N
U M B E R S
CHAP. IV.
In
the former chapter an account was taken of the whole tribe of Levi, in this we
have an account of those of that tribe who were in the prime of their time for
service, betwixt thirty and fifty years old. I. The serviceable men of the
Kohathites are ordered to be numbered, and their charges are given them, ver.
2-20. II. Of the Gershonites, ver. 24-28. III. Of the Merarites, ver. 29-33.
IV. The numbers of each, and the sum total at last, are recorded, ver. 34,
&c.
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The
Office of the Levites.
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B.
C. 1490.
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1 And the LORD
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the
sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house
of their fathers, 3 From thirty years old and upward even until
fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the
tabernacle of the congregation. 4 This shall be the service
of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the
most holy things: 5 And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall
come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the
ark of testimony with it: 6 And shall put thereon the covering of
badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and
shall put in the staves thereof. 7 And upon the table of showbread
they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons,
and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be
thereon: 8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and
cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves
thereof. 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the
candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes,
and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of
badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar. 11 And upon
the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a
covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12 And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they
minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover
them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a
bar: 13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and
spread a purple cloth thereon: 14 And they shall put upon it all
the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the
censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of
the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put
to the staves of it. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an
end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the
camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it:
but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things
are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the
congregation. 16 And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the
priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the
daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all
the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in
the vessels thereof. 17 And the LORD
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 18 Cut ye not off the
tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: 19
But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach
unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them
every one to his service and to his burden: 20 But they shall not
go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
We have here a second muster of the tribe of Levi. As that tribe was taken out
of all Israel to be God's peculiar, so the middle-aged men of that tribe were
taken from among the rest to be actually employed in the service of the
tabernacle. Now observe,
I. Who were to be taken into this number. All the males from thirty years old
to fifty. Of the other tribes, those that were numbered to go forth to war
were from twenty years old and upward, but of the Levites only from thirty to
fifty; for the service of God requires the best of our strength, and the prime
of our time, which cannot be better spent than to the honour of him who is the
first and best. And a man may make a good soldier much sooner than a good
minister. Now,
1. They were not to be employed till they were thirty years old, because till
then they were in danger of retaining something childish and youthful and had
not gravity enough to do the service, and wear the honour, of a Levite. They
were entered as probationers at twenty-five years old, (ch. viii. 24),
and in David's time, when there was more work to be done, at twenty (1 Chron.
xxiii. 24, and so Ezra iii. 8); but they must be five years learning and
waiting, and so fitting themselves for service; nay, in David's time they were
ten years in preparation, from twenty to thirty. John Baptist began his public
ministry, and Christ his, at thirty years old. This is not in the letter of it
obligatory on gospel ministers now, as if they must either not begin their
work till thirty years old or must leave off at fifty; but it gives us two
good rules:-- (1.) That ministers must not be novices, 1 Tim. iii. 6. It is a
work that requires ripeness of judgment and great steadiness, and therefore
those are very unfit for it who are but babes in knowledge and have not put
away childish things. (2.) That they must learn before they teach, serve
before they rule, and must first be proved, 1 Tim. iii. 10.
2. They were discharged at fifty years old from the toilsome part of the
service, particularly that of carrying the tabernacle; for that is the special
service to which they are here ordained, and which there was most occasion for
while they were in the wilderness. When they began to enter upon old age, they
were dismissed, (1.) In favour to them, that they might no be over-toiled when
their strength began to decay. Twenty years' good service was thought pretty
well for one man. (2.) In honour to the work, that it might not be done by
those who, through the infirmities of age, were slow and heavy. The service of
God should be done when we are in the most lively active frame. Those do not
consider this who put off their repentance to old age, and so leave the best
work to be done in the worst time.
