Numbers 1:49

1:49 “Only the tribe of Levi ¹  you must not number ²  or count ³  with ⁴  the other Israelites.

Numbers 2:17

The Tribe in the Center

2:17 “Then the tent of meeting with the camp of the Levites will travel in the middle of the camps. They will travel in the same order as they camped, each in his own place ⁵  under his standard.

Numbers 18:20

Duties of the Levites

18:20 The Lord spoke to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion of property ⁶  among them – I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

Numbers 27:4

27:4 Why should the name of our father be lost from among his family because he had no son? Give us a possession ⁷  among the relatives ⁸  of our father.”

Numbers 27:7

27:7 “The daughters of Zelophehad have a valid claim. ⁹  You must indeed ¹⁰  give them possession of an inheritance among their father’s relatives, and you must transfer ¹¹  the inheritance of their father to them.

Numbers 33:8

33:8 They traveled from Pi-hahiroth, ¹²  and passed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped in Marah.

¹ sn From the giving of the Law on the priesthood comes the prerogative of the tribe of Levi. There were, however, members of other tribes who served as priests from time to time (see Judg 17:5).

² tn The construction has literally, “only the tribe of Levi you shall not number.” The Greek text rendered the particle אַךְ (’akh) forcefully with “see to it that” or “take care that.” For the uses of this form, see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 65, §388-89.

³ tn Heb “lift up their head.”

⁴ tn Heb “in the midst of the sons of Israel.”

⁵ tn The Hebrew expression is עַל־יָדוֹ (’al-yado, “upon his hand”). This clearly refers to a specifically designated place for each man.

⁹ tn The phrase “of property” is supplied as a clarification.

¹³ tn That is, the possession of land, or property, among the other families of their tribe.

¹⁴ tn The word is “brothers,” but this can be interpreted more loosely to relatives. So also in v. 7.

¹⁷ tn Heb “[the daughters of Zelophehad] speak right” (using the participle דֹּבְרֹת [dovÿrot] with כֵּן [ken]).

¹⁸ tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense. The imperfect is functioning as the imperfect of instruction, and so the infinitive strengthens the force of the instruction.

¹⁹ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive, from the root עָבַר (’avar, “to pass over”). Here it functions as the equivalent of the imperfect of instruction: “and you shall cause to pass,” meaning, “transfer.”

²¹ tc So many medieval Hebrew manuscripts, Smr, Syriac, and Latin Vulgate. Other witnesses have “from before Hahiroth.”