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Texts -- Numbers 4:17-49 (NET)

Context
4:17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron : 4:18 “Do not allow the tribe of the families of the Kohathites to be cut off from among the Levites ; 4:19 but in order that they will live and not die when they approach the most holy things , do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint each man to his service and his responsibility . 4:20 But the Kohathites are not to go in to watch while the holy things are being covered , or they will die .”
The Service of the Gershonites
4:21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses : 4:22 “Also take a census of the Gershonites , by their clans and by their families . 4:23 You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting . 4:24 This is the service of the families of Gershonites , as they serve and carry it. 4:25 They must carry the curtains for the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering , the covering of fine leather that is over it, the curtains for the entrance of the tent of meeting , 4:26 the hangings for the courtyard , the curtain for the entrance of the gate of the court , which is around the tabernacle and the altar , and their ropes , along with all the furnishings for their service and everything that is made for them. So they are to serve . 4:27 “All the service of the Gershonites , whether carrying loads or for any of their work , will be at the direction of Aaron and his sons . You will assign them all their tasks as their responsibility . 4:28 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites concerning the tent of meeting . Their responsibilities will be under the authority of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest .
The Service of the Merarites
4:29 “As for the sons of Merari , you are to number them by their families and by their clans . 4:30 You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting . 4:31 This is what they are responsible to carry as their entire service in the tent of meeting : the frames of the tabernacle , its crossbars , its posts , its sockets , 4:32 and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their sockets , tent pegs , and ropes , along with all their furnishings and everything for their service . You are to assign by names the items that each man is responsible to carry . 4:33 This is the service of the families of the Merarites , their entire service concerning the tent of meeting , under the authority of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest .”
Summary
4:34 So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community numbered the Kohathites by their families and by clans , 4:35 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting ; 4:36 and those of them numbered by their families were 2,750 . 4:37 These were those numbered from the families of the Kohathites , everyone who served in the tent of meeting , whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the authority of Moses . 4:38 Those numbered from the Gershonites , by their families and by their clans , 4:39 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting – 4:40 those of them numbered by their families , by their clans , were 2,630 . 4:41 These were those numbered from the families of the Gershonites , everyone who served in the tent of meeting , whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord . 4:42 Those numbered from the families of the Merarites , by their families , by their clans , 4:43 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting – 4:44 those of them numbered by their families were 3,200 . 4:45 These are those numbered from the families of the Merarites , whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the authority of Moses . 4:46 All who were numbered of the Levites , whom Moses , Aaron , and the leaders of Israel numbered by their families and by their clans , 4:47 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , everyone who entered to do the work of service and the work of carrying relating to the tent of meeting – 4:48 those of them numbered were 8,580 . 4:49 According to the word of the Lord they were numbered , by the authority of Moses , each according to his service and according to what he was to carry . Thus were they numbered by him, as the Lord had commanded Moses .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Levites

    [smith] (descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included, (Exodus 6:25; Leviticus 25:32; Numbers 35:2; Joshua 21:3,41) etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, ...
    [nave] LEVITES The descendants of Levi. Set apart as ministers of religion, Num. 1:47-54; 3:6-16; 16:9; 26:57-62; Deut. 10:8; 1 Chr. 15:2. Substituted in the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:12, 41-45; 8:14, 16-18; 18:6. Religious ...

  • EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 3-4

    [isbe] EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 3-4 - III. Historical Character. 1. General Consideration: The fact that extra-Israelitish and especially Egyptian sources that can lay claim to historical value have reported nothing authentic concernin...

  • Kohathites

    [ebd] the descendants of Kohath. They formed the first of the three divisions of the Levites (Ex. 6:16, 18; Num. 3:17). In the journeyings of the Israelites they had the charge of the most holy portion of the vessels of the tabern...

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...

  • PRIESTS AND LEVITES

    [isbe] PRIESTS AND LEVITES - (kohen, "priest"; nothing is definitely known as to the origin of the word; Lewi, "Levite," on which see LEVI): I. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE HISTORY 1. The Old View 2. The Graf-Wellhausen View 3. Mediating...

  • Tabernacle

    [nave] TABERNACLE One existed before Moses received the pattern authorized on Mount Sinai, Ex. 33:7-11. The one instituted by Moses was called Sanctuary, Ex. 25:8; Tabernacle, Ex. 27:21; 33:7; 2 Chr. 5:5; of Testimony, Ex. 38:21; ...

  • Ithamar

    [isbe] ITHAMAR - ith'-a-mar ('ithamar, "land" or "island of palms": Gesenius; or "father of Tamar," 'i, being perhaps for 'abhi: Cook in Encyclopedia Biblica--though both derivations are uncertain): The 4th son of Aaron (Ex 6:23; 2...
    [smith] (land of palms), the youngest son of Aaron. (Exodus 6:23) (B.C. 1491.) After the death of Nadab and Abihu, (Leviticus 10:1) Eleazar and Ithamar were appointed to succeed to their places in the priestly office. (Exodus 28:1,40...
    [nave] ITHAMAR Son of Aaron, Ex. 6:23; 28:1; 1 Chr. 6:3. Intrusted with moneys of the tabernacle, Ex. 38:21. Charged with duties of the tabernacle, Num. 4:28; 7:8. Forbidden to lament the death of his brothers, Nadab and Abihu, ...

  • MERARI

    [isbe] MERARI - me-ra'-ri (merari, "bitter"; Mararei): (1) The 3rd son of Levi, his brothers, Gershon and Kohath, being always mentioned together with him (Gen 46:11; Ex 6:16 ff). He was among those 70 who went down to Egypt with J...

