Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

3:1–4:49 The duties of Israel’s priests and Levites included the transportation, assembly, safety, and upkeep of the Tabernacle. The physical arrangement of Israel’s tribes reflected concern for these activities.

3:1-4 The family line of Aaron provided the professional priests who led Israel’s worship. Aaron’s four sons were the foundation of Israel’s priesthood; they stood in God’s presence and served him on behalf of the people. They were appointed to lead the people and serve the Lord as ministers in the Tabernacle and as guardians of God’s covenant with his people.

Verse 4

3:4 The deaths of Nadab and Abihu (see Lev 10:1-2) highlighted the importance of guarding the holiness of the sanctuary and of strict obedience to God’s instructions (Num 26:61; Lev 16:1; 1 Chr 24:2; cp. Acts 5:1-11; 1 Cor 10:6-11; 11:29-30). • Eleazar and Ithamar: See “Eleazar” Profile.

Verse 5

3:5-13 The Levites were appointed as assistants to the priests, who were represented by Aaron. Their ministry included sacred duties (3:7) in maintaining the Tabernacle and its furnishings (3:8; described in greater detail in 4:1-33).

Verse 10

3:10 The sanctuary was sacred (1:51; 3:38; 18:7); it was not to be approached by the unqualified (cp. 3:4).

Verse 11

3:11-13 The firstborn sons . . . of Israel belonged to God, having been spared when the Egyptian firstborn sons died (3:13; see Exod 11–12). The Levites were chosen . . . to serve as substitutes in their place.

Verse 14

3:14-39 This first phase of a two-stage registration of the tribe of Levi (see 4:34-49 for stage two) summarized each family group’s special responsibilities (described in greater detail in 4:1-33). This numbering was not linked with military duties, so it enrolled male Levites from the age of one month (3:40-41). • Three family groups are descended from Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the three sons of Levi. These clans (often called the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites) later inherited the “cities of refuge” (Josh 21) and filled various important posts in the Jerusalem Temple (2 Chr 29:3-17).

Verse 27

3:27-32 Aaron and Moses, sons of Amram, were descendants of Kohath (see Exod 6:18, 20, 26). Because they were caretakers of the sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) and its very sacred furnishings (described in Num 3–4), the Kohathites were the most highly regarded of the three clans.

Verse 28

3:28 8,600: Some Greek manuscripts read 8,300. The “six” (Hebrew shsh) in 8,600 could result from misreading a “three” (Hebrew shlsh).

Verse 32

3:32 Eleazar, Aaron’s third son, presided over the Levites as administrator (perhaps as an executive secretary), while his father dealt with other matters; he had special . . . oversight of the Tabernacle (4:16-20). He played an important role in Israel’s wilderness period and later succeeded his father as high priest (see 16:37-39; 19:3-6; 20:25-28; 26:1-3).

Verse 38

3:38 The preeminent campsite east of the Tabernacle was reserved for . . . Moses, Aaron, and his priestly sons.

Verse 39

3:39 22,000: The numbers listed for each clan (3:22, 28, 34) add up to 22,300. See study note on 3:28.

Verse 40

3:40-51 There were 273 more firstborn sons in Israel (in the non-Levite tribes) than there were Levite males (cp. 3:39). Because the Levites served as substitutes for the firstborn of Israel (3:41; see study note on 3:11-13), a redemption price (3:48) of five pieces of silver (3:47) had to be paid for each of the extra firstborn sons (3:46; cp. Lev 27:6). It is not clear who covered this cost. This provision for a special class of substitutes points to Christ’s role as a substitute; through his death, Christ paid the redemption price for all humanity (see Mark 10:45; Gal 3:13; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:15).