Numbers 3
Summary for Num 3:1-4:49: 3:1–4:49 a The duties of Israel’s priests and Levites included the transportation, assembly, safety, and upkeep of the Tabernacle. The physical arrangement of Israel’s tribes reflected concern for these activities.Summary for Num 3:1-4: 3:1-4 b The family line of Aaron provided the professional priests who led Israel’s worship. Aaron’s four sons were the foundation of Israel’s priesthood; they stood in God’s presence and served him on behalf of the people. They were appointed to lead the people and serve the Lord as ministers in the Tabernacle and as guardians of God’s covenant with his people.
3:4 c The deaths of Nadab and Abihu (see Lev 10:1-2 d) highlighted the importance of guarding the holiness of the sanctuary and of strict obedience to God’s instructions (Num 26:61 e; Lev 16:1 f; 1 Chr 24:2 g; cp. Acts 5:1-11 h; 1 Cor 10:6-11 i; 11:29-30 j).
• Eleazar and Ithamar: See profile for Eleazar at end of chapter.
Summary for Num 3:5-13: 3:5-13 k The Levites were appointed as assistants to the priests, who were represented by Aaron. Their ministry included sacred duties (3:7 l) in maintaining the Tabernacle and its furnishings (3:8 m; described in greater detail in 4:1-33 n).
3:10 o The sanctuary was sacred (1:51 p; 3:38 q; 18:7 r); it was not to be approached by the unqualified (cp. 3:4 s).
Summary for Num 3:11-13: 3:11-13 t The firstborn sons ... of Israel belonged to God, having been spared when the Egyptian firstborn sons died (3:13 u; see Exod 11–12 v). The Levites were chosen ... to serve as substitutes in their place.
Summary for Num 3:14-39: 3:14-39 w This first phase of a two-stage registration of the tribe of Levi (see 4:34-49 x for stage two) summarized each family group’s special responsibilities (described in greater detail in 4:1-33 y). This numbering was not linked with military duties, so it enrolled male Levites from the age of one month (3:40-41 z).
• Three family groups are descended from Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the three sons of Levi. These clans (often called the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites) later inherited the “cities of refuge” (Josh 21 aa) and filled various important posts in the Jerusalem Temple (2 Chr 29:3-17 ab).
Summary for Num 3:27-32: 3:27-32 ac Aaron and Moses, sons of Amram, were descendants of Kohath (see Exod 6:18 ad, 20 ae, 26 af). Because they were caretakers of the sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) and its very sacred furnishings (described in Num 3–4 ag), the Kohathites were the most highly regarded of the three clans.
3:28 ah 8,600: Some Greek manuscripts read 8,300. The “six” (Hebrew shsh) in 8,600 could result from misreading a “three” (Hebrew shlsh).
3:32 ai Eleazar, Aaron’s third son, presided over the Levites as administrator (perhaps as an executive secretary), while his father dealt with other matters; he had special ... oversight of the Tabernacle (4:16-20 aj). He played an important role in Israel’s wilderness period and later succeeded his father as high priest (see 16:37-39 ak; 19:3-6 al; 20:25-28 am; 26:1-3 an).
3:38 ao The preeminent campsite east of the Tabernacle was reserved for ... Moses, Aaron, and his priestly sons.
3:39 ap 22,000: The numbers listed for each clan (3:22 aq, 28 ar, 34 as) add up to 22,300. See study note on 3:28.
Summary for Num 3:40-51: 3:40-51 at There were 273 more firstborn sons in Israel (in the non-Levite tribes) than there were Levite males (cp. 3:39 au). Because the Levites served as substitutes for the firstborn of Israel (3:41 av; see study note on 3:11-13), a redemption price (3:48 aw) of five pieces of silver (3:47 ax) had to be paid for each of the extra firstborn sons (3:46 ay; cp. Lev 27:6 az). It is not clear who covered this cost. This provision for a special class of substitutes points to Christ’s role as a substitute; through his death, Christ paid the redemption price for all humanity (see Mark 10:45 ba; Gal 3:13 bb; Eph 1:7 bc; Heb 9:15 bd).
Profile: Eleazar
Eleazar was the third son of Aaron, the first high priest (Exod 6:23 be). Eleazar’s two older brothers, Nadab and Abihu, offended God by offering incense in a different way than what God had commanded (Lev 10:1-7 bf). Because of their disobedience, God killed them. Since Eleazar was the next oldest son, he was now in line to succeed his father as high priest. He performed priestly duties during his father’s lifetime, and he helped his father and Moses when some Levites rebelled because they wanted equal status with Aaron’s priestly family (Num 16:36-40 bg).
Aaron died in the wilderness a short time before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. He was not allowed to enter because he and Moses had rebelled against God by striking the rock at Meribah (20:1-13 bh). Before Aaron’s death, he, Moses, and Eleazar went up on Mount Hor, where Moses removed the priestly garments from Aaron and put them on his son (20:22-29 bi).
After this, Eleazar served as high priest for the rest of his life, which included the time of Canaan’s conquest. When it was time to divide the land among the tribes, Eleazar and Joshua cast the sacred lots to determine where each tribe would settle (Josh 14:1-5 bj). When Eleazar died, he was succeeded by his son Phinehas, who had distinguished himself by his covenant faithfulness when Israel had turned to the gods of Moab (Num 25 bk). Eleazar’s descendants included Zadok, the faithful priest who replaced Abiathar (1 Kgs 2:26-27 bl, 35 bm; see 1 Chr 6:3-8 bn, 50-53 bo), and Ezra, who was instrumental in reestablishing Judea after the Exile (see Ezra 7:1-5 bp). In Ezekiel’s ideal temple, only the descendants of Eleazar through Zadok would be permitted to serve (Ezek 44:15 bq).
Passages for Further Study
Exod 6:23-25 br; Lev 10:6-7 bs; Num 3:1-4 bt; 16:36-40 bu; 20:22-26 bv; 26:1-4 bw; Josh 14:1 bx
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