Numbers 4:21-28
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle 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.” (Numbers 4:21-26)
Like the Kohathites, only those between thirty and fifty years of age were to be assigned to care for and move the cloth parts of the tabernacle. Because they specialized in caring for the fabric parts they would become very skilled in folding and packing these items in an efficient manner.
“At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” (Numbers 4:27-28)
While Eleazar was in charge of the overall Tabernacle, and especially the items of worship, Ithamar was to oversee the erection and maintenance of the tent and courtyard. The priests were to assign each of the Gershonites their place and responsibilities as needed.
Duties Of The Sons Of Merari
Numbers 4:29-33
“As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, 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 ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” (Numbers 4:29-33)
At least two and perhaps four men would be required to handle each of the boards for the Tabernacle, with several to handle the bars that held them in place. An individual would be unable to carry more than two of the support sockets securely and the brass tent pegs and ropes would need to be carefully packed but by careful organization would make loading and unloading fairly efficient. Each man was assigned responsibility for certain parts by name.
“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, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation: And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (Numbers 4:34-37)
The Kohathites had only a few items to deal with, but they would have to carry them the entire time. As well as moving their own stuff. Two thousand seven hundred and fifty of them could rotate their burdens and help carry each others stuff so it would not be and excessive burden on anyone. Paul emphasized a similar concept in giving in II Corinthians 8:12-14. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:”
“And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.
And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred. These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (Numbers 4:38-45)
The coverings and curtains for the Tabernacle were huge pieces of cloth and would require many men to load them onto the wagons. With two thousand six hundred thirty men, the Gershonites could easily hand all the weight of all the different coverings with no one required to handle more than one piece before returning to their own stuff. Once loaded on the wagons only a few drivers were needed. The sons of Merari could assign teams to move each individual board or pole to load them, and even though there was a large number of parts, no one would need to make repeated trips. Those who were free when erecting the tabernacle could level the ground or drive stakes while others unloaded.
“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, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. According to the commandment of the LORD 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 commanded Moses.” (Numbers 4:46-49)
With such a large and carefully organized work force, even a complex structure such as the Tabernacle could be struck or erected in a half hour or so. This was critical if they were to move and keep the daily sacrifices God had specified.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle 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.” (Numbers 4:21-26)
Like the Kohathites, only those between thirty and fifty years of age were to be assigned to care for and move the cloth parts of the tabernacle. Because they specialized in caring for the fabric parts they would become very skilled in folding and packing these items in an efficient manner.
“At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” (Numbers 4:27-28)
While Eleazar was in charge of the overall Tabernacle, and especially the items of worship, Ithamar was to oversee the erection and maintenance of the tent and courtyard. The priests were to assign each of the Gershonites their place and responsibilities as needed.
Duties Of The Sons Of Merari
Numbers 4:29-33
“As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, 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 ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” (Numbers 4:29-33)
At least two and perhaps four men would be required to handle each of the boards for the Tabernacle, with several to handle the bars that held them in place. An individual would be unable to carry more than two of the support sockets securely and the brass tent pegs and ropes would need to be carefully packed but by careful organization would make loading and unloading fairly efficient. Each man was assigned responsibility for certain parts by name.
“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, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation: And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (Numbers 4:34-37)
The Kohathites had only a few items to deal with, but they would have to carry them the entire time. As well as moving their own stuff. Two thousand seven hundred and fifty of them could rotate their burdens and help carry each others stuff so it would not be and excessive burden on anyone. Paul emphasized a similar concept in giving in II Corinthians 8:12-14. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:”
“And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.
And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred. These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.” (Numbers 4:38-45)
The coverings and curtains for the Tabernacle were huge pieces of cloth and would require many men to load them onto the wagons. With two thousand six hundred thirty men, the Gershonites could easily hand all the weight of all the different coverings with no one required to handle more than one piece before returning to their own stuff. Once loaded on the wagons only a few drivers were needed. The sons of Merari could assign teams to move each individual board or pole to load them, and even though there was a large number of parts, no one would need to make repeated trips. Those who were free when erecting the tabernacle could level the ground or drive stakes while others unloaded.
“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, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. According to the commandment of the LORD 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 commanded Moses.” (Numbers 4:46-49)
With such a large and carefully organized work force, even a complex structure such as the Tabernacle could be struck or erected in a half hour or so. This was critical if they were to move and keep the daily sacrifices God had specified.
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