A second account of the Levitical census, and the duties of the three families

In Numbers 3:22; Numbers 3:28; Numbers 3:34 the numbers of the Levites have already been ascertained, but in Numbers 4:2; Numbers 4:22; Numbers 4:29 Moses is commanded to number those who are of age for service. Chs. 3 and 4 may be the work of different writers; and the greater elaboration of detail in 4 suggests that it is the later of the two.

1–20. The Kohathites and their duties.

3. The period of active service for the Levites is here laid down as between 30–50 years of age. But in Numbers 8:23-26 it is between 25–50, though certain duties might be performed after that age. And in 1 Chronicles 23:24; 1 Chronicles 23:27, 2 Chronicles 31:17, Ezra 3:8 it begins at 20, and there is no upward limit of age. The statements appear to represent the customs that were current at three different periods.

the service] This unusual meaning of the word which generally denotes ‘warfare’ or ‘host’ (R.V. marg.) is found again five times in this chapter (Numbers 4:23; Numbers 4:30; Numbers 4:35; Numbers 4:39; Numbers 4:43), and elsewhere only in Numbers 8:24 f., and of women in two very late passages, Exodus 38:8, 1 Samuel 2:22. It perhaps implies that the Levites formed an organized body appointed for God’s work under the command of superior officials, as were the rest of Israel who were numbered for war.

4. the most holy things] The furniture and utensils of the Dwelling, enumerated in Numbers 4:5-14. The ‘service of the sons of Kohath’ is not stated till Numbers 4:15 b. Before they could perform their duty of carrying the sacred objects the priests must cover them up, that the Levites may neither touch (Numbers 4:15) nor see them (Numbers 4:20).

5–14. When finally ready for the march the burden of the Kohathites would be seen simply as six large packages as follows.—(i) The Ark (Numbers 4:5 f.), covered with the ‘veil of the screen’ (see on Numbers 3:31), and a water-proof covering of dugong skin, and over this a violet cloth. It was carried by the staves, or poles, with which it was furnished for the purpose of transport (Exodus 25:14). The Ark is the only piece of furniture that has a coloured cloth over the water-proof covering; this would make it a conspicuous object on the march, (ii) The Table of the Presence Bread (Numbers 4:7 f., see note), covered with a violet cloth upon which all the utensils and the loaves are placed, and the whole covered with a scarlet cloth, and that with the dugong skin; like the Ark it was carried by poles, (iii) The Lampstand and all its utensils (Numbers 4:9 f.), covered with violet cloth and dugong skin, and carried by means of a bar. (iv) The Golden Altar of Incense (Numbers 4:11), covered with violet cloth and dugong skin and carried by its poles. (v) The miscellaneous utensils (Numbers 4:12) not actually belonging to any piece of furniture, covered with violet cloth and dugong skin and carried by means of a bar. (vi) The Altar of Burnt-offering (Numbers 4:13 f.), covered with a crimson cloth upon which all the utensils belonging to it are placed, and the whole covered with dugong skin and carried by its poles.

The reason for the additional scarlet cloth over the Table is unknown. The use of cloth of a different colour in the case of the Altar of Burnt-offering may have been because the Altar belonged to a lower grade of sanctity since it stood outside the Dwelling. For a description of the various articles see notes on Exodus 25:1-40; Exodus 27:1-8; Exodus 30:1-5.

7. shewbread] Presence-bread, i.e. bread that is placed in the divine Presence. 1 Samuel 21:6 is evidence that the practice was observed in early times. It was probably a relic of the primitive heathen notion that gods actually partook of bread that was offered to them.

the continual bread] The expression is not found elsewhere. Cf. ‘continual meal-offering’ (Numbers 4:16, Nehemiah 10:33 only), ‘continual [R.V. perpetual] incense’ (Exodus 30:8 (P )), and frequently ‘continual burnt-offering’ (Numbers 28, 29). It connotes the regularity with which a ritual act is performed at stated intervals.

The bread also came to be known as pile bread (R.V. ‘shewbread,’ 1 Chronicles 9:32; 1 Chronicles 23:29, Nehemiah 10:33) owing to the arrangement of the loaves in two piles (Leviticus 24:6, R.V. marg.). And since the root of the word מֲערֶכֶת (‘pile’) denotes to ‘set out’ or ‘arrange’ [a meal], the name appears in the N.T. as ἄρτοι τῆς προθέσεως (lit. ‘bread of the setting out,’ Matthew 12:4, Mark 2:26, Luke 6:4) and ἡ πρόθεσις τῶν ἄρτων (lit. ‘the setting out of the loaves,’ Hebrews 9:2).

15. they shall not touch the sanctuary] Better the holy things, as in R.V. marg. The Heb. word is strictly a singular abstract substantive, ‘the sacredness,’ which is here employed to denote the whole collection of sacred objects.

16. Eleazar superintends the Kohathites, and has personal charge of the oil for the light (Exodus 27:20), the ‘incense of sweet spices’ (Exodus 25:6; Exodus 30:34-38), the ‘continual meal-offering,’ and the anointing oil (Exodus 30:22-33).

21–28. The Gershonites and their duties.

They carry (in wagons Numbers 7:7) all the hangings and coverings of which the Dwelling and the court are composed.

26. whatsoever shall be done with them] all that may have to be done with regard to them; e.g. the undoing of the hooks and loops, the rolling up of the strips of curtain and so on.

27. ye shall appoint] The subject is apparently Moses and Aaron. LXX. (perhaps rightly) has a singular verb referring to Moses alone.

in charge] Perhaps, with LXX. , read by name (בְּשֵׁמֹת for בְּמִשְׁמֶרֶת) as in Numbers 4:32.

28. Ithamar superintends both the Gershonites and the Merarites (Numbers 4:33).

29–33. The Merarites and their duties.

They carry (in wagons Numbers 7:8) the wooden framework of the Dwelling, and everything else of wood—bars, pillars and pins (or rather pegs)—the silver bases (R.V. ‘sockets’) of the framework and the bronze bases of the pillars of the court.

32. the instruments of the charge of their burden] i.e. the articles committed to their charge to carry.

34–49. A detailed statement that Moses and Aaron numbered the men between the ages of 30 and 50 in the three Levitical families, as had been commanded.

49. thus were they numbered of him, as &c.] This is a paraphrase which gives the required sense. The Heb. is corrupt, but the LXX. reads and they were numbered, as &c.1 [Note: Apparently וַיְפֻקְדוּ כַאֲשֶׁר for וּפְקֻדָיו אֲשֶׁר.]