Numbers 3:13

_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

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....

The concluding words are better expressed thus: “Mine shall they be, Mine, the Lord’s.” On the subject of the firstborn see the notes at Numbers 3:43....

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, _

BECAUSE ALL THE FIRSTBORN [ARE] MINE,.... Not merely in a general way, as all creatures are his, but in a special manner as his own, and that for the following reason: [FOR] ON THE DAY THAT I SMOTE ALL THE FIRSTBORN IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, I HALLOWED UNTO ME ALL THE FIRSTBORN IN ISRAEL, BOTH MAN AND BEAST; that is, sanctified or set them apart as his own special property, or ordered the people of Israel so to do, Exodus 13:2; for as when he destroyed the firstborn of the Egyptians, he saved the firstborn of Israel, he had a special claim upon them as his; and though it was in the night when he destroyed the firstborn of Egypt, yet it was the night which preceded that day, and was a part of that day, even the fifteenth of Nisan, when the instructions were given to sanctify all the firstborn; though, as Aben Ezra observes, "day" signifies "time", so that it wa

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

HALLOWED. separated. See note on "holy", Exodus 3:5. MAN. Hebrew. _'adam._ See App-14. I AM THE LORD. This is the reason for this act of sovereignty. Compare Exodus 12:29; Exodus 12:30; Exodus 13:2. The interpretation of Hebrews 12:23 depends on this ordinance. Note the emphatic "I", Numbers 3:12, and the Figure of speech _Asterismos_ there....

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

I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES—INSTEAD OF ALL THE FIRST-BORN— Some have thought that the Levites were chosen to this office, rather than any other of the tribes, because of the zeal for the true religion which they shewed in the affair of the golden calf; see Exodus 32:28 and some have thought, that the words of Moses, Deuteronomy 33:8 are confirmative of this opinion. REFLECTIONS.—The family of Aaron being appointed to the priests office, we have, 1. A particular account of them. Nadab and Abihu perished childless for their disobedience: Eleazar and Ithamar remained. Made cautious by the warning given them, they ministered under Aaron's eye. 'Tis good to be under the direction of the elder and more experienced. They alone were permitted to enter the holy place, and it was death for an