Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Numbers 3

107 catchwords528 parallels

← Numbers | ← Ch 2 | Ch 4 →

Numbers 3 . 1 , The sons of Aaron; Numbers 3 . 5 , The Levites are given to the priests instead of the first-born; Numbers 3 . 14 , are numbered by their families; Numbers 3 . 21 , The families , number , and charge of the Gershonites; Numbers 3 . 27 , of the Kohathites; Numbers 3 . 33 , of the Merarites; Numbers 3 . 38 , The place and charge of Moses and Aaron; Numbers 3 . 40 , The first-born are freed by the Levites; Numbers 3 . 44 , The overplus are redeemed.

Numbers 3:1

This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

Numbers 3:1 · BSB

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Numbers 3:2

These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Numbers 3:2 · BSB

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Numbers 3:3

These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

Numbers 3:3 · BSB

the priests6 parallels

whom he consecrated4 parallels

Heb. whose hand he filled

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Numbers 3:4

Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

Numbers 3:4 · BSB

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Numbers 3:5

Then the LORD said to Moses,

Numbers 3:5 · BSB

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Numbers 3:6

“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.

Numbers 3:6 · BSB

the whole verse11 parallels

The word hakraiv , here rendered bring near , is properly a sacrificial word , and signifies the presenting of a sacrifice or offering to the Lord. As an offering , the tribe of Levi was entirely given up to the service of the sanctuary , to be no longer their own , but the Lord's

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Numbers 3:7

They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:7 · BSB

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to do the4 parallels

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Numbers 3:8

They shall take care of all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting and fulfill obligations for the Israelites by attending to the service of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:8 · BSB

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Numbers 3:9

Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites.

Numbers 3:9 · BSB

the whole verse5 parallels

Numbers 3:10

So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

Numbers 3:10 · BSB

they shall8 parallels

and the stranger11 parallels

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Numbers 3:11

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Numbers 3:11 · BSB

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Numbers 3:12

"Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,

Numbers 3:12 · BSB

the whole verse7 parallels

When God miraculously destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians

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Numbers 3:13

for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD."

Numbers 3:13 · BSB

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on the day3 parallels

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Numbers 3:15

“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”

Numbers 3:15 · BSB

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Numbers 3:16

So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he had been commanded.

Numbers 3:16 · BSB

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Heb. mouth

Numbers 3:17

These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

Numbers 3:17 · BSB

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Gershon6 parallels

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Numbers 3:18

These were the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei.

Numbers 3:18 · BSB

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Numbers 3:19

The sons of Kohath by their clans were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

Numbers 3:19 · BSB

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Numbers 3:20

And the sons of Merari by their clans were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites, according to their families.

Numbers 3:20 · BSB

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Numbers 3:21

From Gershon came the Libnite clan and the Shimeite clan; these were the Gershonite clans.

Numbers 3:21 · BSB

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Numbers 3:22

The number of all the males a month old or more was 7,500.

Numbers 3:22 · BSB

from a month old1 parallel

The males of all the other tribes were numbered from twenty years old and upwards; but , had the Levites been numbered in this way , they would not have been nearly equal in number to the first-born of the twelve tribes. Add to this , that as there must have been first-born of all ages in the other tribes , it was necessary that the Levites , who were to be their substitutes , should also be of all ages; and it appears to have been partly on this ground , that the Levites were numbered from a month old and upwards

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Numbers 3:23

The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,

Numbers 3:23 · BSB

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Numbers 3:24

and the leader of the families of the Gershonites was Eliasaph son of Lael.

Numbers 3:24 · BSB

Lael1 parallel

i.e. unto , by , because of God , [Strong's H3815]

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Numbers 3:25

The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

Numbers 3:25 · BSB

the charge21 parallels

From this and the next chapter , we see the very severe labour which the Levites were to perform , while the journeyings of the Israelites lasted. When we consider , that there was not less than 14 tons 266 lbs. of metal employed in the tabernacle . see note on

the tabernacle and4 parallels

and the hanging5 parallels

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Numbers 3:26

the curtains of the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, and the cords—all the service for these items.

Numbers 3:26 · BSB

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Numbers 3:27

From Kohath came the clans of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites; these were the clans of the Kohathites.

Numbers 3:27 · BSB

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Numbers 3:28

The number of all the males a month old or more was 8,600. They were responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

Numbers 3:28 · BSB

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Numbers 3:29

The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,

Numbers 3:29 · BSB

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Numbers 3:30

and the leader of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

Numbers 3:30 · BSB

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Numbers 3:31

Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.

Numbers 3:31 · BSB

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the altars4 parallels

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Numbers 3:32

The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

Numbers 3:32 · BSB

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Numbers 3:33

From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans.

Numbers 3:33 · BSB

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Numbers 3:34

The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200.

