51 And when the tabernacle H4908 setteth forward, H5265 the Levites H3881 shall take it down: H3381 and when the tabernacle H4908 is to be pitched, H2583 the Levites H3881 shall set it up: H6965 and the stranger H2114 that cometh nigh H7131 shall be put to death. H4191
There shall no stranger H2114 eat H398 of the holy thing: H6944 a sojourner H8453 of the priest, H3548 or an hired servant, H7916 shall not eat H398 of the holy thing. H6944 But if the priest H3548 buy H7069 any soul H5315 with H7075 his money, H3701 he shall eat H398 of it, and he that is born H3211 in his house: H1004 they shall eat H398 of his meat. H3899 If the priest's H3548 daughter H1323 also be married unto a stranger, H376 H2114 she may not eat H398 of an offering H8641 of the holy things. H6944 But if the priest's H3548 daughter H1323 be a widow, H490 or divorced, H1644 and have no child, H2233 and is returned H7725 unto her father's H1 house, H1004 as in her youth, H5271 she shall eat H398 of her father's H1 meat: H3899 but there shall no stranger H2114 eat H398 thereof.
And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and unto Aaron, H175 saying, H559 Take H5375 the sum H7218 of the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 from among H8432 the sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 From thirty H7970 years H8141 old H1121 and upward H4605 even until fifty H2572 years H8141 old, H1121 all that enter H935 into the host, H6635 to do H6213 the work H4399 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 This shall be the service H5656 of the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 about the most H6944 holy things: H6944 And when the camp H4264 setteth forward, H5265 Aaron H175 shall come, H935 and his sons, H1121 and they shall take down H3381 the covering H4539 vail, H6532 and cover H3680 the ark H727 of testimony H5715 with it: And shall put H5414 thereon the covering H3681 of badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and shall spread H6566 over H4605 it a cloth H899 wholly H3632 of blue, H8504 and shall put H7760 in the staves H905 thereof. And upon the table H7979 of shewbread H6440 they shall spread H6566 a cloth H899 of blue, H8504 and put H5414 thereon the dishes, H7086 and the spoons, H3709 and the bowls, H4518 and covers H7184 to cover withal: H5262 and the continual H8548 bread H3899 shall be thereon: And they shall spread H6566 upon them a cloth H899 of scarlet, H8438 H8144 and cover H3680 the same with a covering H4372 of badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and shall put H7760 in the staves H905 thereof. And they shall take H3947 a cloth H899 of blue, H8504 and cover H3680 the candlestick H4501 of the light, H3974 and his lamps, H5216 and his tongs, H4457 and his snuffdishes, H4289 and all the oil H8081 vessels H3627 thereof, wherewith they minister H8334 unto it: And they shall put H5414 it and all the vessels H3627 thereof within a covering H4372 of badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and shall put H5414 it upon a bar. H4132 And upon the golden H2091 altar H4196 they shall spread H6566 a cloth H899 of blue, H8504 and cover H3680 it with a covering H4372 of badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and shall put H7760 to the staves H905 thereof: And they shall take H3947 all the instruments H3627 of ministry, H8335 wherewith they minister H8334 in the sanctuary, H6944 and put H5414 them in a cloth H899 of blue, H8504 and cover H3680 them with a covering H4372 of badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and shall put H5414 them on a bar: H4132 And they shall take away the ashes H1878 from the altar, H4196 and spread H6566 a purple H713 cloth H899 thereon: And they shall put H5414 upon it all the vessels H3627 thereof, wherewith they minister H8334 about it, even the censers, H4289 the fleshhooks, H4207 and the shovels, H3257 and the basons, H4219 all the vessels H3627 of the altar; H4196 and they shall spread H6566 upon it a covering H3681 of badgers' H8476 skins, H5785 and put H7760 to the staves H905 of it. And when Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 have made an end H3615 of covering H3680 the sanctuary, H6944 and all the vessels H3627 of the sanctuary, H6944 as the camp H4264 is to set forward; H5265 after H310 that, the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 shall come H935 to bear H5375 it: but they shall not touch H5060 any holy thing, H6944 lest they die. H4191 These things are the burden H4853 of the sons H1121 of Kohath H6955 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And to the office H6486 of Eleazar H499 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest H3548 pertaineth the oil H8081 for the light, H3974 and the sweet H5561 incense, H7004 and the daily H8548 