Numbers 3:35-45

35 And ye captayne of the most auncient housse amonge the kynredes of the Merarites was Zuriel the sonne of Abihail which pitched on the north syde of the dwellynge.

36 And the office of the sonnes of Merari was: the bordes of ye dwellynge and the barres pilers with the sokettes thereof and all the instrumetes there of and all that serued thereto:

37 and the pilers of the courte rounde aboute and their sokettes with their pynnes and cordes.

38 But on ye fore front of ye habitacio ad before the tabernacle of witnesse east warde shall Moses and Aaron and his sonnes pytch and wayte on the sanctuary in the steade of ye childern of Ysrael. And the straunger yt cometh nye shall dye for it.

39 And the hole summe of the leuites which Moses and Aaron nubred at ye comaudmet of ye Lorde thorow out their kynredes euen of all ye males of a moneth olde and aboue was .xxij. thousande.

40 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses: Numbre all ye first borne that are males amoge the childern of Ysrael fro amoneth olde and aboue and take ye numbre of their names.

41 And thou shalt appoynte ye leuites to me the Lorde for all the firstborne amoge ye childern of Ysrael and the catell of ye leuites for the firstborne of the childern of Ysrael.

42 And Moses nubred as ye Lorde comauded him all the firstborne of ye childern of Ysrael.

43 And all the firstborne males in ye summe of names from amoneth olde and aboue were numbred .xxij. thousande .ij. hundred and .lxxiij.

44 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses sayenge:

45 take the leuites for all the fyrstborne of the childern of Israel ad the catell of the leuites for their catell: and the leuites shalbe myne whiche am the Lorde.

Numbers 3:35-45 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 3

In this chapter an account is given of the genealogy of the priests and Levites, and of the gift of the Levites to the priests, of the numbering of them, and the service they were to perform; and first of the priests, the sons of Aaron, Nu 3:1-4; and then of the Levites, as given unto them, to wait upon them, and assist them, Nu 3:5-10; and these were taken instead of the firstborn, Nu 3:11-13; and ordered to be numbered, which was done accordingly by their families, Nu 3:14-20; and the sum of each is given, and the particular work assigned to them; of the Gershonites, Nu 3:21-26; of the Kohathites, Nu 3:27-32; of the Merarites, Nu 3:33-38; the sum total of them is given, Nu 3:39; then the firstborn of the children of Israel, from a month old are ordered to be numbered, and were, Nu 3:40-43; and these appearing to be more in number than the Levites, by two hundred seventy three a direction is given that the two hundred seventy three should be redeemed at the rate of five, shekels apiece, and the money paid to Aaron and his sons, Nu 3:44-48; which was accordingly done, Nu 3:49-51.