  • Gershon

    [nave] GERSHON, called also Gershom. Son of Levi, Gen. 46:11; Ex. 6:16, 17; Num. 3:17-26; 4:22-28, 38; 7:7; 10:17; 26:57; Josh. 21:6; 1 Chr. 6:1, 16, 17, 20, 43, 62, 71; 15:7; 23:6.

  • Merarites

    [ebd] the descendants of Merari (Num. 26:57). They with the Gershonites and the Kohathites had charge of the tabernacle, which they had to carry from place to place (Num. 3:20, 33-37; 4:29-33). In the distribution of the oxen and ...

  • Levite

    [ebd] a descendant of the tribe of Levi (Ex. 6:25; Lev. 25:32; Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:3, 41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanc...

  • SERVICE

    [isbe] SERVICE - sur'-vis: Six Hebrew, two Aramaic and four Greek words are so rendered. 1. In the Old Testament: In the Old Testament the word most used for "service" is (1) `abhodhah, from `abhadh, which is the general word, mean...

  • Priest

    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • GERSHONITES, THE

    [smith] the family descended from Gershon or Gershom, the son of Levi. "THE GERSH0NITE," as applied to individuals, occurs in (1 Chronicles 26:21) The sons of Gershon (the Gershonites) had charge of the fabrics of the tabernacle--...

  • APPOINT

    [isbe] APPOINT - a-point': This word is used for the expression of a large variety of ideas and the translation of almost as many words. naqabh = "stipulate" (Gen 30:28). paqadh = "put into office" (Gen 41:34; Nu 1:50; Est 2:3); "s...

  • PUNISHMENTS

    [isbe] PUNISHMENTS - pun'-ish-ments ('awon, "fault," "iniquity," "punishment for iniquity," "sin" (Gen 4:13; Lev 26:41; Job 19:29; Ps 149:7; Lam 4:22; Ezek 14:10 margin; Am 1:3,6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6), `onesh, "tribute," "fine," "punis...

  • Ark

    [ebd] Noah's ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof....

  • BURDEN

    [isbe] BURDEN - bur'-dn. 1. In the Old Testament: In the Old Testament more than one word is rendered "burden." (1) massa', from a root nasa' "he lifted up." Thus literally any load is called massa' (Ex 23:5; Nu 4:15,24,27 ff; 2 Ki...

  • MEDIATION; MEDIATOR

    [isbe] MEDIATION; MEDIATOR - me-di-a'-shun, me'-di-a-ter: I. INTRODUCTORY 1. The Terms (1) Mediation (2) Mediator 2. The Principle of Mediation II. MEDIATION IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. Negative Teaching in the Old Testament 2. The Pos...

  • Curiosity

    [nave] CURIOSITY. Prov. 27:20; Eccl. 7:21 Instances of Of Eve, Gen. 3:6. Of Abraham, to know whether God would destroy the righteous in Sodom, Gen. 18:23-32. Of Jacob, to know the name of the angel, Gen. 32:29. Of the Israeli...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The title the Jews used in their Hebrew Old Testament for this book comes from the fifth word in the book in the Hebrew text, bemidbar: "in the wilderness."This is, of course, appropriate since the Israelites spent most of th...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • The first 10 chapters in Numbers describe Israel's preparation for entering the land.". . . just as the way from Goshen to Sinai was a preparation of the chosen people for their reception into the covenant with God, so the wa...
  • Note the recurrance of a key word in the Pentateuch in verse l: toledot."For the first time after the formative events of the Exodus deliverance and the revelation on Mount Sinai, the people of Israel are organized into a hol...
  • Moses did not arrange the three Levitical families in the text here in the order of the ages of their founders. He arranged them in the order of the holiness of the articles that they managed.The Kohathites--who included Mose...
  • The consecration of the priests had taken place earlier (cf. Lev. 8). Then the people only looked on (Lev. 8:3-4). On the present occasion God set apart to His service the whole tribe of Levi that He had taken in place of the...
  • Before going into battle against the Midianites as God commanded (25:18), the Lord directed Moses to take another census of the Israelites. Evidently the 24,000 who died in the recent plague (25:9) were the last of the genera...
  • "Just as the censuses of chs. 1, 3, and 4 led to a flurry of preparations for departure from Sinai, so the second censuses in ch. 26 lead to preparations for departure from the plains of Moab and entry into the land of Canaan...
  • Bethshemesh was the closest Israelite town to Ekron. It stood about 12 miles east-southeast of Ekron. To get there the cows walked east up the Sorek Valley, Samson's home area. Evidently the Israelites who were reaping their ...
  • Not all the people who later assembled to see the ark were as careful as those from Bethshemesh, however. The Mosaic Law specified that no one was to look into the ark or that person would die (Num. 4:5, 20; cf. 2 Sam. 6:6-7)...
  • Baale-judah (v. 2) may have been the later name of Kiriath-jearim (cf. Josh. 15:9-10).76This was where the ark had evidently rested since the Israelites had moved it from Bethshemesh in Samuel's days (1 Sam. 6; cf. Ps. 132:6-...
  • Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 23 provide an outline for what follows in chapters 23-27 but in reverse order. After David appointed Solomon as his coregent in 973 B.C., he began the preparations the writer described here.David ada...
  • "The setting of the Mesopotamian dream-visions--which occurred in both the Assyrian period and the Babylonian period . . . --consisted of four elements: (1) the date, (2) the place of reception, (3) the recipient, and (4) the...
  • Why did Luke place his genealogy of Jesus at this point in his Gospel? Probably he did so because this was the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. Matthew recorded Jesus' genealogy to show that He had a legitimate right by b...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

  • "All that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle."Num. 4:23.THESE words occur in the series of regulations as to the functions of the Levites in the Tabernacle worship. The words to perform the serv...
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