Matthew Poole's Commentary And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, NUMBERS CHAPTER 4. God commands the Levites to be numbered from thirty till fifty years, fit for the service of the tabernacle; their charge, Numbers 4:1-16. Of the Kohathites, Numbers 4:17-20. Of the Gershonites, Numbers 4:21-28. Of the sons of Merari, Numbers 4:29-33. The number of each, Numbers 4:34-45. Of all in general, Numbers 4:46-49. No text from Poole on this verse. Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. From thirty years old: this age was prescribed, as the age of full strength of body, and therefore most proper for their present laborious work of carrying the parts and vessels of the tabernacle; and of maturity of judgment, which is necessary for the right management of holy services; whence even John and Christ entered not upon their ministry till that age. And it may still seem to be the fittest season for men’s undertaking the ministry of the gospel, except in case of extraordinary abilities, or the church’s pressing necessity. Object. They might enter upon this work at their twenty-fifth year, Numbers 8:24, and in David’s time and afterward at their twentieth year. Answ. 1. Their first entrance upon their work was at their twenty-fifth year, when they began as learners, and acted only under the inspection and direction of their brethren; but in their thirtieth year they were completely admitted to a full discharge of their whole office. 2. David, being a prophet, and particularly directed by God in the affairs of the temple, might and did make a change in this matter, which he might the better do, both because it was but a change in a circumstance, and because the magnificence of the temple, and the great multitude of sacred utensils and sacrifices, required a greater number of attendants than formerly was necessary. Until fifty years old, when they were exempted from the toilsome work of carrying burdens, but not discharged from the honourable and easy work done within the tabernacle, Numbers 8:26. All that enter, i.e. that do and may enter, having no defect, Leviticus 21:17, nor other impediment. The society of sacred ministers he calls a host, because of that excellent order which was among them, as to persons, place, time, the matter and manner of their services. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: Hereafter mentioned, as the ark, table, altar, &c. Compare Numbers 3:31. And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: For upon this necessary occasion the inferior priests are allowed to come into the holy of holies, which otherwise was peculiar to the high priest, Hebrews 9:7. The covering veil; the second veil; of which see Exodus 26:31, &c. Leviticus 4:6 Hebrews 9:3; where, with the ark was covered while the tabernacle stood, Exodus 40:3. And cover the ark; because the Levites, who were to carry the ark, might neither see nor immediately touch it. And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. By the covering of badgers’ skins the ark was secured from the injuries of the weather:. Object. How could these staves be put in, when they were never to be taken out, Exodus 25:15, compared with 1 Kings 8:8. Answ. 1. These places may speak of the staves while the ark and tabernacle stood, but when they were to be removed the posture of all things was altered. 2. The Hebrew verb doth not signify putting in, but barely putting, or placing, or disposing, and may be understood not of putting the staves into the rings, wherein they constantly remained, but of the putting of them either upon their shoulders to try and fit them for carriage, or into the holes or receptacles which probably were made in these coverings for the receiving and covering of these gilded staves, to keep them both from the touch of the Levites, and from the inconveniences of bad weather. And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: Of shew-bread, Heb. of faces or presence, for of the bread of faces or presence, i.e. of the bread which was continually standing in the presence of the Lord. The dishes, upon which the shew-bread was put. The continual bread, i.e. shew-bread; so called because it was continually to be there, even in the wilderness; where though they had only manna for themselves, yet they reserved corn for the weekly making of these loaves, which they might with no great difficulty procure from some of the people bordering upon the wilderness in the innermost parts whereof they were. And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof. No text from Poole on this verse. And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: No text from Poole on this verse. And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar. So contrived that this cloth containing the candlestick &c., might be either laid upon it, or some other way fastened to it. And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: The golden altar; all covered with plates of gold. And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar: The instruments of ministry; the sacred garments used by the priests in their holy ministrations. See Exodus 31:10. And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: From the altar of burnt-offerings; whereby it may seem probable, though it be denied by most, that they did offer some sacrifices in the wilderness, though it may not be so frequently nor orderly as afterwards they did. Whence else were these ashes? And there are some undeniable instances of their sacrificing there, as Exodus 18:12 24:4 Num 7, &c.; from which it seems rational to conclude that they did offer sacrifices at other times, though not so constantly and diligently as they did in Canaan. And for the argument against it from Amos 5:25, that may be easily dissolved, as we shall there see, if the Lord please. Moreover the taking away of the ashes only doth sufficiently imply that the fire was