A i 1-4. Priests. Their "generations". k 5-9. Levites. Given out of the whole congregation. i 10. Priests. Their appointments. k 11-51. Substituted for the rest of the congregation.
1490 B.C.
5: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses, saying,
6: "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and cause them to stand
before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.
7: And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the
whole congregation before the tent of the congregation, to
do the service of the tabernacle (=the dwelling place of the Lord (Yehovah)).
8: And they shall keep all the instruments
(=vessels or furniture) of the tent of the congregation, and the charge of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the dwelling place of the Lord (Yehovah). (The whole nation was responsible for this charge, but Levi was taken in substitution for the firstborn. Cp. vv.38,41 and cp. 8:16. Ex.13:11-16.)
9: And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and to his
sons: they are wholly given (Heb. "given, given" for emphasis, hence called nethunim = given ones) to him out of the sons of Israel.
10: And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh near shall be put to death."
k l 11-13. Substitution of Levites for firstborn. m 14-39. Numbering of substitutes. m 40-43. Numbering of firstborn. l 44-51. Substitution of Levites for firstborn.
11: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses, saying,
12: "And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among
the sons of Israel instead of all the firstborn that opens
the matrix among the sons of Israel: therefore the Levites
shall be Mine;
13: Because all the firstborn are Mine; for on the day
that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I
seperated (see Ex.3:5) to Me all the firstborn in Israel, both mankind and beast: Mine shall they be: I am Yehovah." (this is the reason for
this act of sovereignty. Cp. Ex.12:29,29,30; 13:2. The
interpretation of Heb.12:23 depends on this ordinance. Note the emphatic I, v.12.)
14: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15: "Number the sons of Levi after the house of their
fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shall you number them."
16: And Moses numbered them according to the word
of the Lord (Yehovah) (Heb. "mouth", put for words spoken by it), according as he was commanded.
17: And these were the sons of Levi by their names (substituted by name here because redeemed by name. Ex.1:1); Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18: And these are the names of the sons of Gershon (=exile) by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
19: And the sons of Kohath (=assembly) by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20: And the sons of Merari (=bitter, unhappy) by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
21: Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites
(=white), and the family of the Shimites (=renowned): these are the families of the Gershonites.
22: Those that were numbered of them, according to the
number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even
those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and
five hundred.
23: The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
24: And the chief of the house of the father of the
Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
25: And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of
the congregation shall be the dwelling place (of Yehovah), and the tent, and the covering thereof, and the hanging for the entrance of the tent of the congregation,
26: And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the entance of the court, which is by the dwelling place, and
by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the
service thereof.
27: And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28: In the number of all the males, from a month old and
upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the
charge of the sanctuary.
29: The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the dwelling place southward.
30: And the chief of the house of the father of the
families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of
Uzziel.
31: And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and
the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the
sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
32: And Eleazar (=help of God) the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
33: Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites
(=sick), and the family of the Mushites (=yielding): these are the families of Merari.
34: And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were
six thousand and two hundred.
35: And the chief of the house of the father of the
families of Merari was Zuriel (=my rock is God) the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
36: And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the dwelling place, and the bars
thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof,
and all the vessels thereof, and all that serves thereto,
37: And the pillars of the court round about, and their
sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
38: But those that encamp before the dwelling place toward the east, even before the tent of the congregation
eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping
the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the sons
of Israel (the whole nation responsible, cp. vv.8 and 41,45); and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.
39: All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses
numbered at the commandment of the Lord (Yehovah) ("and Aaron" - these two words are dotted in the Hebrew. The command was given to Moses alone vv.14,15, and was carried out by him alone v.16. As Aaron took part, according to 1:3,4 and 4:41,45,46, his name was included here by some ancient copyist; and later scribes dotted the words rather than leave them out), throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
40: And the Lord (Yehovah) said to Moses (Heb. ’åmar, not dåvar, spoke. ’Âmar is followed by the words spoken, dåvar is not. This exression, Yehovah said, occ. 18 "sundry times" and 5 "divers manners" in this Book of Numbers. Cp. 1:1. With the 56 times "Yehovah spoke", these 18 make 74 times, and 16 manners 74 = 2 x 37 = the second witness of the word of God. See also 22:9, for "God said" 4 times, making 78 in all. 78 = 2 x 39. 39 is associated with disease), "Number all the firstborn of the males of the sons of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41: And you shall take the Levites for me {I am the Lord
(Yehovah)} instead of all the firstborn among the sons
of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the sons of Israel."
