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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge -
NUMBERS 4
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1 The age at which the Levites were to begin to serve, and
the duration of the service.
4 The duty of the Kohathites.
16 The charge of Eleazar.
17 The office of the priests.
21 The duty of the Gershonites;
29 of the Merarites.
34 The number of the Kohathites;
38 of the Gershonites
42 and of the Merarites.
VERSE 1
* :1
VERSE 2
- See on ch.
* Nu 3:19,27
VERSE 3
- thirty years.
* Nu 8:24-26 Ge 41:46 1Ch 23:3,24-27; 28:12,13 Lu 3:23 1Ti 3:6
- enter.
* 2Ki 11:4-12 2Ch 23:1-11 2Co 10:3,4 Eph 6:10-18 1Ti 1:18
- to do.
* Nu 3:7,8; 16:9 1Ch 6:48; 23:4,5,28-32 1Ti 3:1
VERSE 4
* :15,19,24,30; 3:30,31 Mr 13:34
VERSE 5
- And when.
* Nu 2:16,17; 10:14
- Aaron shall come.
The law prohibiting any person, except the high priest on one
day in the year, to enter into the most holy place, must have
admitted an exception while the Israelites were in the
wilderness: that exception, therefore, is here expressly
made; and the directions given respecting it must be
religiously observed, or the service could not be safely
performed. While the cloud rested on the tabernacle, the
general rule was in force; but when it was removed, then the
priests might enter to prepare the sacred vessels for
removal.
* :15; 3:27-32
- they shall.
* Ex 26:31-33; 36:35; 40:3 Isa 25:7 Mt 27:51 Heb 9:3; 10:20
- and cover.
* Ex 25:10-22; 37:1-9 2Sa 6:2-9
VERSE 6
- badgers' skins.
This was not the covering of badgers' skins made for the
tabernacle, which was carried by the Gershonites, (ver. 24,
25,) but one made for the purpose of concealing and
sheltering the ark when it was to be carried.
- a cloth.
* :7,8,11-13 Ex 35:19; 39:1,41
- and shall put.
{Wesamoo baddaiv,} rather, "and adjust the staves thereof;"
i.e., dispose them rightly under the covering, that they
might be laid on their shoulders: for the staves were never
taken out of the rings.
- the staves.
* Ex 25:13-15 1Ki 8:7,8
VERSE 7
- the table.
* Ex 25:23-30; 37:10-16 Le 24:5-8
- cover with. or, pour out with. the continual.
The Israelites, without doubt, were able to procure corn
enough from the adjacent countries, even when in the
wilderness, to make the shewbread, and to present the daily
meat offerings.
VERSE 8
* :6,7,9,11-13
VERSE 9
* Ex 25:31-39; 37:17-24 Ps 105 119:105 Re 1:20; 2:1
VERSE 10
* :6,12
VERSE 11
* Ex 30:1-19; 37:25-28; 39:38; 40:5,26,27
VERSE 12
* :7,9; 3:8 Ex 25:9; 31:10 2Ki 25:14,15 1Ch 9:29 2Ch 4:11,16,19,22
VERSE 13
The embers of the sacred fire seem to have been removed in
the grate, which was carried apart from the brazen altar;
both being covered from view by purple cloths.
* :6-9,11,12 Ex 27:3-5; 39:1,41 Le 6:12,13
VERSE 14
- all the vessels thereof.
* Ex 38:1-7 2Ch 4:19
- basons. or, bowls.
VERSE 15
- after that.
* Nu 7:9; 10:21 De 31:9 Jos 4:10 2Sa 6:13 1Ch 15:2,15
- they shall.
* Nu 3:38 Ex 19:12 1Sa 6:19 2Sa 6:6,7 1Ch 13:9,10 Heb 12:18-29
- These things.
* Nu 3:30,31
VERSE 16
- the office.
Eleazar himself, perhaps with the other priests, was required
to carry the oil for the light, the incense, and the flour
for the daily meat offering, and the holy ointment; besides
superintending the Levites. It may be supposed, that he
himself carried no more of the oil than for present use.
(see ver. 9.)
* Nu 3:32
- the oil.
* Ex 25:6; 27:20,21 Le 24:2
- the sweet.
* Ex 30:34-38; 37:29
- the daily.
* Ex 29:39-41
- the anointing.
* Ex 30:23-33
- the oversight.
* Lu 4:18 Ac 20:28 1Co 4:1 1Ti 2:5 Heb 3:1,6 1Pe 2:25; 5:2
VERSE 17
* :17
VERSE 18
Eleazar and the priests would be chargeable with the death of
the Kohathites, if they failed to give them proper cautions
and directions; or permitted them to gaze with irreverence or
curiosity upon the holy things, which they might carry, but
not see. (ver. 20.)
* Nu 16:32; 17:10; 18:5 Ex 19:21 Le 10:1,2 1Sa 6:19 2Sa 6:6,7
* Jer 38:23
VERSE 19
- the most holy.
* :4
VERSE 20
- they shall.
