# Numbers 03 š: The Levites Counted
[[š Explore the Bible Books]]
[[-Numbers Overview]] | [[Numbers 02]] | [[Numbers 04]]
> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Sons of Aaron
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā Ā Now these are the recordsĀ of Aaron and Moses whenĀ theĀ LordĀ spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.Ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointedĀ priests, whom he consecratedĀ to minister as priests.
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā Nadab and Abihu diedĀ before theĀ LordĀ when they offeredĀ strangeĀ fireĀ before theĀ LordĀ in the desert of Sinai, and they had no children.Ā So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priestsĀ in the presence ofĀ Aaron their father.
### The Assignment of the Levites
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā TheĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses:Ā
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā āBring the tribe of Levi near,Ā and presentĀ them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.Ā
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā They are responsible for his needsĀ and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attending toĀ the service of the tabernacle.Ā
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā And they are responsible for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and for the needs of the Israelites, as they serveĀ in the tabernacle.Ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā You are to assignĀ the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they will be assigned exclusivelyĀ to him out of allĀ the Israelites.Ā
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood,Ā but the unauthorized personĀ who comes near must be put to death.ā
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses:Ā
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā āLook,Ā I myself have taken the Levites from among the Israelites instead ofĀ every firstborn who opens the womb among the Israelites. So the Levites belong to me,Ā
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyedĀ all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am theĀ Lord.ā
### The Numbering of the Levites
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai:Ā
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā āNumber the Levites by their clansĀ and their families; every male from a month old and upward you are to number.āĀ
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā So Moses numbered them according to the wordĀ of theĀ Lord, just as he had been commanded.
### The Summary of Families
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā These were the sonsĀ of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei.Ā
[[#Verse 19.]]Ā The sons of Kohath by their families were: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.Ā
[[#Verse 20.]]Ā The sons of Merari by their families were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their clans.
### The Numbering of the Gershonites
[[#Verse 21.]]Ā From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimeites; these were the families of the Gershonites.Ā
[[#Verse 22.]]Ā Those of them who were numbered, counting every male from a month old and upward, were 7,500.Ā
[[#Verse 23.]]Ā The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle toward the west.Ā
[[#Verse 24.]]Ā Now the leaderĀ of the clanĀ of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.
[[#Verse 25.]]Ā AndĀ the responsibilities of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting included the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the curtain at the entrance of the tent of meeting,Ā
[[#Verse 26.]]Ā the hangings of the courtyard,Ā the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard that surrounded the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, plus all the service connected with these things.
### The Numbering of the Kohathites
[[#Verse 27.]]Ā From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.Ā
[[#Verse 28.]]Ā Counting every male from a month old and upward, there were 8,600. They were responsible for the careĀ of the sanctuary.Ā
[[#Verse 29.]]Ā The families of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle.Ā
[[#Verse 30.]]Ā Now the leader of the clan of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.
[[#Verse 31.]]Ā Their responsibilities included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered,Ā the curtain, and all their service.Ā
[[#Verse 32.]]Ā Now the head of all the Levitical leadersĀ was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible forĀ the sanctuary.
### The Numbering of Merari
[[#Verse 33.]]Ā From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these wereĀ the families of Merari.
[[#Verse 34.]]Ā Those of them who were numbered, counting every male from a month old and upward, were 6,200.Ā
[[#Verse 35.]]Ā Now the leader of the clan of the families of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
[[#Verse 36.]]Ā The appointed responsibilities of the Merarites included the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, its posts, its sockets, its utensils, plus all the service connected with these things,Ā
[[#Verse 37.]]Ā and the pillars of the courtyard all around, with their sockets, their pegs, and their ropes.
[[#Verse 38.]]Ā But those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting, were Moses, Aaron,Ā and his sons. They were responsible for the needsĀ of the sanctuary and for the needs of the Israelites, but the unauthorized person who approached was to be put to death.Ā
[[#Verse 39.]]Ā All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the wordĀ of theĀ Lord, according to their families, every male from a month old and upward, were 22,000.
