Numbers 3:4

_AND THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE SONS OF AARON; NADAB THE FIRSTBORN, AND ABIHU, ELEAZAR, AND ITHAMAR._ These are the names. All the sons of Aaron, four in number, were consecrated to minister in the priest's office. The two oldest enjoyed but a brief term of office (Leviticus 10:1; Numbers 26:61); but Eleazar and Ithamar, the other two, were dutiful, and performed the sacred service during the lifetime of their father, as his assistants, and under his superintendence....

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 3:4. _NADAB AND ABIHU DIED_] See the notes on Leviticus 10:1....

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 NADAB AND ABIHU DIED BEFORE THE LORD,...., By flaming fire, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, see Leviticus 10:2; and so were not alive at this time when the account of the priests and Levites was taken: WHEN THEY OFFERED STRANGE FIRE BEFORE THE LORD IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI; after the tabernacle was set up, and the service of it begun, and quickly after their unction and consecration: of this strange fire, Numbers 10:1; AND THEY HAD NO CHILDREN; which is observed, partly to show the punishment of them, and the reproach upon their names, that they died childless, and had none to succeed them in the priesthood; for as the Jewish writers n observe if they had left any behind them, those would have come into the office before Eleazar and Ithamar; and par

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 ...

AARON'S SONS. These constituted a priestly order (Numbers 3:10). The description of these (who during their father's lifetime were only ordinary priests) as anointed (Numbers 3:3) agrees with Exodus 40:15 but not with the earlier ch. 29, where only Aaron (Numbers 3:7) and his descendants who should succeed him (Numbers 3:29) in the high priesthood, are directed to be anointed. As the earliest unguents were animal fats, and many animals were sacred, the practice of anointing was doubtless originally designed to impart to a priest or other important personage the virtues

DIED BEFORE THE LORD. This parenthetical statement is an undesigned coincidence referring to Leviticus 10:1. Compare Numbers 26:61, and 1 Chronicles 24:2. CHILDREN. sons....

The generations of Aaron....

ELEAZAR AND ITHAMAR MINISTERED—IN THE SIGHT OF AARON THEIR FATHER— See Numbers 3:38. _In the sight of their father,_ means, most probably, together with their father....