Numbers 4:16

16 And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the preast shall haue the charge to prepare oyle for the lightes and swete cens and the dayly meatofferynge and the anoyntinge oyle and the ouersyghte of all the dwellynge and of all that therein is: both ouer the sanctuary and ouer all that pertayneth thereto.

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.

Numbers 4:16 In-Context

14 and put aboute it the fyre pannes the flesh hokes the shouels the basens and all that belongeth vnto the alter and they shall sprede apon it a coueryng of taxus skynnes and put on the staues of it.
15 And when Aaron and his sonnes haue made an ende of couerynge the sanctuary ad all the thinges of the sanctuarye agenst that the hoste remoue then the sonnes of Cahath shall come in for to bere and so let them not twich the santuary lest they dye. And this ys the charge of the sonnes of Cahath in the tabernacle of witnesse.
16 And Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the preast shall haue the charge to prepare oyle for the lightes and swete cens and the dayly meatofferynge and the anoyntinge oyle and the ouersyghte of all the dwellynge and of all that therein is: both ouer the sanctuary and ouer all that pertayneth thereto.
17 And the Lorde spake vnto Moses and Aaron sayenge:
18 destroye not the trybe of the kynredes of the Cahathites from amonge the leuites.
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