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Summary

Numbers 3:1–4 – Priests and a holy warning

What happens: The chapter lists Aaron’s sons, the priests. Nadab and Abihu die before the Lord for offering unauthorized fire, leaving Eleazar and Ithamar to serve. The priesthood continues through Aaron’s remaining sons.

What it means: God is holy and must be approached on His terms. Priestly ministry is a sacred trust that requires obedience. God’s justice and mercy guard pure worship and protect the people.


Numbers 3:5–10 – Levites given to Aaron for tabernacle service

What happens: God gives the Levites to Aaron and his sons to assist with the tabernacle. They guard the sanctuary and the whole congregation’s approach. Unauthorized persons must not come near.

What it means: God appoints servants to preserve holy worship and protect the community. Boundaries honor God’s presence and keep the people safe. Service to God supports the good of all.


Numbers 3:11–13 – Levites taken in place of the firstborn

What happens: God takes the Levites as His own in place of every firstborn male in Israel, for all firstborn belong to Him. This claim reaches back to the deliverance from Egypt.

What it means: Redemption shapes identity. God’s saving acts give Him rightful claim on His people. The substitution of Levites for the firstborn points to the theme of ransom and belonging.


Numbers 3:14–26 – Gershonites: duties and camping place

What happens: The Gershonites are counted and assigned to care for the tabernacle curtains, coverings, and screens. They camp behind the tabernacle on the west. Their service supports the visible fabric of worship.

What it means: God values behind-the-scenes faithfulness. Every role matters in sustaining worship. Holiness includes careful stewardship of God’s house.


Numbers 3:27–32 – Kohathites: holy furnishings under Eleazar

What happens: The Kohathites are responsible for the ark, table, lampstand, altars, and vessels of the sanctuary. Eleazar, son of Aaron, oversees them. They camp on the south.

What it means: Handling holy things requires reverent care and oversight. God entrusts precious tasks to prepared people. His holiness calls for exact obedience.


Numbers 3:33–37 – Merarites: frames and structure

What happens: The Merarites care for the frames, bars, pillars, bases, and all structural parts. They camp on the north. Their load is heavy and essential.

What it means: God’s worship needs strength and stability, not only beauty. Solid foundations honor God and serve people. Faithfulness means carrying the weight God assigns.


Numbers 3:38 – Camp positions for Moses, Aaron, and priests

What happens: Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons camp on the east in front of the tabernacle entrance. Any outsider who comes near is put to death. This secures the sanctuary.

What it means: Leadership stands at the door of worship to guard and guide the people. God’s justice protects holy space. Order preserves life.


Numbers 3:39–51 – Totals, firstborn count, and redemption money

What happens: Levite males number 22,000. Israel’s firstborn males number 22,273, leaving 273 to be redeemed with silver. Moses collects 1,365 shekels and gives it to Aaron, as the Lord commands.

What it means: God provides a just and merciful remedy when counts do not match. Redemption is concrete and costly. The covenant community belongs to the Lord and lives by His provision.


Application

  • Treat God’s worship with reverence and careful obedience.
  • Honor unseen service that sustains the people of God.
  • Remember you are redeemed and belong to the Lord; live as His own.

Bible

1These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

2And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

4And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

5And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

6Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.

7And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

8And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.

9And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

11And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

12And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

13Because all the firstborn are mine; 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: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

14And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,

15Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

16And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.

17And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.

18And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.

19And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

20And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.

21Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

22Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

23The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.

24And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

25And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

26And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

27And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

28In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

29The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.

30And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

31And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

33Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

34And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

35And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.

36And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto,

37And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

38But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

39All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.

40And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

42And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

44And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

45Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.

46And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;

47Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)

48And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.

49And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:

50Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:

51And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

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