Numbers 3:34 · BSB

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Numbers 3:35

The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

Numbers 3:35 · BSB

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northward1 parallel

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Numbers 3:36

The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,

Numbers 3:36 · BSB

under the custody and charge12 parallels

Heb. the office of the charge , the boards

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Numbers 3:37

as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

Numbers 3:37 · BSB

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Numbers 3:38

Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

Numbers 3:38 · BSB

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Numbers 3:39

The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

Numbers 3:39 · BSB

and Aaron12 parallels

The word ואהרן , weaharon , "and Aaron ," has a point over each of its letters , probably designed as a mark of spuriousness. The word is wanting in the Samaritan , Syriac , and Coptic , and also in eight of Dr. Kennicott's and in four of De Rossi's manuscripts. Moses alone , as Houbigant observes , was commanded to number the Levites (

  • Numbers 3:5
  • Numbers 3:11
  • Numbers 3:40
  • Numbers 3:44
  • Numbers 3:51 ) for as the money with which the first-born were redeemed was to be paid to Aaron and his sons (
  • Numbers 3:48 ) , it was decent that he , whose advantage it was that the number of the first-born should exceed , should not be authorized to take that number himself. twenty and two thousand. This total does not agree with the particulars; for the Gershonites were 7 ,500 , the Kohathites 8 ,600 , and the Merarites 6 ,200 , which make a total of 22 ,300. Several methods of solving this difficulty have been proposed by learned men. Houbigant supposes there is an error in the enumeration of the Kohathites in
  • Numbers 3:28 the numeral shesh , "six ," being written instead of shalosh , "three ," before "hundred." Dr. Kennicott's mode of reconciling the discrepancy , however , is the most simple. He supposes that an error has crept into the number of the Gershonites in
  • Numbers 3:22 where instead of 7 ,500 we should read 7 ,200 , as ך , caph final , which stands for 500 , might have been easily mistaken for ר , resh , 200 (Dr. Kennicott on the Hebrew Text , vol. II. p. 212). Either of these modes will equally reconcile the difference
  • Numbers 4:47
  • Numbers 4:48
  • Numbers 26:62
  • Matthew 7:14

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Numbers 3:40

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names.

Numbers 3:40 · BSB

the whole verse12 parallels

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Numbers 3:41

You are to take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the livestock of the Israelites.”

Numbers 3:41 · BSB

the whole verse9 parallels

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Numbers 3:43

The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.

Numbers 3:43 · BSB

the whole verse1 parallel

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Numbers 3:44

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Numbers 3:44 · BSB

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Numbers 3:45

“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.

Numbers 3:45 · BSB

the whole verse3 parallels

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Numbers 3:46

To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,

Numbers 3:46 · BSB

redeemed2 parallels

the two hundred2 parallels

As the number of the Levites was 22 ,000 , and the first-born males of the Israelites were 22 ,273 , there were therefore 372 more of the latter than of the former , which are here ordered to be redeemed. The price of redemption is fixed at five shekels , or about 15s. each , in Numbers 3 . 47. This money , amounting to 1 ,365 shekels , equal to , 15s English , was taken of the first-born. There is some difficulty , however , in determining which of the first-born should be redeemed by paying this sum , and which should be exchanged for the Levites; for every Israelite , no doubt , would rather have his first-born redeemed by a Levite , than pay five shekels; and yet some of them must have incurred this expense. Rabbi Solomon Jarchi says , to prevent contention , Moses took 22 ,000 slips of parchment , and wrote on each a son of Levi , and 273 more , on which he wrote five shekels; then putting them in an urn , and shaking them together , he ordered every one of the first-born to draw out a slip. If he drew out one with the first inscription , he said to him , a Levite hath redeemed thee , but if he drew out one of the latter , he said , pay the price. This is pronounced by Dr. A. Clarke to be a stupid , silly tale; but when we know that the determination by lot was used among the Israelites , it does not seem improbable that it was now resorted to , though we cannot vouch for the accuracy of the detail. This species of redeeming men is referred to by St. Peter in his 1st Epistle

which are1 parallel

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Numbers 3:47

you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.

Numbers 3:47 · BSB

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the shekel4 parallels

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Numbers 3:48

Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

Numbers 3:48 · BSB

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Numbers 3:50

He collected the money from the firstborn of the Israelites: 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

Numbers 3:50 · BSB

the whole verse9 parallels

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Numbers 3:51

And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

Numbers 3:51 · BSB

Moses7 parallels

as the Lord1 parallel

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The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge is the classical cross-reference layer — centuries of catchword parallels beneath the site’s quotations, allusions, and echoes. Every reference above also flows into the wider web of connections.

In the wider web9 threads
Intertextuality Pairs
Allusions Numbers 3:11 → Exodus 13:12, Numbers 3:11 → Exodus 13:2, Numbers 3:11-13 → Exodus 13:12, Numbers 3:11-13 → Exodus 13:2, 1 Chronicles 6:16-19 → Numbers 3:17-20
Trajectories
First-Born Redemption (Consecration to God), Levites (Substitutionary Service)
Chiasms
Shaped Numbers 3:40–51, Numbers 3:5–13
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