The Levitical Census

INTRO

Yesterday we read through 12 names that represented one man from every tribe. Every name matters to God. In Numbers 1, God used these 12 men, with the help of Moses and Aaron, to count 603,550 soldiers 20 years and older who were able to serve in the army. The Israelites were getting ready for something—to protect the people of Israel. In Numbers 2, they were told how to move forward. They were told which tribe would move first, and then who would go next, etc. It just shows you how detailed God is. Today, we are going to look at how Numbers 3 instructed the Levites to serve.

TEACHING

Numbers 3:1–4: Notice that Moses flipped the names and put Aaron first, because the book of Numbers is about the priests. It was not about Moses, but Aaron and his family, the Levites. Aaron had four sons. Aaron’s sons were ordained to serve as priests. The firstborn Nadab and his brother, Abihu, died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1–3). Nadab and Abihu had no sons, so their family line ended. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests under the direction of their father Aaron, which implied Nadab and Abihu didn’t follow Aaron’s instructions. Numbers 20:22-29 says Eleazar became high priest when Aaron died.

Numbers 1:5–10: God gave Moses instructions for the Levites. Moses presented the Levites to Aaron to assist him by performing duties for Aaron and the entire community. The Levites were charged with caring for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and attending to the service of the tabernacle. Their role was to serve. At God’s direction, Moses assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons to serve and assist them exclusively. Aaron and his sons served as priests, but any unauthorized persons who came near the sanctuary were to be put to death.

Numbers 3:11–13: The Lord said He had taken the Levities, out of all the Israelites, as His firstborn. Out of the 2 million people, the Levites belonged to God. When God struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, He consecrated, or set apart, every firstborn in Israel to Himself. Review God’s statement to Moses in Exodus 13:1–2: “The LORD spoke to Moses: ‘Consecrate every firstborn male to Me, the firstborn from every womb among the Israelites, both man and domestic animal; it is Mine.’”

Numbers 3:14–16: God commanded Moses to register every Levite one month old or older by family and clan. So Moses counted them as he was commanded. Note that Moses had no help this time.

Numbers 3:17–20: Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Gershon had two sons, Libni and Shimei. Kohath had four sons, Amran, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Merari had two sons, Mahli and Mushi.

Numbers 3:21–26: Moses counted the sons of Gershon one month old or more. The whole tribe of Gershon numbered 7,500. These clans camped behind the tabernacle on the west side. Eliasaph, son of Lael, was appointed as the leader of the Gershonites. The Gershonites’ duties were to care for the tabernacle, the tent, its coverings, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting, the courtyard hangings, and the ropes.

Numbers 3:27–32: The Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites, and Uzzielites were the Kohathite clans. The whole tribe of Kohathite numbered 8,600. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. They had the most important job because they were taking care of the holy objects. The Kohathites camped on the south side of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:33–37: The Merari clans were Mahlites and Mushites. The whole tribe of Merari numbered 6,200. They camped on the north side of the tabernacle (Numbers 2:25). The Merarites were assigned to take care of the wooden framed things, the supports, the crossbars, the posts, the bases, and all related equipment. Zuriel, son of Abihail, was the leader of the Merarites.

Numbers 3:38: Moses, Aaron and his sons camped on the east side of the tabernacle, in front of the tent of meeting, toward the sunrise. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. Any unauthorized person who approached the sanctuary would die.

Numbers 3:39: The total number of Levite men one month old or older was 22,000. By reading ahead in Numbers 4, we learn that Moses later counted “men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting” (Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39, 43, 47) .After the men were picked at age 20, it took five years until they were ready for service. It was basically an apprentice program. Who was doing all this work? Who was evaluating all these animals? According to Numbers 8:24: “In regard to the Levites: From 25 years old or more, a man enters the service in the work at the tent of meeting.” The men were qualified at the age of 30, but they started at the age of 25. They were in training for five years to learn all the duties of the priesthood so they could screen and help the priest. Numbers 4:36 said 2,750 men were qualified to serve from the Kohathite tribe. Numbers 4:40 said 2,630 men were qualified to serve from the Gershonite tribe. Numbers 4:44 said 3,200 men were qualified to serve from the Merarite tribe.

Nelson’s commentary provided these observations about the Levites:

1. They were numbered separately from other tribes.
2. They were obviously appointed to ministry in the worship of God rather than soldiers.
3. They were given certain restrictions for the way they were to conduct their life.
4. They represented the firstborn gift of God.
5. They live in their own cities.
6. Their end goal was to serve Aaron and his sons and the Lord.1

Numbers 3:40–43: God then commanded Moses to count every firstborn male Israelite one month old or more and make a list of their names. God then claimed the Levites for Himself in place of every firstborn among the Israelites. The total number of firstborn males one month old or more totaled 22,273.

Numbers 3:44–48: Now Moses was told to take the Levites in place of all the firstborn Israelites. The total firstborn Israelites (22,273) minus the total Levites (22,000) meant the firstborn Israelites outnumbered the Levites by 273. To redeem these 273 Israelites, five shekels were collected for each (273 people x 5 shekels) and given to Aaron and his sons as a redemption price.

Numbers 3:49–51: Moses collected the redemption money for those in excess of the ones redeemed by the Levites. Moses collected 1,365 shekels and gave the money to Aaron and his sons just as God commanded.

CLOSING

The 22,000 Levites represented the firstborn. They were to surround the tabernacle for God. That makes me think of the ultimate firstborn, the Rock. The Rock is Jesus. Jesus is also the firstborn. Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” When Jesus was little, He was brought up to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord as a firstborn. Luke 2:22–23 recorded the event: “And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male will be dedicated to the Lord)”.