II. How their work is described. They are said to enter into the host,
or warfare, to do the work in the tabernacle. The ministry is a good
work (1 Tim. iii. 1): ministers are not ordained to the honour only, but
to the labour, not only to have the wages, but to do the work. It is also a good
warfare, 1 Tim. i. 18. Those that enter into the ministry must look upon
themselves as entered into the host, and approve themselves good
soldiers, 2 Tim. ii. 3. Now, as to the sons of Kohath in particular, here
is,
1. Their service appointed them, in the removes of the tabernacle. Afterwards,
when the tabernacle was fixed, they had other work assigned them; but this was
the work of the day, which was to be done in its day. Observe, Wherever the
camp of Israel went, the tabernacle of the Lord went with them, and care must
be taken for the carriage of it. Note, Wherever we go, we must see to it that
we take our religion along with us, and not forget that or any part of it. Now
the Kohathites were to carry all the holy things of the tabernacle. They were
charged with those things before (ch. iii. 31), but here they have more
particular instructions given them. (1.) Aaron, and his sons the priests, must
pack up the things which the Kohathites were to carry, as here directed, v.
5, &c. God had before appointed that none should come into the most holy
place, but only Aaron once a year with a cloud of incense (Lev. xvi. 2); and
yet, the necessity of their unsettled state requiring it, that law is here
dispensed with; for every time they removed Aaron and his sons went in to take
down the ark, and make it up for carriage; for (as the learned bishop Patrick
suggests) the shechinah, or display of the divine majesty, which was
over the mercy-seat, removed for the present in the pillar of cloud, which was
taken up, and then the ark was not dangerous to be approached. (2.) All the
holy things must be covered, the ark and table with three coverings, all the
rest with two. Even the ashes of the altar, in which the holy fire was
carefully preserved and raked up, must have a purple cloth spread over them, v.
13. Even the brazen altar, though in the court of the sanctuary it stood open
to the view of all, yet was covered in the carriage of it. All these coverings
were designed, [1.] For safety, that these holy things might not be ruffled
with the wind, sullied with the rain, nor tarnished with the sun, but that
they might be preserved in their beauty; for on all the glory shall be a
defence. The coverings of badgers' skins, being thick and strong, would
keep out wet; and, while we are in our passage through the wilderness of this
world, it concerns us to be fenced for all weathers, Isa. iv. 5, 6.
[2.] For decency and ornament. Most of these things had a cloth of blue, or
purple, or scarlet, spread outmost; and the ark was covered with a cloth wholly
of blue (v. 6), an emblem (say some) of the azure skies, which are
spread like a curtain between us and the Majesty on high, Job xxvi. 9. Those
that are faithful to God should endeavour likewise to appear beautiful before
men, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. [3.] For
concealment. It signified the darkness of that dispensation. That which is now
brought to light by the gospel, and revealed to babes, was then hidden from
the wise and prudent. They saw only the coverings, not the holy things
themselves (Heb. x. 1); but now Christ has destroyed the face of the
covering, Isa. xxv. 7. (3.) When all the holy things were covered, then
the Kohathites were to carry them on their shoulders. These things that had
staves were carried by their staves (v. 6, 8, 11, 14); those that had
not were carried upon a bar, or bier, or bearing barrow, v. 10, 12. See
how the tokens of God's presence in this world are movable things; but we look
for a kingdom that cannot be moved.
2. Eleazar, now the eldest son of Aaron, is appointed overseer of the
Kohathites in this service (v. 16); he must take care that nothing was
forgotten, left behind, or displaced. As a priest he had more honour than the
Levites, but then he had more care; and that care was a heavier burden, no
doubt, upon his heart, than all the burdens that were laid upon their
shoulders. It is much easier to do the work of the tabernacle than to
discharge the trusts of it, to obey than to rule.
3. Great care must be taken to preserve the lives of these Levites, by
preventing their unseasonable irreverent approach to the most holy things: Cut
you not off the Kohathites, v. 18. Note, Those who do not what they
can to keep others from sin do what they can to cut them off. [1.] The
Kohathites must not see the holy things till the priests had covered them, v.
20. Even those that bore the vessels of the Lord saw not what they bore, so
much were even those in the dark concerning the gospel whose office it was to
expound the law. And, [2.] When the holy things were covered, they might not
touch them, at least not the ark, called here the holy thing, upon pain
of death, v. 15. Uzza was struck dead for the breach of this law. Thus
were the Lord's ministers themselves then kept in fear, and that was a
dispensation of terror, as well as darkness; but now, through Christ, the case
is altered; we have seen with our eyes, and our hands have handles,
the word of life (1 John i. 1), and we are encouraged to come boldly to
the throne of grace.
