Numbers 4:3

_TAKE THE SUM OF THE SONS OF KOHATH FROM AMONG THE SONS OF LEVI, AFTER THEIR FAMILIES, BY THE HOUSE OF THEIR FATHERS,_ Sons of Kohath ... from thirty years old and upward. This age was specifically fixed on (see the note at Numbers 8:24) as the full maturity of bodily energy to perform the laborious duties assigned them in the wilderness, as well as of mental activity to assist in the management of the sacred services. And hence, it was the period of life at which the Baptist and Christ entered on their respective ministries. EVEN UNTIL FIFTY. The term prescribed for active duty was a period of twenty years, at the end of which they were exempted from the physical labours of the office, though still expected to attend in the tabernacle (Numbers 8:26). All that enter in

1-3 The middle-aged men of the tribe of Levi, all from thirty years old to fifty, were to be employed in the service of the tabernacle. The service of God requires the best of our strength, and the prime portion of our time, which cannot be better spent than to the honour of Him who is the First and Best. And the service of God should be done when we are most lively and active. Those do not consider this who put off repentance to old age, and so leave the best work to be done in the worst time....

Verse Numbers 4:3. _FROM THIRTY YEARS OLD_] In Numbers 8:24, the Levites are ordered to enter on the service of the tabernacle at the age of _twenty-five_ years; and in 1 Chronicles 23:24, they were ordered to commence that work at _twenty_ years of age. How can these different times be reconciled? 1. At the time of which Moses speaks here, the Levitical service was exceedingly _severe_, and consequently required men _full grown, strong_, and _stout_, to perform it; the age therefore of _thirty_ years was appointed as the period for commencing this service, the _weightier_ part of which is probably here intended. 2. In...

EXPOSITION THE DUTIES OF THE LEVITES (Numbers 4:1). NUMBERS 4:2 TAKE THE SUM OF THE SONS OF KOHATH. The Levites having been separated from the other tribes, the Kohathites are now to be separated from amongst the other Levites for the most honourable and sacred duties. To them the preference was given presumably because the priests were Kohathites. NUMBERS 4:3 FROM THIRTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. The age at which they became liable for service was shortly after reduced to twenty-five ...

FROM THIRTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD EVEN UNTIL FIFTY YEARS OLD,.... This is the full time of the Levites service, and the prime season of man's life for business; at thirty years of age he is at his full strength, and when fifty it begins to decline: it is said in the Misnah x, "a son of thirty years for strength,'' upon which one of the commentators y makes this remark, that the Levites set up the tabernacle and took it down, and loaded the wagons, and carried on their shoulders from thirty years and upwards: thus both John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and Christ himself, entered into their ministry at this age: ALL THAT ENTER INTO THE HOST; army or warfare; for though the Levites were exempted from going forth to war, yet their service was a sort of warfare; they were a camp of themselves about the tabernacle, and part of their work was to watch and guard it, that it was neit...

Numbers 4:1. _And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,_ There were three families, those of Kohath, Gershon, and Merari, and to each of these families a different service was allotted. First, they were to be numbered. «The Lord knoweth them that are his,» and he takes count of all his people. Numbers 4:3. _From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation._ They were to take up this work as a warfare; for, though it was a peaceful work, yet it is described as being a warfare: and he who serves the Lord, though that service be perfect peace, will not serv

CHAPTER 4 The Service of the Levites and their Numbering _ 1. The children of Kohath; their service (Numbers 4:1)_ 2. The sons of Gershon; their service (Numbers 4:21) 3. The sons of Merari; their service (Numbers 4:29) 4. Their numbering for service (Numbers 4:34) This chapter enters more fully into the service of the Levites. They are mustered for service “from thirty years old and upwards even unto fifty years old.” As we saw in the previous chapter, their service was to carry the holy things of Jehovah through the wilderness. The wilderness is for us the type of the world through which we p

A CENSUS OF THE LEVITES QUALIFIED TO SERVE ABOUT THE TABERNACLE, AND THE APPORTIONMENT OF THEIR DUTIES. This census includes all males between 30 and 50 (_cf._ 1 Chronicles 23:3). In Numbers 8:23 the limits of age are 25 and 50 (and the LXX substitutes 25 for 30 in this passage also); in 1 Chronicles 23:24; 2 Chronicles 31:17; Ezra 3:8 the inferior limit is 20, and no superior limit is specified. The variation no doubt corresponds to changes which prevailed at different periods. The task of packing the contents of the Tabe

THIRTY. This thirty pertains to their _numbering,_ The age twenty-five pertains to their _service._ So that there was. probationary live years. Changed (by Divine direction given to David) in 1 Chronicles 23:23; 1 Chronicles 23:24; 1 Chronicles 23:27 to twenty. Compare 2 Chronicles 31:17. ALL THAT ENTER INTO THE HOST. This expression occurs five times in this chapter, verses: Numbers 4:3; Numbers 4:30;...

The Kohathites and their duties....