Numbers 3
Lutheran reading notes
In Numbers chapter 3, the story continues to develop the theme of Israel’s wilderness journey and preparation for the promised land. Lutheran interpretation often highlights how the events reveal humanity’s need for God’s grace and the reliability of God's promises. The chapter illustrates both the reality of human weakness and the faithfulness of God who works through history.
1
These also {are} the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day {that} the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
Numbers 3:1 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
And these {are} the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
Numbers 3:2 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
These {are} the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. {whom...: Heb. whose hand he filled}
Numbers 3:3 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
And 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.
Numbers 3:4 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 3:5 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
Numbers 3:6 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
And 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.
Numbers 3:7 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And 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.
Numbers 3:8 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they {are} wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.
Numbers 3:9 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
And 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.
Numbers 3:10 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
11
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 3:11 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
And 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;
Numbers 3:12 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
Because 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.
Numbers 3:13 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
Numbers 3:14 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
Number 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.
Numbers 3:15 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. {word: Heb. mouth}
Numbers 3:16 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
Numbers 3:17 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
And these {are} the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
Numbers 3:18 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
19
And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
Numbers 3:19 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These {are} the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
Numbers 3:20 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Of Gershon {was} the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these {are} the families of the Gershonites.
Numbers 3:21 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
Those 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.
23
The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
Numbers 3:23 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites {shall be} Eliasaph the son of Lael.
Numbers 3:24 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
25
And 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,
Numbers 3:25 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
And 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.
Numbers 3:26 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
27
And 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.
Numbers 3:27 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
28
In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, {were} eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
Numbers 3:28 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
29
The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
Numbers 3:29 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
30
And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites {shall be} Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
Numbers 3:30 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
31
And 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.
Numbers 3:31 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
32
And 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.
Numbers 3:32 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
33
Of Merari {was} the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these {are} the families of Merari.
Numbers 3:33 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
34
And 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.
Numbers 3:34 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
35
And 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.
Numbers 3:35 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
36
And {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, {under...: Heb. the office of the charge}
Numbers 3:36 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
37
And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
Numbers 3:37 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
38
But 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.
Numbers 3:38 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
39
All 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.
Numbers 3:39 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
40
And 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.
Numbers 3:40 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
41
And 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.
Numbers 3:41 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
42
And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
Numbers 3:42 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
43
And 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.
Numbers 3:43 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
44
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 3:44 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
45
Take 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.
Numbers 3:45 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
46
And 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;
Numbers 3:46 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
47
Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take {them}: (the shekel {is} twenty gerahs:)
Numbers 3:47 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
48
And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
Numbers 3:48 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
49
And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:
Numbers 3:49 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
50
Of 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:
Numbers 3:50 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
51
And 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.
Numbers 3:51 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.