meat offering, H4503 and the anointing H4888 oil, H8081 and the oversight H6486 of all the tabernacle, H4908 and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, H6944 and in the vessels H3627 thereof. And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses H4872 and unto Aaron, H175 saying, H559 Cut ye not off H3772 the tribe H7626 of the families H4940 of the Kohathites H6956 from among H8432 the Levites: H3881 But thus do H6213 unto them, that they may live, H2421 and not die, H4191 when they approach H5066 unto the most H6944 holy things: H6944 Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall go in, H935 and appoint H7760 them every H376 one H376 to his service H5656 and to his burden: H4853 But they shall not go in H935 to see H7200 when the holy things H6944 are covered, H1104 lest they die. H4191 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Take H5375 also the sum H7218 of the sons H1121 of Gershon, H1648 throughout the houses H1004 of their fathers, H1 by their families; H4940 From thirty H7970 years H8141 old H1121 and upward H4605 until fifty H2572 years H8141 old H1121 shalt thou number H6485 them; all that enter in H935 to perform H6633 the service, H6635 to do H5647 the work H5656 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 This is the service H5656 of the families H4940 of the Gershonites, H1649 to serve, H5647 and for burdens: H4853 And they shall bear H5375 the curtains H3407 of the tabernacle, H4908 and the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 his covering, H4372 and the covering H4372 of the badgers' H8476 skins that is above H4605 upon it, and the hanging H4539 for the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 And the hangings H7050 of the court, H2691 and the hanging H4539 for the door H6607 of the gate H8179 of the court, H2691 which is by the tabernacle H4908 and by the altar H4196 round about, H5439 and their cords, H4340 and all the instruments H3627 of their service, H5656 and all that is made H6213 for them: so shall they serve. H5647 At the appointment H6310 of Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall be all the service H5656 of the sons H1121 of the Gershonites, H1649 in all their burdens, H4853 and in all their service: H5656 and ye shall appoint H6485 unto them in charge H4931 all their burdens. H4853 This is the service H5656 of the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Gershon H1649 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and their charge H4931 shall be under the hand H3027 of Ithamar H385 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest. H3548 As for the sons H1121 of Merari, H4847 thou shalt number H6485 them after their families, H4940 by the house H1004 of their fathers; H1 From thirty H7970 years H8141 old H1121 and upward H4605 even unto fifty H2572 years H8141 old H1121 shalt thou number H6485 them, every one that entereth H935 into the service, H6635 to do H5647 the work H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And this is the charge H4931 of their burden, H4853 according to all their service H5656 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation; H4150 the boards H7175 of the tabernacle, H4908 and the bars H1280 thereof, and the pillars H5982 thereof, and sockets H134 thereof, And the pillars H5982 of the court H2691 round about, H5439 and their sockets, H134 and their pins, H3489 and their cords, H4340 with all their instruments, H3627 and with all their service: H5656 and by name H8034 ye shall reckon H6485 the instruments H3627 of the charge H4931 of their burden. H4853 This is the service H5656 of the families H4940 of the sons H1121 of Merari, H4847 according to all their service, H5656 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 under the hand H3027 of Ithamar H385 the son H1121 of Aaron H175 the priest. H3548
And the tabernacle H4908 was taken down; H3381 and the sons H1121 of Gershon H1648 and the sons H1121 of Merari H4847 set forward, H5265 bearing H5375 the tabernacle. H4908 And the standard H1714 of the camp H4264 of Reuben H7205 set forward H5265 according to their armies: H6635 and over his host H6635 was Elizur H468 the son H1121 of Shedeur. H7707 And over the host H6635 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Simeon H8095 was Shelumiel H8017 the son H1121 of Zurishaddai. H6701 And over the host H6635 of the tribe H4294 of the children H1121 of Gad H1410 was Eliasaph H460 the son H1121 of Deuel. H1845 And the Kohathites H6956 set forward, H5265 bearing H5375 the sanctuary: H4720 and the other did set up H6965 the tabernacle H4908 against they came. H935
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 1
Commentary on Numbers 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Nu 1:1-54. Moses Numbering the Men of War.
