And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... Continued to speak unto him, and give him the reason of his appointing the Levites to minister to the priests and serve the tabernacle: saying : as follows. read more
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel ,.... Separated them from others, and set them apart for the service of the sanctuary; this was his own act and deed, and which he did of his own will and pleasure, who is a sovereign Being, and might and would do whatsoever he pleased, nor should any object unto him, or contradict him: and this he did: instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel ; he made an exchange of those... read more
Because all the firstborn are mine ,.... Not merely in a general way, as all creatures are his, but in a special manner as his own, and that for the following reason: for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt , I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast ; that is, sanctified or set them apart as his own special property, or ordered the people of Israel so to do, Exodus 13:2 ; for as when he destroyed the firstborn of the... read more
The generations of Aaron and Moses - Though Aaron and Moses are both mentioned here, yet the family of Aaron alone appears in the list: hence some have thought that the word Moses was not originally in the text. Others think that the words תלדות ואלה veelleh toledoth , these are the generations, should be rendered these are the acts, or transactions, or the history of the lives, as the same phrase may be understood in Genesis 2:4 ; Genesis 6:9 . However this may be, it is evident... read more
Nadab and Abihu died - See the notes on Leviticus 10 (note). read more
Bring the tribe of Levi near - The original word הקרב hakreb is properly a sacrificial word, and signifies the presenting of a sacrifice or offering to the Lord. As an offering, the tribe of Levi was given up entirely to the service of the sanctuary, to be no longer their own, but the Lord's property. read more
The charge of the whole congregation - They shall work for the whole congregation; and instead of the first-born. read more
All the instruments - The tabernacle itself and all its contents: see all described, Numbers 3:25 , Numbers 3:26 , Numbers 3:31 , Numbers 3:36 , Numbers 3:37 . The Levites were to perform the most common and laborious offices. It was their business to take down, put up, and carry the tabernacle and its utensils; for it was the object of their peculiar care. In a word, they were the servants of the priests. read more
Aaron and his sons - shall wait on their priest's office - It was the business of the priests to offer the different sacrifices to God; to consecrate the shew-bread, pour out the libations, burn the incense, sprinkle the blood of the victims, and bless the people. In a word, they were the servants of God alone. read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:10
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons ,.... To the priestly office; this was done before, but is renewed for the confirmation of it, and repeated to put them in mind of it, that they be careful to execute it, as follows: and they shall wait on their priest's office , to do what was peculiar to it, both in the holy and in the most holy place, at the altar, and within, the vail, where the Levites had nothing to do; and this is observed that the priests might take notice, that by the... read more