_The sons of Aaron and the Levitical families_ The contents of the chapter are as follows: Numbers 3:1. The -generations" of Aaron, Numbers 3:5. The appointment of the Levites to be servants of the priests. Numbers 3:11. The Levites are a substitute for the first-born which God consecrated to Himse... [ Continue Reading ]
_these are the generations_ A formula occurring several times in P; Genesis 5:1; Genesis 6:9; Genesis 10:1; Genesis 11:10; Genesis 11:27; Genesis 25:12; Genesis 25:19; Genesis 36:1; Genesis 36:9;... [ Continue Reading ]
The generations of Aaron.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the priests which were anointed_ Many passages of P speak of the High Priest alone as being anointed to his office; cf. Exodus 29:7; Exodus 29:29; Leviticus 8:12. The anointing of all priests was a later development; cf. Exodus 28:41; Exodus 30:30; Exodus 40:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
The incident here referred to is related in Leviticus 10:1-7. The meaning of -strange fire" is uncertain. Either the incense which they burnt was not made in accordance with the divine prescription (given in Exodus 30:34-38). or the fire was not taken from the proper place the altar of burnt-offerin... [ Continue Reading ]
The appointment of the Levites as an inferior, though sacred, body of priests" servants.... [ Continue Reading ]
_minister unto him_ i.e. unto all the priests, whom Aaron represented.... [ Continue Reading ]
_keep his charge_ i.e. perform the duties of their service to him and to the priests. _the charge of the whole congregation_ comprised the ritual functions in connexion with the offering of animals sacrificed by and in behalf of the laity of Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
_wholly given unto him_ i.e. to Aaron. In Numbers 8:16-19, it is explained that they are first given to _Jehovah_, and by Him given to the priests; cf. Numbers 18:6. In the present passage LXX. and Sam. read _unto me_, which is possibly correct. The Heb. rendered -wholly given" is _nethûnîm nethûnîm... [ Continue Reading ]
_keep their priesthood_ i.e. perform the duties of their priesthood. LXX. adds -and everything about the altar and within the veil"; cf. Numbers 18:7. _cometh nigh_ approaches the sanctuary to perform a priestly office.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Levites substituted for the first-born.... [ Continue Reading ]
All male first-born of men and animals are sacred to God, i.e. they must be sacrificed. In very primitive ages it is probable that this custom actually prevailed (cf. Genesis 22; 2 Kings 3:27; Micah 6:7), but the Israelite practice of redeeming human first-born by an equivalent in money or animals m... [ Continue Reading ]
_on the day_, &c. A reference to Exodus 13:1 f. (P). _I am_ JEHOVAH] A solemn formula emphasizing the importance of a command or statement. It occurs occasionally in P (i.e. Numbers 3:41; Exodus 6:8; Exodus 12:12), but is specially characteristic of the -Holiness" laws in Leviticus 17-26. See Chapm... [ Continue Reading ]
Summary of the Levitical families.... [ Continue Reading ]
_from, a month old_ to correspond with the firstborn (_see Numbers 3:40_).... [ Continue Reading ]
The three sons of Levi are found only in P and the books of Chronicles, the latter being a priestly composition. To them were traced the three main divisions of the Levites in Jerusalem after the exile.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Levitical families and their duties. Notice that _narrative_in Numbers 3:21 f., Numbers 3:27 f., Numbers 3:33 f., Numbers 3:39 alternates with _commands in Numbers 3:23; Numbers 3:29; Numbers 3:35_. It is one of the many indications that the priestly portions of the book were the composite work... [ Continue Reading ]
_behind_ The usual expression for -westward," because the Hebrew faced eastward when thinking of the points of the compass; cf. Exodus 3:1; Deuteronomy 11:30; Judges 18:12; Isaiah 9:12. With the characteristic tautology of the priestly style another word for -westward" is added; cf. Numbers 3:38; Ex... [ Continue Reading ]
_the tabernacle; the Tent; the covering_ Since the wooden framework is to be carried by the Merarites, these three expressions denote only the stuff hangings; cf. Numbers 4:25. An explanation of the terms is found in Exodus 26:1-14. As an ordinary tent consists mainly of the covering, the wood-work... [ Continue Reading ]
_the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar_ i.e. the court which encloses the dwelling and the altar of burnt-offering. _the cords of it_ Cords are also assigned to the Merarites for transport (Numbers 3:37). If the repetition is not merely an oversight of the narrator, it is just pos... [ Continue Reading ]
_eight thousand and six hundred_ This should probably be read _eight thousand and_three _hundred_(שלש for שש); Numbers 3:39, and a comparison of Numbers 3:43 with Numbers 3:46, shew that the Levites numbered 22,000, whereas the figures given in Numbers 3:22_; Numbers 3:28; Numbers 3:34_make a total... [ Continue Reading ]
For the ark, table, and candlestick (better LAMPSTAND)", see Exodus 25, and for the two altars, Exodus 27:1-8; Exodus 30:1-10. _the screen_ The door-hangings of the tabernacle and of the court have been assigned to the Gershonites (Numbers 3:25 f.). This is therefore the veil which separated the Hol... [ Continue Reading ]
Eleazar was himself a Kohathite through his father Aaron and his grandfather Amram (Exodus 6:18; Exodus 6:20; Exodus 6:23).... [ Continue Reading ]
See Exodus 26:15-30; Exodus 27:10-19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moses_ The mention of his name in a command given to him is strange. It would be still stranger if he were the writer of the passage. _the charge_ i.e. that which has to be attended to. _for the charge of the children of Israel_ An idiomatic use of -for" confined to late writings. It is virtually... [ Continue Reading ]
The substitution of the Levites for the first-born.... [ Continue Reading ]
_instead of all the firstlings among the cattle_ This is inconsistent with Numbers 18:17 which enjoins that the firstlings of such cattle as are suitable for sacrifice may not be redeemed. The difficulty has been explained by supposing that the reference is to animals not suitable for sacrifice. But... [ Continue Reading ]
The Levites number 22,000, but the first-born 22,273. The remaining 273 must therefore be redeemed by a payment of five shekels for each.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the shekel of the sanctuary_ Perhaps better _the_ SACRED SHEKEL. This was the ancient Hebrew-Phoenician shekel. At the time of the writer the official coinage for secular purposes was the Persian-Babylonian, in which the shekel was some 28 grs. heavier. The Hebrew silver shekel used for sacred purp... [ Continue Reading ]