A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Numbers · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verſ. 1. THeſe alſo are the generations of Aaron and Moſes, &c.]
That is, theſe mentioned and numbred in the ſequele of this chapter are of the ſtock whence Aaron and Moſes d…ſcended, to wit, of the tribe of Levi: for by the generations of ſuch and ſuch perſons, in the Scripture, is meant ſometimes their anceſtours, ſometimes their children and poſterity, and ſometimes their whole kindred and family, as here it is taken. Yet even the children of Aaron and Moſes are numbred amongſt the reſt: for though there be no mention made of Moſes ſonnes, as there is of Aarons, ver. 2. yet even Moſes ſonnes are included amongſt the Kohathites, of which family Moſes was, ver. 28. And therefore is A…ron in this place prefixt before Moſes, becauſe in this regard Aarons ſonnes, as being prieſts, had the preheminence of Moſes poſterity, who were but ordinary Levites. As for that clauſe, in the day that the Lord ſpake with Moſes in mount Sinai, that I conceive is purpoſely added, becauſe ſome of theſe here mentioned, though they were living when the Lord ſpake with Moſes in mount Sinai, yet they were now dead, in the ſecond monethmonth of the ſecond year, when this command was given for the numbring of the people, namely Nadab and Abihu, mentioned ver. 2.
Verſ. 6. Bring the tribe of Levi near, and preſent them before Aaron, &c.]
Aaron and his ſonnes entred upon the office of the prieſthood in the firſt monethmonth of the ſecond year after their going out of Egypt, as it is evident, Levit. 10. but it ſeems the Levites were not ſet apart to enter upon their office till they were now numbred, and appointed how they ſhould pitch their tents about the tabernacle, and what the ſeverall charge ſhould be of each family of them, which was in the ſecond monethmonth of the ſecond year, chap. 1. 1. But yet that they ſhould be ſet apart to this imployment in ſtead of the firſt-born was promiſed them before, when they were appointed to ſlay thoſe that had worſhipped the golden calf, as is before noted upon Ex…d. 32. 29. How this may be reconciled with that in Deut. 10. 8. ſee in the notes upon that place.
Verſ. 7. And they ſhall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation, &c.]
That is, they ſhall pitch their tents round about the tabernacle, that they may be near at hand to be ſubſervient and helpfull unto Aaron in the ſeverall duties of Gods worſhip, and the ſervice of the tabernacle, which God hath given in charge to Aaron, and which God hath given in charge to the whole congregation.
Verſ. 8. And they ſhall keep all the inſtruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Iſrael, &c.]
That is, that wherewith the children of Iſrael muſt have ſtood charged, but that the Levites are ſeparated to take it upon them in Iſraels behalf.
Verſ. 10. And thou ſhalt appoint Aaron and his ſonnes, and they ſhall wait on their prieſts office, &c.]
That is, though the Levites are given unto Aaron and his ſonnes for his help, that they may miniſter unto him and be aſſiſtants in thoſe things which are fit for them▪ yet with thoſe things that belong peculia…ly to the prieſts office even the Levites themſelves muſt not upon pain of death intermeddle, nor muſt the prieſts turn over the work of the Sanctuary to the Levites, ſo to eaſe themſelves; they muſt wait themſelves upon their office, and have the chief hand in thoſe holy imployments, the Levites are onelyonly appointed to be ſubſervient and helpfull unto them.
Verſ. 15. Number the children of Levi, after the houſe of their fathers, by their families.]
See the note upon chap. 1. 48.
Every male, from a monethmonth old and upward ſhalt thou number them.]
Male-children were not reputed wholly purified from their uncleanneſſe till they were a monethmonth old, Levit. 12. 4. and then were the firſt-born brought and preſented before the Lord, Luke 2. 22. and then were they redeemed, chap. 8. 16. Now therefore from that age were the Levites numbred, who were given unto God in ſtead of the firſt-born. And beſides, there would not have been any thing near ſo many of the Levites as there were of the firſt-born, if the Levites had not been numbred from a monethmonth old.
Verſ. 23. The families of the Gerſhonites ſhall pitch behind the tabernacle, West-ward.]
Thus the rereward (the ſecond place of honour to that in the forefront, where Moſes and Aaron with the prieſts encamped) is given to the Gerſhonites, as deſcended of Levies eldeſt ſonne; but the moſt holy things were not committed to their charge, the reaſon whereof, ſee ver. 31.
Verſ. 25. And the charge of the ſonnes of Gerſhon in the tabernacle, &c.]
Thus the Gerſhonites had under their charge 1. the tabernacle; not the boards of the tabernacle (for they were under Meraries charge, ver. 36.) but the tabernacle mentioned Exod. 26. 1. made of tenne curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and ſcarlet, &c. 2. the tenth which was that made of eleven curtains of goats hair, Exod. 26. 11. 3. the covering▪ that is the coverings, both that of rammes skinnes and that of badgers skinnes; for both were the Gerſhonites charge, Numb. 4. 25. and 4. the hangings for the doore of the tabernacle.
Verſ. 28. In the number of all the males from a monethmonth old and upward were …ight thouſand and ſix hundred.]
There were therefore of theſe Kohathites eleven thouſand more then were of the Gerſhonites, ver. 22.
Verſ. 31. And their charge ſhall be the ark and the table, &c.]
Thus God of his free grace honoured the houſe from which Moſes was deſcended, to wit, that of the Kohathites, with the charge of all the moſt holy things, the rather alſo becauſe the prieſts, who were to make uſe of theſe holy things in the ſervice of God, were of the ſame houſe. But withall to clear Moſes from an ambitious and partiall preferring thoſe of his own ſtock, the Lord gave no dignity to his ſonnes above their brethren, but they were ranged amongſt the ordinary Levites, as we may ſee 1. Chron. 23. 14. As for the hanging here mentioned amongſt the moſt holy things under the Kohathites charge, it was the vail which hung between the holy and the moſt holy place, wherein the Ark was wrapped up when the Kohathites carried it, chap. 4. 5.