21 And the LORD
spake unto Moses, saying, 22 Take also the sum of the sons of
Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23 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. 24 This is the service of
the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: 25 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, 26 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. 27 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. 28 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. 29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt
number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30 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. 31 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, 32 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. 33 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.
We have here the charge of the other two families of the Levites, which,
though not so honourable as the first, yet was necessary, and was to be done
regularly. 1. The Gershonites were charged with all the drapery of the
tabernacle, the curtains, and hangings, and the coverings of badgers' skins, v.
22-26. These they were to take down when the cloud removed, and the ark and
the rest of the holy things were carried away, to pack up and bring with them,
and then to set up again, where the cloud rested. Aaron and his sons allotted
to them their respective charge: "You shall take care of such a curtain,
and you of such a hanging, that every one may know his work, and there may be
no confusion," v. 27. Ithamar particularly was to take the
oversight of them, v. 28. 2. The Merarites were charged with the heavy
carriage, the boards and bars, the pillars and sockets, the pins and cords,
and these were delivered to them by name, v. 31, 32. An inventory was
given them of every particular, that it might be forthcoming, and nothing to
seek, when the tabernacle was to be set up again. Though these seemed of less
importance than the other things pertaining to the sanctuary, yet there was
this care taken of them, to teach us with the greatest exactness to preserve
pure and entire all divine institutions, and to take care that nothing be
lost. It also intimates the care God takes of his church, and every member of
it; the good Shepherd calls his own sheep by name, John x. 3. Here were
thousands of men employed about these services, though a much less number
would have served for the bearing of those burdens; but it was requisite that
the tabernacle should be taken down, and set up, with great expedition, and
many hands would make quick work, especially when every one knew his work.
They had tents of their own to take care of, and to take along with them, but
the young men under thirty, and the old men above fifty, might serve for them;
nor is there any mention of them, for God's house must always be preferred
before our own. Their care was preposterous who built and ceiled their own
houses while God's house lay waste, Hag. i. 4, 9. The death of the saints is
represented as the taking down of the tabernacle (2 Cor. v. 1), and the
putting of it off, 2 Pet. i. 14. The immortal soul, like the most holy things,
is first covered and taken away, carried by angels, unseen, under the
inspection of the Lord Jesus, our Eleazar. Care is also taken of the body--the
skin and flesh, which are as the curtains, the bones and sinews which are as
the bars and pillars; none of these shall be lost; commandment is given
concerning the bones, a covenant made with the dust; these are in safe
custody, and shall all be produced in the great day, when this tabernacle
shall be set up again, and these vile bodies made like the glorious body of
Jesus Christ.
34 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, 35 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:
36 And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand
seven hundred and fifty. 37 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. 38 And those that were numbered of the sons
of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their
fathers, 39 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, 40 Even those that were numbered of them,
throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand
and six hundred and thirty. 41 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.
42 And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari,
throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, 43 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,
44 Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three
thousand and two hundred. 45 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. 46 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, 47 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, 48 Even those that were numbered of them, were
eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. 49 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.
We have here a particular account of the numbers of the three families of the
Levites respectively, that is, of the effective men, between thirty years old
and fifty. Observe, 1. The Kohathites were, in all, 8600 from a month old and
upwards; but of these there were but 2750 serviceable men, not a third part.
The Gershonites, in all, 7500, and of them but 2630 serviceable men, little
more than a third part. Note, Of the many that add to the numbers of the
church, there are comparatively but few that contribute to the service of it.
So it has been, and so it is; many have a place in the tabernacle that do but
little of the work of the tabernacle, Phil. ii. 20, 21. 2. That the Merarites
were but 6200 in all, and yet of these there were 3200 serviceable men, that
is, more than half. The greatest burden lay upon that family, the boards, and
pillars, and sockets; and God so ordered it that, though they were the fewest
in number, yet they should have the most able men among them; for whatever
service God calls men to he will furnish them for it, and give strength in
proportion to the work, grace sufficient. 3. The whole number of the able men
of the tribe of Levi who entered into God's host to war his warfare was but
8580, whereas the able men of the other tribes that entered into the host of
Israel to war their warfare were many more. The least of the tribes had almost
four times as many able men as the Levites, and some of them more than eight
times as many; for those that are engaged in the service of this world, and
war after the flesh, are many more than those that are devoted to the service
of God, and fight the good fight of faith.
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