And these are the names of the sons of Gershon, by their families ,.... Or to Gershon belonged two families, called after the names of his sons, who were now numbered, namely: Libni and Shimei ; and who are elsewhere mentioned as his sons, Exodus 6:17 ; and from hence were the families of the Libnites and Shimites, as in Numbers 3:21 . read more
And the sons of Kohath, by their families ,.... Who was the second son of Levi: Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel ; so in Exodus 6:18 ; and from whom were named the family of the Amramites, to which Moses and Aaron belonged; and the families of the Izeharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites, as they are called, Numbers 3:27 . read more
And the sons, of Merari, by their families ,.... The third son of Levi: Mahli and Mushi ; the same as in Exodus 6:19 ; from whom were denominated the families of the Mahlites and Mushites, who, as the preceding families, were numbered at this time: these are the families of the Levites, according to the house of their fathers ; in all eight families. read more
Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites ,.... The first son of Levi: these are the family of the Gershonites ; that were now, numbered. read more
Those that were numbered of them ,.... Of the two families that sprung from Gershon: according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upwards : in the said families: even those that were numbered of them, were seven thousand and five hundred ; 7,500 men, which was neither the least nor the largest number of the sons of Levi. read more
The families of the Gershonites ,.... The two before mentioned, the Libnites and Shimites: shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward ; this was their situation when encamped; they were placed in the rear of the camp of the Levites, between the tabernacle and the camp of Ephraim, which was westward also, Numbers 1:18 . read more
And the chief of the house of the fathers of the Gershonites ,.... Who had the chief authority over them, and the chief direction of them in what they were to do: shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael ; but who he was, or of which family of the Gershonites, whether of the Libnites or Shimites, is not said here or elsewhere; nor do the Jewish writers, who affect to know every thing, pretend to tell us. read more
And the charge of the sons of Gershom ,.... The Libnites and Shimites: in the tabernacle of the congregation ; or with respect to the things of it, when it was taken down and committed to them; for otherwise they had no place in it, nor might they enter into it, or do any service therein: shall be the tabernacle and the tent ; the former intends not the boards of it, which were the charge of the Merarites, Numbers 3:36 ; but the curtains, as Aben Ezra, or the under curtains, as... read more
And the hangings of the court ,.... Which formed the great open court that encompassed the tabernacle, and was an hundred cubits long and fifty broad; Exodus 27:9 , and the curtain for the door of the court : which was an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, Exodus 27:16 , which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about : this refers to the court, the hangings, and curtains of the door of it, which are spoken of; and this court... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 3:14-39
The Levites being granted to Aaron to minister to him, they are here delivered to him by tale, that he might know what he had, and employ them accordingly. Observe, I. By what rule they were numbered: Every male from a month old and upward, Num. 3:15. The rest of the tribes were numbered only from twenty years old and upwards, and of them those only that were able to go forth to war; but into the number of the Levites they must take in both infants, and infirm; being exempted from the war, it... read more