preserved, which as it came down from heaven, Le 9, so it was by God’s command to be continually fed and kept burning, and therefore doubtless was put into some vessel, which might be either fastened to the altar and put within this covering, or carried by some person appointed thereunto. And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it. Amongst all these vessels here and above named there is no mention of the brazen laver though that be elsewhere. reckoned among the holy things, as Exodus 35:16 38:8 39:39 40:30, whereof possibly the reason may be because it was not covered, as not being capable of much hurt by the weather; though some ancient translations of the Bible do here add these words, They shall take a purple covering, and cover the laver, &c. And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation. The sons of Kohath shall bear it, to wit upon their shoulders, not upon carts or waggons, as appears from Numbers 7:9, the neglect of which order did provoke the Lord, 2 Samuel 6:6,7 1 Chronicles 13:7 15:12, &c. Afterward the priests themselves, being multiplied, carried these things, as appears from Deu 31:9 Joshua 3:6 8:33 1 Samuel 4:4, though the Levites also were not excluded, 2 Chronicles 5:5. They shall not to any holy thing; immediately, or before they be covered. Lest they die, as some did for that sin. See 1 Samuel 6:19 2 Samuel 6:6,7. And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. i.e. He himself is to carry these things, and not to commit them to the sons of Kohath. The daily meat-offering of fine flour, which was to be offered every morning and evening with the daily burnt-offering. See Exodus 29:38,39. The oversight of all the tabernacle, i.e. the care that all the things above mentioned be carried by the persons and in the manner expressed. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, No text from Poole on this verse. Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: i.e. Do not by your neglect provoke God to cut them off for touching the holy things. But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: To his service; to that which is peculiarly allotted to him, the services and burdens being equally distributed among them. But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. No text from Poole on this verse. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, No text from Poole on this verse. Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. No text from Poole on this verse. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: No text from Poole on this verse. And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, The curtains of the tabernacle, i.e. the curtains or covering of goats’ hair. The tabernacle of the congregation, i.e. the ten curious curtains which covered the boards of the tabernacle; for the boards themselves were carried by the Merarites. His covering, i.e. the covering of rams’ skins which was put next over those ten curtains. And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve. The gate of the court, i.e. which court compassed both the tabernacle and the altar, Exodus 27:16. At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. No text from Poole on this verse. This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. Under his conduct and direction. Thus the hand of Hege, Esther 2:3, is his care and custody. As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. No text from Poole on this verse. And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, Which were as the feet upon which the pillars stood; of which see Exodus 38:27. And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. Every part and parcel therefore shall be put in an inventory; which is required here rather than in the foregoing particulars, partly, because these were much more numerous than the former; partly, because being meaner things, and such as might easily be supplied, they might otherwise have been neglected; and partly, to teach us that God esteems nothing small in his worship and service, and that he expects his will should be observed in the minutest circumstances. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. No text from Poole on this verse. And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers, No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation: No text from Poole on this verse. And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. No text from Poole on this verse. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. Verse 37. No text from Poole on this verse. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers, No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, No text from Poole on this verse. Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. No text from Poole on this verse. These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD. No text from Poole on this verse. And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, No text from Poole on this verse. Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred. Here appears the wisdom of Divine Providence, that whereas in the Kohathites and Gershonites, whose burdens were fewer and easier, there were but about a third part of them which were fit for service, the Merarites, whose burdens were more and heavier, had above one half of them fit for this work. These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. No text from Poole on this verse. All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers, No text from Poole on this verse. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, No text from Poole on this verse. Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. Which number was much inferior to any other tribe, for the reasons mentioned on Numbers 3:39. According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses. No text from Poole on this verse. |
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