1, 2. on the first day of the second month, &c.—Thirteen months had elapsed since the exodus. About one month had been occupied in the journey; and the rest of the period had been passed in encampment among the recesses of Sinai, where the transactions took place, and the laws, religious and civil, were promulgated, which are contained in the two preceding books. As the tabernacle was erected on the first day of the first month, and the order here mentioned was given on the first day of the second, some think the laws in Leviticus were all given in one month. The Israelites having been formed into a separate nation, under the special government of God as their King, it was necessary, before resuming their march towards the promised land, to put them into good order. And accordingly Moses was commissioned, along with Aaron, to take a census of the people. This census was incidentally noticed (Ex 38:26), in reference to the poll tax for the works of the tabernacle; but it is here described in detail, in order to show the relative increase and military strength of the different tribes. The enumeration was confined to those capable of bearing arms [Nu 1:3], and it was to be made with a careful distinction of the tribe, family, and household to which every individual belonged. By this rule of summation many important advantages were secured: an exact genealogical register was formed, the relative strength of each tribe was ascertained, and the reason found for arranging the order of precedence in march as well as disposing the different tribes in camp around the tabernacle. The promise of God to Abraham [Ge 22:17] was seen to be fulfilled in the extraordinary increase of his posterity, and provision made for tracing the regular descent of the Messiah.
3. Aaron shall number them by their armies—or companies. In their departure from Egypt they were divided into five grand companies (Ex 13:18), but from the sojourn in the wilderness to the passage of the Jordan, they were formed into four great divisions. The latter is here referred to.
4-16. with you there shall be a man of every tribe, &c.—The social condition of the Israelites in the wilderness bore a close resemblance to that of the nomad tribes of the East in the present day. The head of the tribe was a hereditary dignity, vested in the oldest son or some other to whom the right of primogeniture was transferred, and under whom were other inferior heads, also hereditary, among the different branches of the tribe. The Israelites being divided into twelve tribes, there were twelve chiefs appointed to assist in taking the census of the people.
5. these are the names of the men that shall stand with you, &c.—Each is designated by adding the name of the ancestors of his tribe, the people of which were called "Beni-Reuben," "Beni-Levi," sons of Reuben, sons of Levi, according to the custom of the Arabs still, as well as other nations which are divided into clans, as the Macs of Scotland, the Aps of Wales, and the O's and the Fitzes of Ireland [Chalmers].
16-18. These were the renowned—literally, "the called" of the congregation, summoned by name; and they entered upon the survey the very day the order was given.
18. by their polls—individually, one by one.
19. As the Lord commanded Moses, &c.—The numbering of the people was not an act sinful in itself, as Moses did it by divine appointment; but David incurred guilt by doing it without the authority of God. (See on 2Sa 24:10).
20-44. These are those that were numbered—In this registration the tribe of Judah appears the most numerous; and accordingly, as the pre-eminence had been assigned to it by Jacob [Ge 49:8-12], it got the precedence in all the encampments of Israel. Of the two half-tribes of Joseph, who is seen to be "a fruitful bough" [Ge 49:22], that of Ephraim was the larger, as had been predicted. The relative increase of all, as in the two just mentioned, was owing to the special blessing of God, conformably to the prophetic declaration of the dying patriarch. But the divine blessing is usually conveyed through the influence of secondary causes; and there is reason to believe that the relative populousness of the tribes would, under God, depend upon the productiveness of the respective localities assigned to them. [For tabular chart, see on Nu 26:64.]
45, 46. all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand, &c.—What an astonishing increase from seventy-five persons who went down to Egypt about two hundred fifteen years before [see on Ge 46:8], and who were subjected to the greatest privations and hardships! And yet this enumeration was restricted to men from twenty years and upwards [Nu 1:3]. Including women, children, and old men, together with the Levites, the whole population of Israel, on the ordinary principles of computation, amounted to about 2,400,000.
47-54. But the Levites … were not numbered among them—They were obliged to keep a register of their own. They were consecrated to the priestly office, which in all countries has been exempted customarily, and in Israel by the express authority of God, from military service. The custody of the things devoted to the divine service was assigned to them so exclusively, that "no stranger"—that is, no person, not even an Israelite of any other tribe, was allowed, under penalty of death, to approach these [Nu 16:40]. Hence they encamped round the tabernacle in order that there should be no manifestation of the divine displeasure among the people. Thus the numbering of the people was subservient to the separation of the Levites from those Israelites who were fit for military service, and to the practical introduction of the law respecting the first-born, for whom the tribe of Levi became a substitute [Ex 13:2; Nu 3:12].