42: And Moses numbered, according as the Lord (Yehovah) commanded
him, all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.
43: And all the firstborn males by the number of names,
from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and
threescore and thirteen.
44: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses, saying,
45: "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn
among the sons of Israel (this substitution is the subject of this large number), and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be Mine: I am the Lord (Yehovah).
46: And for those that are to be bought back of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the sons of Israel (see Ex.6:8), which are over and above the Levites (273 = 13 x 21 = rebelion x
exceeding sinfulness of sin. The firstborn males were
22,273. The Levites were 22,000. Difference of 273. 22,000
= 22 x 1,000 = light X Divine completeness and the glory of God.);
47: You shall even take five shekels (=2 1/2 oz.) apiece by the person, after the shekel of the sanctuary shall you take them: {the shekel is twenty gerahs:} (=1/2 oz.)
48: And you shall give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons."
49: And Moses took the redemption money of them that were
over and above them that were bought back by the Levites:
50: Of the firstborn of the sons of Israel took he the
money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: (=aprox. 682 oz. 1365 = 13 x 105, being 5 x 273, i.e. 5 shekels apiece.)
51: And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah),
according as the Lord (Yehovah) commanded Moses.
B n 1-33. Command (Given). o 34-45. Obedience. n 46-49. Command (Completed).
n p¹ q¹ 1-3. Kohathites. Age. r¹ 4-20. Their service. p² q² 21-23. Gershonites. Age. r² 24-28. Their service. p³ q³ 29,30. Merarites. Age. r³ 31-33. Their service.
4: This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the
tent of the congregation, about the holiest things:
("holiness of holiness". See Ex.3:5)
5: And (vv.5-15, to emphasise each particular) when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
6: And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins,
and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall
put in the staves thereof.
7: And upon the table of showbread (see Ex.25:30 and Lev. 24:6) they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes (in Chapter 4 rendered
"charger" throughout), and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon (cp. Lev.24:8):
8: And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
9: And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the
lampstands of the light (as in Gen.1:14), and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister to it:
10: And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof
within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon
a pole (cp.13:23).
11: And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and
shall put to the staves thereof:
12: And they shall take all the instruments of ministry,
wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers'
skins, and shall put them on a pole:
13: And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
14: And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof,
wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the
fleshhooks (or forks), and the shovels, and the basons (or srinkling bowls), all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.
15: And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of
covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the
sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the
sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not
touch any holy (=set apart, see Ex.3:5) thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of the congregation.
16: And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the
priest pertains the oil for the light, and the sweet
incense, and the daily meal offering, and the anointing
oil, and the oversight of all the delling place (of Yehovah), and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
17: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
18: "Cut you all not off the tribe of the families of the
Kohathites from among the Levites:
19: But thus do to them, that they may live, and not die,
when they approach to the holiest things: Aaron and his
sons shall go in, and appoint each to his own work
(so no confusion) to his service and to his burden:
20: But they shall not go in to see when the holy
things are covered, lest they die" (cp. Ex.19:31. 1 Sam.6:19).
21: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses, saying,
22: "Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout
the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23: From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all that enter in to perform the
service (Heb. = war the warfare. Fig., for emphasis = do the important or solemn work), to do the work in the tent of the congregation.
24: This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
25: And they shall bear the curtains of the dwellingplace, and the tent of the congregation, his covering, and the
covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and
the hanging for the entrance of the tent of the
congregation,
26: And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the entrance of the gate of the court, which is by the dwelling place and by the altar round about, and their cords, and
all the instruments of their service, and all that is made
for them: so shall they serve.
27: At the appointment of Aaron and his sons
(Heb. "mouth" put for what is said or bidden by it) shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and you shall appoint to them in charge all their burdens.
28: This is the service of the families of the sons of
Gershon in the tent of the congregation: and their charge
shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the
priest.
29: As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30: From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years
old shall you number them, every one that enters into the
service, to perform the solemn work of the tent of the
congregation.
31: And this is the charge of their burden, according to
all their service in the tent of the congregation; the
boards of the dwelling place, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
32: And the pillars of the court round about, and their
sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their
instruments, and with all their service: and by name you
all shall reckon the instruments of (some codices insert "all" here instead) the charge of their burden.
33: This is the service of the families of the sons of
Merari, according to all their service, in the tent of the
congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron
the priest."
o s¹ t¹ 34. Kohathites. Numeration. u¹ 35. Age and service. w¹ 36,37-. Number. x¹ -37. According to the commandment. s² t² 38. Gershonites. Numeration. u² 39. Age and service. w² 40,41-. Number. x² -41. According to the commandment. s³ t³ 42. Merarites. Numeration. u³ 43. Age and service. w³ 44,45-. Number. x³ -45. According to the commandment.