Verſ. 32. And Eleazar the ſonne of Aaron the prieſt ſhall be chief over the chief of the Levites, &c.]
Hence he is called that hath this charge the ſecond priest, 2. Kings 25. 18. Thus Eleazar being high prieſt in Aarons room, Phinehas Eleazars ſonne was governour over the Levites, 1. Chron. 9. 20.
Verſ. 36. And under the cuſtodie and charge of the ſonnes of Merari ſhall be the boards of the tabernacle, &c.]
And becauſe theſe things were heavy, there were twice as many waggons and oxen allowed to them as to the Gerſhonites' Numb. 7. 8.
Verſ. 38. Keeping the charge of the Sanctuary for the charge of the children of Iſrael.]
See the foregoing note upon ver. 8.
Verſ. 39. All the males from a monethmonth old and upward were twenty and two thouſand.]
To wit, the firſt-born of the Levites being deducted. If we ſumme up together the particular numbers before mentioned, to wit, ſeven thouſand and five hundred of the Gerſhonites, ver. 22. eight thouſand and ſix hundred of the Kohathites, ver. 28. and ſix thouſand and two hundred of the Merarites, ver. 34. we ſhall find that all the males from a monethmonth old and upward were not twenty and two thouſand, as is here ſaid, but twenty and two thouſand and three hundred: and therefore it ſeems the three hundred here left out in the generall ſum were the firſt-born amongſt the Levites, who being the Lords in that regard as they were the firſt-born, were not therefore to be reckoned amongſt thoſe that were to be given to the Lord in ſtead of the firſt-born of the other tribes: and the main reaſon why the number of the Levites was now taken, was to ſhew how they were taken in exchange for the Iſraelites firſt-born. Indeed it may ſeem ſtrange that there ſhould be but three hundred firſt-born males amongſt ſo many thouſand Levites: But for that we muſt know, that in all probabilitie onelyonly thoſe were reckoned for firſt-born, that were firſt-born males ſince their coming out of Egypt, when God did firſt challenge the firſt-born to be his in remembrance of his ſlaying all the firſt-born amongſt the Egyptians. And whereas it may alſo ſeem ſtrange that there ſhould be of the whole tribe of Levi numbred from a monethmonth old and upward but two and twenty thouſand and thre… hundred, whereas the leaſt of the other tribes being numbred but from twenty years old and upward had two and thirty thouſand and two hundred, to wit, the tribe of Manaſſeh, chap. 2. 21. we muſt conſider that this was doubtleſſe by the ſpeciall providence of God, that he might have the whole tribe of Levi in ſtead of the firſt-born: for if the tribe of Levi had been as numerous as the other tribes, there would have been farre more of them then the firſt-born were, and ſo they could not have been taken in ſtead of the firſt-born. But what became, may ſome ſay, of the Levites male-children that were under a monethmonth, and ſo not now numbred amongſt thoſe that were to be taken for the firſt-born? I anſwer doubtleſſe the whole tribe was conſecrated to the Lord, and therefore we may probably conceive that either by the ſpeciall providence of God there was none at preſent under that age, or elſe thoſe few that were under that age were taken in exchange for ſo many of the firſt-born of the Iſraelites that were afterwards born, who ſhould otherwiſe have paid for their redemption.
Verſ. 41. And thou ſhalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) in stead of all the first-born among the children of Iſrael.]
That is, in ſtead of the firſt-born males that were now at preſent amongſt them: for all the firſt-born that came after this both of man and beaſt were to be redeemed▪ or given to the prieſt, chap. 18▪ 15▪ Every thing that openeth the matrice in all …leſh which they bring unto the … …ther it be of men or beaſts, ſhall be thine, &c.
And cattel of the Levites in ſtead of all the firstlings, &c.]
As the Levites are taken for the firſt-born of the Iſraelites; ſo the Levites cattel were taken in exchange for the firſt-born of the Iſraelites cattel: yet we muſt not think therefore that the Levites cattel were offered in ſacrifice as the firſt-born of the cattel afterwards were, but it ſufficed that the Levites had them, who were Gods peculiar portion, and appointed to receive in his name what was to be given to him.
Verſ. 43. And all the first-born males by the number of names &c.]
All the Levites being numbred were twenty and two thouſand, and now the firſt-born being numbred were twenty and two thouſand two hundred ſeventy and three; wherein Gods ſpeciall providence appeareth, that the number of the firſt-born ſhould be ſo near the number of the Levites taken in their ſtead, to wit, but two hundred ſeventy and three more then the Levites were.
Verſ. 46. And as for thoſe that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threeſcore and thirteen, &c.]
There being two hundred ſeventy and three of the firſt-born more then there were of the Levites, it is ordered that theſe ſhould pay for their redemption five ſhekels a piece by the poll, which was the price they afterwards paid for the redemption of the firſt-born, Numb. 18. 15. Now whereas it may ſeem unequall that ſome of the firſt-born ſhould pay redemption-money and others ſhould pay none, becauſe the Levites were taken in their ſtead; to this it is anſwered by Expoſitours, that either this was decided by lot, who ſhould pay and who ſhould not pay, and then there was no wrong done; or elſe that the money that was to be raiſed for the redemption of theſe two hundred ſeventy and three was paid in common by them all.
Verſ. 48. And thou ſhalt give the money, wherewith the odde number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his ſonnes.]
Becauſe the Levites were given to him, verſ. 9. and when the Levites failed, this money was in their ſtead.