MSG)
15 "Count the Levites by their ancestral families and clans. Count every male a month old and older."
American Standard Version (ASV)
15 Number the children of Levi by their fathers' houses, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
15 "Count the Levites by households and families. Count every male who is at least one month old."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
15 "Register the Levites by their ancestral houses and their clans. You are to register every male one month old or more."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
15 "Count the Levites by their family groups. Count every male who is a month old or more."

Numbers 3:15 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:15

Number the children of Levi
Who were left out of the general muster of the children of Israel, but now were to be numbered alone, and in a different manner, and for, a different purpose, the Lord having a special regard auto, them, and special service for them: after the house of their fathers, by their families;
into which the tribe was divided; house seems to be put for "houses", which were principal ones; and these were divided into families, which branched from them, and according to these, denominated from their fathers, and not their, mothers, were they to be numbered; for as the Jewish writers often say, a mother's family is no family; wherefore, if a Levite woman married into any other tribe, as she might, her, descendants were not taken into this accounts only such whose fathers were Levites, see ( Numbers 1:2 ) ; every male from a month old and upwards shalt thou number them;
the reason of this was, because the firstborn, for whom they were to be exchanged, were at a month old claimed by the Lord as his, and to be redeemed; and as this numbering was on, another account than, that of the children of Israel, who were numbered from twenty years of age and upwards, that they might on occasion be called out to war, from which the Levites were exempted, and the numbering of them was for the service of the sanctuary; so from their youth they were to be brought up and trained for this, that they might be fit for it, and enter upon it at a proper age.

Numbers 3:15 In-Context

13 for all the firstborn are mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the LORD.”
14 The LORD said to Moses in the Desert of Sinai,
15 “Count the Levites by their families and clans. Count every male a month old or more.”
16 So Moses counted them, as he was commanded by the word of the LORD.
17 These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Cross References 2

  • 1. ver 39; S Numbers 1:19
  • 2. ver 22; Numbers 18:16; Numbers 26:62
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.