* :15,19 Ex 19:21 Le 10:2 1Sa 6:19 Heb 10:19,20 Re 11:19
- the holy things.
{Hakkodesh,} "the holy," or "sanctuary," i.e., the ark, as
the Jews generally understand it; and with good reason, as
any one may be convinced, who compares 1 Ki 8 8:8 with 2 Ch
9 5:9, where that which is called the holy in the former, is
called the ark in the latter.
VERSE 21
VERSE 22
- See on ch.
* Nu 3:18,21,24
VERSE 23
- thirty years. See on ver.
* :3
- to perform the service. Heb. to war the warfare.
* :3 Isa 63:1-4 Ro 7:14-24 1Co 9:7 2Co 6:7; 10:3-5 Eph 6:10-19
* Ga 5:17,24 1Ti 1:18 2Ti 2:3,4; 4:7
VERSE 24
- burdens. or, carriage.
* :15,19,27,31,32,47,49
VERSE 25
- the curtains. See on ch.
* Nu 3:25,26; 7:5-7
- the covering.
* Ex 26:14
VERSE 26
- the hangings.
* Ex 27:9
- and their cords.
* Ex 35:18
VERSE 27
- appointment. Heb. mouth.
The Levites were under the command of the priests. Eleazar
exercised this authority in general, as next in succession to
Aaron: and he in particular was placed over the Kohathites;
while Ithamar, his younger brother, commanded the Gershonites
and Merarites. (ver. 33.)
* Lu 1:70 1Co 11:2
VERSE 28
* :33 1Co 12:5,6
VERSE 29
- See on ch.
* Nu 3:33-35
VERSE 30
- service. Heb. warfare. See on ver.
* :3,23 Ps 110:1-7 1Ti 6:11,12 2Ti 2:4; 4:7,8
VERSE 31
- the charge. See on ch.
* Nu 3:36,37; 7:8,9
- the boards.
* Ex 26:15
VERSE 32
- and by name.
An inventory was taken of every particular, even to the very
pins belonging to each part, that nothing might be wanting
when the tabernacle was set up.
- the instruments.
* Nu 3:8; 7:1 Ex 25:9; 38:17,21 1Ch 9:29
VERSE 33
- under the hand.
* :28 Jos 3:6 Isa 3:6
VERSE 34
* :2
VERSE 35
* :3,23,30,39,43,47; 8:24-26 1Ch 23:3,24,26,27; 28:13
* Lu 3:23 1Ti 3:6
In the third chapter we have an account of the whole number
of the Levites; and here of those only who were able to serve
the Lord in the sanctuary. By comparing the two places, we
find the number of the effective and ineffective males to
stand thus:--
Kohathites.
Effective men . . . . . . . 2,750
Ineffective . . . . . . . . 5,850
-----
Total 8,600
Gershonites.
Effective men . . . . . . . 2,630
Ineffective . . . . . . . . 4,870
-----
Total 7,500
Merarites.
Effective men . . . . . . . 3,200
Ineffective . . . . . . . . 3,000
-----
Total 6,200
Thus we find that the whole number of the Levites amounted to
22,300; of whom 8,580 were fit for service and 13,720 unfit,
being either too old or too young. What an astonishing
number of men, all performing some service by which God was
glorified, and the congregation at large benefited!
VERSE 36
* :36
VERSE 37
* :37
VERSE 38
* :38
VERSE 39
* :39
VERSE 40
* Nu 3:32
VERSE 41
* :22
VERSE 42
* :42
VERSE 43
* :43
VERSE 44
The family of Merari, though smaller than either of the other
families of Levi, yet had a greater number of able men than
any of them; for out of 6,200 males of a month old and
upwards, we find 3,200 who were neither too young nor too old
for the service of the sanctuary; which was more than
one-half of their whole number. In this the wisdom and
providence of God appear most conspicuously; for the
Merarites were charged with the heaviest part of the
sanctuary, as the boards, bars, sockets, etc; and though
waggons were afterwards provided for them, yet the loading
and unloading of the sockets, and other things of great
weight, would require much strength, both bodily and
numerical. (Compare ver. 36, 40, with ch. 22 3:22, 28, 24.)
Thus God ever manifests his wisdom, in fitting men for the
work to which they are appointed, whether with respect to
number or gifts: "For to one is given, by the Spirit, the
word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same
Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another the
gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working
of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of
spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the
interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one
and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as
he will."
* Nu 3:34 De 33:25 1Co 10:13; 12:8-12 2Co 12:9,10
VERSE 45
* :29
VERSE 46
VERSE 47
- From thirty.
* :3,23,30 1Ch 23:3,27
- every one.
* :15,24,37 Ro 12:6-8 1Co 12:4-31
VERSE 48
* Nu 3:39 Mt 7:14; 20:16; 22:15
VERSE 49
- According to the.
* :37,41,45; 1:54; 2:33; 3:51
- every one.
* :15,24,31 Isa 11:2-4; 42:1-7; 49:1-8 Ro 12:4-8
- as the Lord.
* :1,21
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