Monday, May 7, 2012

Responsibilities of the Levites

Numbers 3:14-39

“And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.  And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 


And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.  
And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.  And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.  And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.” (Numbers 3:14-20)

Moses had taken a census of all the men old enough to go to war, but the tribe of Levi was excluded.   In the process God had directed  where each tribe was to camp and the position they were to take when traveling to expedite setting up camp.  The Levites were chosen as priests and caretakers of the Tabernacle.  Each family was assigned responsibility for a particular part of the Tabernacle.

“Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.  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. 


The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.  And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael. 


And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.  And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.” (Numbers 3:21-26) 

Unlike the main census which only counted the men twenty years old or older, every male Levite over a month old was counted.  The descendants of Gershon were responsible for the fabric parts of the Tabernacle, from the various coverings and door coverings to the ropes and the fencing around the courtyard.   This was in addition to moving their own personal belongings. With seven thousand five hundred to share the load, it should not have been an excessive burden.

When they set up camp, the Gershonites were to camp behind the Tabernacle on the west side.  This would keep the covering from being unloaded in a place that interfered with setting up, while preventing parts being misplaced.    Numbers 7 tells us that they were given two wagons to haul the coverings.  Eliasaph was appointed as foreman to oversee their work.

“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.  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. 


The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.  And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.


 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.” (Numbers 3:27-31)

The Kohath Levites were assigned responsibility for the various pieces of furniture and implements of service in the Tabernacle, including the Brazen Altar and the Altar of Incense, the Laver, the Table of Showbread, the golden candlestick, and the Ark of the Covenant, along with all the necessary utensils for each one.

The Kohath Levites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle and would follow immediately after the priests when marching.  They were to physically carry the different implements and were given no wagons to move them.  Only they were allowed to carry them.  Elizaphan was appointed to direct the movement and care of those items.

“And Eleazar 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.” (Numbers 3:32) 

To avoid confusion, Eleazar, Aaron’s son was designated to oversee the various groups in moving and erecting the Tabernacle.

“Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.  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. 


And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.  And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.” (Numbers 3:33-37)

Merari”s descendants were designate responsibility for the framework for the Tabernacle, including the poles, stakes, and ropes for setting up the the courtyard and the various bases for the different parts.  Numbers seven tells us they had four wagons to transport the various pieces.  They would follow the family of Kohath in marching and were led by Zuriel.

“But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” (Numbers 3:38)

The priests would lead the Levites in march, camping on the east side of the tabernacle, just in front of the gate, making them readily available to any seeking to offer sacrifices or needing help.  Anyone stepping into that position who wasn’t born to it was to be executed.  The picture here is of those who attempt to bypass God’s plan being judged.  In John 10:1, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”

“All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.” (Numbers 3:39)

There were a total of twenty two thousand Levite, making Levi the smallest of the tribes, especially since they counted all the Levites over a month old while all the other tribes initially counted only those over twenty years old.

2 comments:

  1. I like the play by play commentary; I know for my wife and I'm sure many others, this is a hard part of Scripture simply because there is so much to assimilate. Thank you for the concise exposition; I enjoy how you pause to examine the details. God bless.

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  2. It is the artist's attention to important details that makes a painting stand up under close scrutiny, and the same is true for a writer. Some of the most important teachings of scripture are in the details that so often get neglected.

    My hope is that by pointing out some of the details others will desire to see what else is there.

    Thanks for your comments.

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