Numbers 4:16

16 on which Eleazar, the son of Aaron, (the) priest, shall be; to whose care the oil pertaineth (with which) to ordain (the) lanterns, and the incense which is made by craft, and the sacrifice which is offered ever[more], that is, in each day, and the oil of anointing, and whatever thing pertaineth to the adorning of the tabernacle, and of all vessels that be in the saintuary. (And Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, shall be in charge of the oil to fuel the lanterns, and the incense which is made by craft, and the offering which is offered forevermore, that is, on each day, and the oil of anointing, for he is in charge of whatever pertaineth to the service of the Tabernacle, and of all the vessels that be in the sanctuary.)

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 they shall put with it all the vessels which they use in the service thereof, that is, the resets of fire, the tongs, and fleshhooks, and other hooks, and the censers, or the pans of coals; they shall cover all the vessels of the altar (al)together in a veil of jacinthine skins, and they shall lead in the bearing staves. (And they shall put on the altar all the vessels which they use in its service, that is, the fire receptacles, the tongs, and fleshhooks, and other hooks, and the censers, or the pans, for the coal; and they shall cover all the vessels of the altar with a leather cover, and then put in the carrying bars.)
15 And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped the saintuary, and all [the] vessels thereof, in the moving of tents, then the sons of Kohath shall enter, that they bear the things wrapped, and touch not the vessels of the saintuary, lest they die. These be the burdens of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace, (And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped up the sanctuary, and all its vessels, in the moving of the tents, then the sons of Kohath shall enter to carry the things that be wrapped up, but they must not touch the sanctuary vessels, or they shall die/for if they touch them, then they must be put to death. These be the loads for the sons of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Covenant.)
16 on which Eleazar, the son of Aaron, (the) priest, shall be; to whose care the oil pertaineth (with which) to ordain (the) lanterns, and the incense which is made by craft, and the sacrifice which is offered ever[more], that is, in each day, and the oil of anointing, and whatever thing pertaineth to the adorning of the tabernacle, and of all vessels that be in the saintuary. (And Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, shall be in charge of the oil to fuel the lanterns, and the incense which is made by craft, and the offering which is offered forevermore, that is, on each day, and the oil of anointing, for he is in charge of whatever pertaineth to the service of the Tabernacle, and of all the vessels that be in the sanctuary.)
17 And the Lord spake to Moses and to Aaron, and said,
18 Do not ye lose, or destroy, the people of Kohath from the midst of the Levites; (Do not ye allow the people of Kohath to be done away from the midst of the Levites;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.