34: And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
35: From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tent of the congregation:
36: And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37: These were they that were numbered of the families of
the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tent of
the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number
according to the commandment of Yehovah by the hand of Moses (Fig. "hand", put for ministry performed by Moses).
38: And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
39: From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tent of the congregation,
40: Even those that were numbered of them, throughout
their families, by the house of their fathers, were two
thousand and six hundred and thirty.
41: These are they that were numbered of the families of
the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the
tent of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did
number
according to the commandment of Yehovah.
42: And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
43: From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tent of the congregation,
44: Even those that were numbered of them after their
families, were three thousand and two hundred.
45: These be those that were numbered of the families of
the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered
according to the word of Yehovah by the hand of Moses.
46: All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom
Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after
their families, and after the house of their fathers,
47: From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years
old, every one that came to do the solemn (or important) service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tent of the congregation,
48: Even those that were numbered of them, were eight
thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
49: According to the commandment of Yehovah they were
numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his
service, and according to his burden: thus were they
numbered of him, as the Lord (Yehovah) commanded Moses.
B¹ C a 5:1-6:21. Laws for the People (Leprosy, &c.). b 6:22-27. Laws for the priests (Blessings, &c.). D 7:1-89. Event (dedication of altar). C b 8:1-26. Laws for priests and Levites. a 9:1-14. Laws for People (Passover). D 9:15-25. Event (erection of tabernacle).
a c¹ 5:1-31. Necessary laws. c² 6:1-21. Voluntary laws.
c¹ d¹ 1-4. Leprosy. d² 5-10. Trespass. d³ 11-31. Jealousy.
11: And the Lord (Yehovah) spoke to Moses, saying,
12: "Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, 'If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13: And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from
the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be
defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she
be taken with the manner;
14: And if the spirit of jealousy come upon him
(=a jealous motion or affection of mind. Here, Heb. ruach is put for feelings, &c., as in Isa.11:2. Eph.1:17. Hos.4:12), and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15: Then shall the man bring his wife to the priest, and
he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an
ephah (aprox. 3/4 gal.) of barley meal (no other grain, and no other measure. Cp. Lev.2:1); he
shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon;
for it is a meal offering of jealousy, an offering of
memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance. (i.e causing iniquity to be remembered)
16: And the priest shall bring her near, and set her
before the Lord (Yehovah):
17: And the priest shall take set apart (see Ex.3:5, water from the laver) water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the dwelling place (of Yehovah) the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18: And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord (Yehovah), and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial
in her hands, which is the jealousy (meal) offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causes the curse: (Heb. water of bitters; i.e causing the bitterness of spirit. Cp. Ps.109:18.
Prov.5:4. Bitter = Heb. ham‘årîm)
19: And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say
to the woman, 'If no man have lain with you, and if you
have not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of
your husband, be you free from this bitter water that
causes the curse:
20: But if you have gone aside to another instead of your
husband, and if you are defiled, and some man has lain
with you beside your husband:
21: Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say to the woman, 'The Lord (Yehovah)
make you a curse and an oath among your people, when the Lord (Yehovah) does make your thigh to rot, and your belly to swell;
22: And this water that causes the curse shall go into
your bowels, to make your belly to swell, and your thigh to rot:' And the woman shall say, 'Amen, amen' (A Hebrew word, transferred to the Greek = very, truely so. If one adjured another and he replied "amen", it was thereby considered as confirmed by an oath. Cp. 2 Cor.1:20).
23: And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
24: And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causes the curse: and the water that causes the
curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
25: Then the priest shall take the jealousy (meal) offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave (see Ex.29:27) the meal offering before Yehovah, and offer it upon the altar:
26: And the priest shall take an handful of the offering,
even the memorial thereof (the handfull so called, Lev.2:2), and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
27: And when he has made her to drink the water, then it
shall come to pass, that, if she is defiled, and has done
trespass against her husband, that the water that causes
the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her
belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman
shall be a curse among her people.
28: And if the woman be not defiled, but is clean; then
she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29: This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goes aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;
30: Or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before
Yehovah, and the priest shall execute upon her all this
law.
31: Then shall the man be guiltless from perverseness, and this woman shall bear her iniquity' " (=bear the punishment of it. Cp. Lev.20:17,19,20. Ezek.4:4,5).