Today we'll conclude our look at the clans of the Levites and the duties the Lord assigned to them.
"These were the names of the sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath and Merari." (Numbers 3:17) Levi was a son of Jacob and the great-grandfather of Moses and Aaron.
"These were the names of the Gershonite clans: Libni and Shemei. The Kohathite clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, according to their families." (Numbers 3:18-20) Moses and Aaron are the sons of Kohath's son Amram.
"To Gershon belonged the clans of the Libnites and the Shemeites; these were the Gershonite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 7,500. The Gershonite clans were to camp in the west, behind the tabernacle. The leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael. At the tent of meeting the Gershonites were responsible for the care of the tabernacle and tent, its coverings, the curtain at the entrance to the tent of meeting, the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, and the ropes---and everything related to their use." (Numbers 3:21-26) This group of men was responsible for taking care of the items mentioned and for taking these items down and putting them back up every time the tabernacle was disassembled and reassembled when moving.
"To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans. The number of all the males a month or more old was 8,600. The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. The Kohathite clans were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use. The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest. He was appointed over those who were responsible for the care of the sanctuary." (Numbers 3:27-32) The most important items inside the sanctuary were taken care of by this clan. This is the clan of Aaron the high priest and therefore the men of this clan are responsible for the furnishings of the tabernacle. Any job at the tabernacle should have been regarded as a great honor, but the Kohathite clans had very prestigious jobs indeed, yet it will be men from this group who will stage a rebellion against the authority of Moses and---by extension---against the authority of the God who put Moses in charge of the people.
"To Merari belonged the clans of the Mahlites and the Mushites; those were the Merarite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more who were counted was 6,200. The leader of the families of the Merarite clans was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. The Merarites were appointed to take care of the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, bases, all its equipment, and everything related to their use, as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs and ropes." (Numbers 3:33-37) These men are tasked with the upkeep of the items mentioned and they will be responsible for taking down the tent of meeting every time it moves and for putting it back up at each new location.
"Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death." (Numbers 3:38) When the Bible uses the word "approached" it doesn't mean no one else in Israel can come near the sanctuary other than the men of the Levite clans. It means no one is allowed to perform any of the tasks listed in our passage today other than the men to whom these tasks were assigned. No one else is to presumptuously take on any of these responsibilities. The Lord, who is holy, has assigned the tasks to whom He has chosen, and to rebel against His will in these matters is a capital offense. For an example of someone who presumptuously took on a duty that was not his to perform, later in the Bible we'll find King Uzziah offering incense in the temple (something only a priest could do) and as a result the Lord struck him with the deadly and incurable disease of leprosy. (This incident can be found in 2 Chronicles 26.)
"The total number of Levites counted at the Lord's command by Moses and Aaron according to their clans, including every male a month or more old, was 22,000." (Numbers 3:42-43) This number doesn't match the totals we were given for each clan. If we add up the total for the three clans we get 22,300, but since these numbers were originally expressed as Hebrew letters, a slight error in translation could have occurred when the numbers were changed into the modern numerical system. Some of these letters were quite similar in appearance to each other and instead of an error when changing them into modern numerals it could be that a very ancient copying error occurred. Either way, a difference of 300 men doesn't represent an error of Biblical doctrine. It affects nothing regarding any foundation of our faith and we need not get hung up on it.
As we discussed over the weekend, the Lord placed a special calling on the entire tribe of Levi. The life's work of the men of this tribe is to be about the Lord's business. The Lord has placed a calling on our lives too---to be about His business. That business is to share the gospel with everyone in every way we can, by word and deed and attitude.
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