### The Substitution for the Firstborn
[[#Verse 40.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ said to Moses, āNumber all the firstborn males of the Israelites from a month old and upward, and takeĀ the number of their names.Ā
[[#Verse 41.]]Ā And takeĀ the Levites for meāI am theĀ Lordāinstead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.āĀ
[[#Verse 42.]]Ā So Moses numbered all the firstborn males among the Israelites, as theĀ LordĀ had commanded him.Ā
[[#Verse 43.]]Ā And all the firstborn males, by the number of the names from a month old and upward, totaled 22,273.
[[#Verse 44.]]Ā Then theĀ LordĀ spoke to Moses:Ā
[[#Verse 45.]] āTake the Levites instead of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. And the Levites will be mine. I am theĀ Lord.Ā
[[#Verse 46.]]Ā And for the redemption of the 273 firstborn males of the Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites,Ā
[[#Verse 47.]]Ā collectĀ five shekels for each oneĀ individually; you are to collectĀ this amountĀ in the currency of the sanctuary shekel (this shekel is twenty gerahs).Ā
[[#Verse 48.]]Ā And give the money for the redemption of the excess number of them to Aaron and his sons.ā
[[#Verse 49.]]Ā So Moses took the redemption moneyĀ from those who were in excess of those redeemed by the Levites.Ā
[[#Verse 50.]]Ā From the firstborn males of the Israelites he collected the money, 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.
[[#Verse 51.]]Ā Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of theĀ Lord, as theĀ LordĀ had commanded Moses.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
###### Verse 36.
###### Verse 37.
###### Verse 38.
###### Verse 39.
###### Verse 40.
###### Verse 41.
###### Verse 42.
###### Verse 43.
###### Verse 44.
###### Verse 45.
###### Verse 46.
###### Verse 47.
###### Verse 48.
###### Verse 49.
###### Verse 50.
###### Verse 51.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The Levites were counted from one month old and up (3:15), unlike the military census of men twenty and up.
2. Levi had three clans: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (3:17).
3. The Gershonites camped west (3:23), the Kohathites south (3:29), and the Merarites north (3:35).
4. Moses, Aaron, and Aaron's sons camped on the east side, guarding the entrance (3:38).
5. The Levite males numbered 22,000 (3:39).
6. Israel's firstborn males numbered 22,273 (3:43), leaving 273 to be redeemed.
7. Each of the 273 was redeemed for five shekels, a total of 1,365 shekels given to Aaron (3:47-50).
8. Eleazar, Aaron's son, was chief over the leaders of the Levites (3:32).
9. God's claim on the firstborn goes back to the Passover night in Egypt (3:13; Exodus 13:2).
10. Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the temple in keeping with the law of the firstborn (Luke 2:22-23).
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the firstborn who redeems us. The Levites took the place of Israel's firstborn and a price was paid for the rest (3:12-13, 46-47), and we were redeemed not with silver but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. Nadab and Abihu died for offering unauthorized fire (3:4). Why does God take worship so seriously?
2. God claimed the firstborn because He spared them in Egypt (3:13). What has God saved you from, and how does that shape your life?
3. The Levites belonged to the Lord in place of others (3:12). What does it mean that believers are not their own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 4: Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord for offering unauthorized fire.
- š verses 12-13: The Levites belong to the Lord in place of the firstborn.
- š verses 46-47: The extra firstborn are redeemed with five shekels each.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Exodus 13#Verse 02.|Exodus 13:2]] - Set apart to Me every firstborn.
- š [[Leviticus 10#Verse 01.|Leviticus 10:1-2]] - The death of Nadab and Abihu.
- š [[Luke 02#Verse 22.|Luke 2:22-23]] - Jesus presented as a firstborn son.
- š [[1 Peter 01#Verse 18.|1 Peter 1:18-19]] - Redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.
- š [[Hebrews 12#Verse 23.|Hebrews 12:23]] - The church of the firstborn enrolled in heaven.
## š Devotional Reflection
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š Internal Notes