Then
the Lord spoke
to Moses, saying: “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them
before Aaron the priest, so that they may assist him.1
They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation in
front of the tent of meeting, doing service at the tabernacle; they
shall be in charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and
attend to the duties for the Israelites as they do service at the
tabernacle. You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his descendants;
they are unreservedly given to him from among the Israelites.2
But you shall make a register of Aaron and his descendants; it is
they who shall attend to the priesthood,3
and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”4
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “I hereby accept the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb among the Israelites.5 The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine; when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,6 I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both human and animal; they shall be mine. I am the Lord.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying: “Enrol the Levites by ancestral houses and by clans. You shall enrol every male from a month old7 and upwards. So Moses enrolled them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.8 The following were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. The sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their ancestral houses.”
To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. Their enrolment, counting all the males from a month old and upwards, was seven thousand five hundred. The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, with Eliasaph son of Lael as head of the ancestral house of the Gershonites. The responsibility of the sons of Gershon9 in the tent of meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting,the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service pertaining to these.
To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. Counting all the males, from a month old and upwards, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as head of the ancestral house of the clans of the Kohathites. Their responsibility was to be the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen—all the service pertaining to these. Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.10
To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. Their enrolment, counting all the males from a month old and upwards, was six thousand two hundred. The head of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. The responsibility assigned to the sons of Merari was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories—all the service pertaining to these; also the pillars of the court all around, with their bases and pegs and cords.
Those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east—in front of the tent of meeting towards the east—were Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons,11 having charge of the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the Israelites; and any outsider who came near was to be put to death.12 The total enrolment of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron enrolled at the commandment of the Lord, by their clans, all the males from a month old and upwards, was twenty-two thousand.13
Then the Lord said to Moses: “Enrol all the firstborn males of the Israelites, from a month old and upwards, and count their names. But you shall accept the Levites for me—I am the Lord—as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites.So Moses enrolled all the firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him.14 The total enrolment, all the firstborn males from a month old and upwards, counting the number of names, was twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.15
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Accept the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine.16 I am the Lord. As the price of redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the Israelites, over and above the number of the Levites,17 you shall accept five shekels apiece, reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel of twenty gerahs.18 Give to Aaron and his sons19 the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed.20 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; from the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary; and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.21
1 Tribe of Levi, as it has since at least Leviticus 25 and perhaps earlier, is different, but now most clearly set apart.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “I hereby accept the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb among the Israelites.5 The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine; when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,6 I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both human and animal; they shall be mine. I am the Lord.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying: “Enrol the Levites by ancestral houses and by clans. You shall enrol every male from a month old7 and upwards. So Moses enrolled them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.8 The following were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. The sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their ancestral houses.”
To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. Their enrolment, counting all the males from a month old and upwards, was seven thousand five hundred. The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, with Eliasaph son of Lael as head of the ancestral house of the Gershonites. The responsibility of the sons of Gershon9 in the tent of meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting,the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service pertaining to these.
To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. Counting all the males, from a month old and upwards, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as head of the ancestral house of the clans of the Kohathites. Their responsibility was to be the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen—all the service pertaining to these. Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.10
To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. Their enrolment, counting all the males from a month old and upwards, was six thousand two hundred. The head of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. The responsibility assigned to the sons of Merari was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories—all the service pertaining to these; also the pillars of the court all around, with their bases and pegs and cords.
Those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east—in front of the tent of meeting towards the east—were Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons,11 having charge of the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the Israelites; and any outsider who came near was to be put to death.12 The total enrolment of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron enrolled at the commandment of the Lord, by their clans, all the males from a month old and upwards, was twenty-two thousand.13
Then the Lord said to Moses: “Enrol all the firstborn males of the Israelites, from a month old and upwards, and count their names. But you shall accept the Levites for me—I am the Lord—as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites.So Moses enrolled all the firstborn among the Israelites, as the Lord commanded him.14 The total enrolment, all the firstborn males from a month old and upwards, counting the number of names, was twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.15
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Accept the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine.16 I am the Lord. As the price of redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the Israelites, over and above the number of the Levites,17 you shall accept five shekels apiece, reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel of twenty gerahs.18 Give to Aaron and his sons19 the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed.20 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; from the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary; and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.21
1 Tribe of Levi, as it has since at least Leviticus 25 and perhaps earlier, is different, but now most clearly set apart.
2
It is made very, very clear that the Levites are different from
everyone else. An interesting tension is here between them having
an exulted status, and being “unreservedly” virtual slaves for
God.
3 While
the Levites serve, Aaron and his descendants have special status.
4
Extreme punishment for an outsider coming near is mentioned once
again.
5
Levites are connected to the firstborn in an interesting
substitution – commands for firstborn serving in Exodus 13, 22,
and 34 are apparently thus circumvented.
6
The consecration of the firstborn is connected with the Exodus
event, not earlier.
7
Enrolled at one month, not at military age like the other tribes.
8
Obedience is emphasized.
9
Duties are divided by ancestry.
10
Headed by a son of Aaron, though they are not sons of Aaron
themselves.
11
Aaron, Moses, and Aaron's sons are alone here.
12
Extreme punishment for outsiders mentioned yet again!
13 Is 22,000 apparently rounded off? 7500+8600+6200 = 22,300, not counting Moses and
Aaron and Aaron's sons. Even counting all males from a month and
up, this tribe is far smaller than the others.
14
Obedience is emphasized again.
15
This number doesn't work. How can a society with over 600,000 men
of military age have only 22,273 first-born males?
16
Levites as a first-born substitution is made explicit again.
17
Considering the numerical problems with “22,000” and “22,273”,
subtracting the numbers is really strange. This appears to be a
convenience to make a point, but I can't guess the point.
18
Who pays this? Who decides who the extra 273 are?
19
Aaron and his sons get the money, though what they do with it is
unclear.
20
This seems to be a one-off event. Why isn't there a constant
reckoning whereas new first-born sons continue to be substituted for
with new Levites?
21
Obedience emphasized yet again.
Take-home: The Levites are officially consecrated for service and their tasks are divided. The special status of service to God is made implicit in many ways. A strong focus on males is continued.
Take-home: The Levites are officially consecrated for service and their tasks are divided. The special status of service to God is made implicit in many ways. A strong focus on males is continued.
No comments:
Post a Comment