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The Fourth Book of Moses, called Numbers, Chapter Four <>< <>< ><> ><> 1. What did the LORD tell Moses and Aaron to do, what was the ages they were to count of all the men, and where did these men come to serve?
________________________________________________________________________________ When the sons of Levi are mentioned in 3:17, their order is
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; this order also informs the structure of the
balance of chapter 3: Gershonites (verses 21-26), Kohathites (verses 27-32), and
Merarites (verses 33-37; cross-reference Genesis 46:11; Exodus 6:16; 1st
Chronicles 6:1, 16). 2. Whom did the LORD tell Moses and Aaron were to care for the most holy things in the Tent of Meeting, what are Aaron and his sons to do when the camp is to move, and then what are Aaron and his sons to do?
________________________________________________________________________________ The paragraphs detailing the work of the Kohathites in their care of the most holy things come to the modern reader as truly from another time. The attention to care and detail for holy things is, lamentably, a lost art. Even though the primary care of these holy things was given to the Kohathites, they were forbidden to touch them (verse 15) - or even to look on them (verse 20) - lest they die. All the work of the Kohathites was to be strictly supervised by Aaron and his sons, and only the priests themselves were to touch and look on the unveiled holy things. We presume that even they had to be extremely careful in this regard. <>< <>< ><> ><> ORD when they made an offering with unauthorized fire before him in the Desert of Sinai. They had no sons; so only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron. <>< <>< ><> ><> Translators have difficulty in identifying the precise nature of the "hides of sea cows" (i.e., the outer covering of the ark) and the other items of holy furniture. The Hebrew word rendered "sea cow" is similar to the Arabic term for the dolphin; hence, porpoise-hide or hide of sea cows seems correct. 3. What did the LORD tell Moses and Aaron the Kohathites are to spread over the table of the Presence, what are the Kohathites to put on it, what did the LORD say was to remain on it, what are the Kohathites to cover all these things with, what are the Kohathites to cover that with, what are the Kohathites to do after that, what are the Kohathites to do with a blue cloth, what are the Kohathites to do after that, what are the Kohathites to spread over the gold altar, what are the Kohathites cover that with, what are the Kohathites to do after that, what are the Kohathites do with all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, what are the Kohathites to remove from the bronze altar, what are the Kohathites to spread over the bronze altar, what are the Kohathites to place on it, what are the Kohathites to spread over all of them with, what are the Kohathites to do after that, what are the Kohathites to do after Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, when the camp is ready to move, what did the LORD say would happen if the Kohathites touched the holy things, and what are the Kohathites to do?
________________________________________________________________________________ The manner of the transport of the holy things was by foot, with the six packages of holy things suspended between carriers by poles (see verses 6, 8, 11, 14) or kept on a carrier frame (verses 10, 12). The sad story of Uzzah is an unwitting self-test of the profound significance of these words. <>< <>< ><> ><> ORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God. <>< <>< ><> ><> 4. Whom did the LORD say was to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil, and what else is he in charge of?
________________________________________________________________________________ The special functions of the high priest are specified in this section both as a delimitation and as a mercy to the other sacral persons. The priest had certain duties peculiar to his office that none other might ever do. But the mercy of God was that there was a person who could draw near to the most holy things on behalf of the people. Were the high priest unable to attend to the holy things, there could be no worship from any of the community. Hence, his welfare ought to have been the concern of the people, for theirs was certainly tied to him. 5. What did the LORD want Moses and Aaron to see to, why did the LORD want them to do this, what are Aaron and his sons to do, and what will happened to the Kohathites if they go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment?
________________________________________________________________________________ The final section relating to the Kohathites in this portion concerns their ongoing service before the Lord in the context of the ongoing people of God; but it also presents a significant warning: any improper approach toward, touch of, or glance at the sacred things would mean death. The underlying reason on God's part may well have been mercy. It was a mercy of God that he had made himself known to anyone; it was the continuing mercy of God that he did not destroy more persons more quickly because of their wickedness; and it was a condescending mercy of God that he presented himself in their midst. The revelation of God's word brings with it demands, some of which seem harsh and difficult. But God is near. Some seem to be so judgmental; yet God has not destroyed all. Some seem to be so threatening; yet God by his mercy allows some sense of his presence to remain known in the camp. His manifestation is based on his mercy; his strictures allow his mercy to continue to be realized. <>< <>< ><> ><> 6. Who else did the LORD tell Moses to take a census of, how was it to be taken, how was Moses to count them, what was this to be, what were the Gershonites to carry, whose direction are all the service that is done by the Gershonites to be under, and whose direction are the duties of the Gershonites to be under?
________________________________________________________________________________ The Gershonites cared for the outer curtains and hides of the tabernacle. They and the Merarites were permitted to touch the things they were responsible for (cross-reference verses 15-20); the men of Kohath were not even to look at or touch the things of the Most Holy Place. But the Gershonites and the Merarites were not to do their work alone. Even with them Aaron was to be the chief responsible agent, but he was able to delegate some of that responsibility to his son Ithamar. <>< <>< ><> ><> 7. How was Moses to count the Merarite, who was to be counted, what were the duties of the Merarites, what was Moses to assign to each man, and whose direction are the Merarites under?
________________________________________________________________________________ Similar phrasing to the two other family units graces this section, with the instructions that the Merari family was to have their principal duties with the frames, crossbars, posts, bases, pegs, ropes, and other equipment. Their work was as important as that of any other family group; for without it the more desirable, prestigious work of the tabernacle could not be done. Hence the Merarites could take an interest even in the placing of a post, a peg, or a rope, not because each of these items is a distinct, suitable "type of Christ," but because the worship of God could not proceed - nor could the camp move out - unless these people were doing their holy work. <>< <>< ><> ><> 8. What did Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the the community do, what was the count of all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting from the clans and families of the Kohathites, what was the count of all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting from the clans and families of the Gershonites, what was the count of all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting from the clans and families of the Merarites, what was the total of all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting, and what were each assigned at the LORD's command through Moses?
________________________________________________________________________________ The most notable thing in the census of the Levitical families
in this section is the use of numbers. They still appear to be rounded off; but
since the numbers are smaller than those in chapter 1, the rounding off is done
to the tens level: 2,750 from Kohath, 2,630 from Gershon, and 3,200 from Merari. <>< <>< ><> ><> 1.
To take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and
families...from thirty to fifty years of age...in the work in the Tent of
Meeting <>< <>< ><> ><> |