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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 3:1-13

Here, I. The family of Aaron is confirmed in the priests? office, Num. 3:10. They had been called to it before, and consecrated; here they are appointed to wait on their priests? office: the apostle uses this phrase (Rom. 12:7), Let us wait on our ministry. The office of the ministry requires a constant attendance and great diligence; so frequent are the returns of its work, and yet so transient its favourable opportunities, that it must be waited on. Here is repeated what was said before... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:5

And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... After he had given him the order for the numbering the children of Israel, and for the manner of their encampment and journeying: saying ; as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:6

Bring the tribe of Levi near ,.... Separate them from the rest, set them apart for special service about, the sanctuary, let them have a place nearer to it than the other tribes, or offer them, that is, to the Lord, as in Numbers 8:11 ; as well as bring them near to Aaron; so it follows: and present them before Aaron the priest ; that he may receive them as a gift unto him, as servants to wait upon him; and! that he may appoint and declare unto them their work, and set them about it: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:7

And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation ,.... The charge of Aaron and of all the people of Israel, which was to secure the sanctuary from being polluted or plundered: this the Levites were to be employed about, and thereby ease the high priest and the other priests, and the people, of what otherwise would have been incumbent on them: before the tabernacle of the congregation ; not within it, neither in the holy place, nor in the most holy place, where... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:8

And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation ,.... Take care of them that none be lost or come to any damage, especially while it was moving, and carried from place to place; then the several parts of it, as well as the vessels in it, were committed to their care and charge, the particulars of which see in Numbers 3:25 , and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle ; See Gill on Numbers 3:7 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:9

And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons ,.... To be their ministers and servants: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel : even all of them entirely, none excepted; the whole tribe which were not in the priestly office; those were separated from the rest of the tribes of Israel, and appointed for the service of the priests: or they were "given, given" F17 נתונים נתונים "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius. ; which is... read more

John Gill

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:11

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 3:12

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 3:6

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

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