Numbers 3:12

_AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING,_ I have taken the Levites ... The consecration of this tribe did not originate in the legislative wisdom of Moses, but in the special appointment of God, who chose them as substitutes for the firstborn. By an appointment made in memory of the last solemn judgment on Egypt, from which the Israelite households were miraculously exempt, all the firstborn were consecrated to God (Exodus 13:12; Exodus 22:29), who thus, under special circumstances, seemed to adopt the patriarchal usage of appointing the oldest to act as the priest of the family. But the privilege of redemption that was allowed the firstborn opened the way for a change: and accordingly, on the full organization of the Mosaic economy, the administration of sacred things formerly committed to

12._And I, behold, I have taken the Levites _A little further on we shall see more clearly why God claims one tribe for Himself; He now only shews that the Levites rightfully belong to Him, because by special privilege the first-born of the people were preserved in the destruction of the Egyptians. God, therefore, declares that those, whose lives were thus gratuitously spared, were purchased to Himself. Since, then, He had the free option of devoting to Himself the first-born of every tribe, He was no less at liberty to take (425) only the twelfth part of the people from one tribe. Thus He cuts off all handle for complaint, inasmuch as it would have been intolerable ingratitude to withdraw from His control those whom He had miraculously redeemed; therefore He says that they did not perish in the general slaughter, in order that tie might subject them to ttimself....

1-13 There was much work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites to attend them. Those whom God finds work for, he will find help for. The Levites were taken instead of the first-born. When He that made us, saves us, as the first-born of Israel were saved, we are laid under further obligations to serve him faithfully. God's right to us by redemption, confirms the right he has to us by creation....

Verse Numbers 3:12. _I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES - INSTEAD OF ALL THE_ _FIRST-BORN_] The Levites are taken for the service of the sanctuary in place of the first-born. The _first-born_ were dedicated to God in commemoration of his slaying the _first-born_ of the Egyptians, and preserving those of the Israelites. Even the _cattle_ of the Levites were taken in place of the _first-born of the_ _cattle_ of the rest of the tribes. See Numbers 3:45. Several reasons have been assigned why God should give this honour to the tribe of Levi in preference to all the others, but they do not seem to me to be conclusive. Their zeal in destroying those who had corrupted the worship of God in the business of the golden calf,...

EXPOSITION THE NUMBERS AND DUTIES OF THE LEVITES; THEIR SUBSTITUTION FOR THE FIRSTBORN (Numbers 3:1). NUMBERS 3:1 THESE … ARE THE GENERATIONS OF AARON AND MOSES. The word "generations" (_toledoth_)_ _is used here in a peculiar and, so to speak, technical sense, with reference to what follows, as in Genesis 2:4; Genesis 6:9. It marks a new departure,_ _looking _down, _

AND I, BEHOLD, I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... Separated them from others, and set them apart for the service of the sanctuary; this was his own act and deed, and which he did of his own will and pleasure, who is a sovereign Being, and might and would do whatsoever he pleased, nor should any object unto him, or contradict him: and this he did, INSTEAD OF ALL THE FIRSTBORN THAT OPENETH THE MATRIX AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL; he made an exchange of those for the Levites; upon the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt, and saving the firstborn of Israel, he claimed the latter as his own in a special sense, and now he gave up his right to them, and instead thereof took the Levites; nor could the people of Israel reasonably object to this, nor be uneasy at it, but rather be pleased with it; since hereby they were not only freed from the charge of redeeming th...

3. THE LEVITES AND THEIR MINISTRATIONS CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The generations of the priests (Numbers 3:1)_ 2. The tribe of Levi and their ministry (Numbers 3:5) 3. The Levites substituted for all the first-born (Numbers 3:11) 4. The numbering of the Levites ordered (Numbers 3:14) 5. Gershon (Numbers 3:21) 6. Kohath (Numbers 3:27) 7. Merari ...

THE RELATION OF THE LEVITES TO THE PEOPLE. The Levites are here considered as dedicated to Yahweh in lieu of the first-born of Israel to whom He had a claim, and for whom no redemption money had been paid in the past (in the future every first-born child is to be redeemed by the payment of 5 shekels (Numbers 18:16)). Yahweh's claim is here based on the sparing of the Hebrew children at the Exodus (Exodus 13:11); but elsewhere all first-born creatures are regarded as Yahweh's (Exodus 22:29 f; Exodus 34:19 f.); Perhaps originally supernatural qualities were associated with the firstborn (in whom, if a family were thought to be descended fr

BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos_ (App-6), for emphasis....

The Levites substituted for the first-born....