Numbers 3: 1 – 51
Nepotism
3 Now these are the records of Aaron and Moses when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he consecrated to minister as priests. 4 Nadab and Abihu had died before the LORD when they offered profane fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father. 5 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7 And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. 8 Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle. 9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given entirely to him from among the children of Israel. 10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.” 11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, 13 because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the LORD.” 14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15 “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.” 16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. 17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses. 21 From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites; these were the families of the Gershonites. 22 Those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above—of those who were numbered there were seven thousand five hundred. 23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward. 24 And the leader of the father’s house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael. 25 The duties of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting included the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, 26 the screen for the door of the court, the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, according to all the work relating to them. 27 From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and above, there were eight thousand six hundred keeping charge of the sanctuary. 29 The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle. 30 And the leader of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. 31 Their duty included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, the screen, and all the work relating to them. 32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary. 33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari. 34 And those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, were six thousand two hundred. 35 The leader of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. 36 And the appointed duty of the children of Merari included the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, its utensils, all the work relating to them, 37 and the pillars of the court all around, with their sockets, their pegs, and their cords. 38 Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, keeping charge of the sanctuary, to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but the outsider who came near was to be put to death. 39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand. 40 Then the LORD said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.” 42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded him. 43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three. 44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD. 46 And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who are more than the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels for each one individually; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs. 48 And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.” 49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary. 51 And Moses gave their redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Say the word "nepotism" out loud. It probably feels distasteful, like you're spitting out an insult because if you ever accuse someone of nepotism, it's likely not any kind of praise. There are laws against nepotism, but even when it's legal it carries the stain of unearned privilege, an unlevel playing field, rewarded incompetence and corruption.
So, nepotism is a terrible thing, right?
Sometimes but sometimes it's a good thing, or at least a necessary thing. If nothing else, it's a nearly unavoidable act. Entire systems of government have been built on it, and entire systems of government have been built to eliminate it. One could even argue that it's a basis of human civilization.
The seemingly simple subject of nepotism — a tendency to grant favors to our family members over people who aren't related to us — turns out to have deep roots in human nature. It's worth taking a closer look, then, at nepotism's biological origins, cultural history and the measurable effect it has on modern society.
We tend to cringe when we hear the word nepotism. Images of the unqualified and undeserving come to mind, and it’s a natural segue into a discussion about how “it’s not what you know, but who you know.” But the fact is, nepotism stands as a common practice in business and life, occurring frequently in family-owned companies, non-profit organizations and small businesses. And despite its negative associations, nepotism can actually help create a stronger, more sustainable business mode. That is, if it’s done right.
For many reasons, hiring family makes sense. You are probably more familiar with a family members’ strengths, weaknesses and potential than you are with other candidates. They offer swift trust, so you can rely on them when it comes to sensitive information and confidential aspects of your business. They likely share the same values and mission as you, with a vested interest in seeing you and your business succeed. And in the long run, who better to take over than someone already in the inner circle?
But nepotism can lead you into dangerous territory, sending a ripple effect of resentment and frustration throughout the company. And this can have a substantial impact on employee performance, motivation and allegiance to the company.
Before hiring a family member, you must understand that people tend to believe that favoritism is at play whenever a relative is hired, regardless of their stance on nepotism. Even when a relative may be uniquely qualified for the job, coworkers often believe that it was their familial ties, not their resume, that got them the position. This can be particularly problematic when it comes to upper management and directors because there’s no ladder to climb when the top rung is always reserved for those with a certain name.
In many cases a man or women has put together a business. It is natural to want their children to take over the business in the future when the founder is ready to retire. In many cases though the child does not have the same intense love as the father or mother who created the business. Perhaps they want to do something else in life or maybe they want to prove to themselves that they can make it out in the business world.
Passing on a business to a child of the owner could spell the beginning of the end of that company.
If parents who founded a company have more than one child or close relatives then bad blood can also come from a family member not living up to the expectations that you and the other employees have. Say, for example, Joe gives his relative, Michael, a plum position in a family-run organization. Michael may have some skills, and he may even have some experience and smarts, but that’s doesn’t necessarily mean he will be able to excel in the high leadership position. Frustration may ensue — not only from other employees, but from Michael himself, who may start to feel inadequate, and, in turn, unhappy with the job. That type of morale is palpable and can spread quickly throughout the company.
And if you think that’s bad, consider another all-too-familiar situation in which a family member is handed a high-paying, high-level job, and chooses to take advantage of his position. He skips out early when he wants. Opts to work from home when his position really necessitates that he be operating in the office. And at the end of the day, does the bare minimum to get by. Not only is this a sure-fire way to aggravate other employees, but by allowing this to continue, you are setting a new precedent for company culture and values — that the job is just a paycheck, nothing more. And in the long-run, that can mean death for a business.
So where do you draw the line? Is it possible to hire family members while still doing what is best for the company?
While you may not be able to control how other non-relative employees view nepotism, what you can do is build a process around the way you hire your family members.
It’s easy to place a family member who needs a job in a vacant position simply because you think they could do a job. But making sure they are the right fit, and hiring them with the same caution and consideration you have when screening non-relative candidates, will ensure a sustainable and productive future — a win-win for both the company and your relative.
Asking your relatives to be open and honest about what they are looking for is a chance to see what is important to them. Do their passions align with your company’s mission? Will the position they fill leverage their skills and interests? Have them take the DISC profile assessment to better understand what drives and ultimately fulfills them. Keep in mind that for them to devote half of their waking hours to this position and add real value to your business, it must be something that serves their needs just as much as yours. The discussion should be a two-way street, with both of you striving to figure out if this is a decision that will benefit everyone involved.
Personality is also key in your decision making. While there must be a reasonable level of technical skill, it’s the soft skills — interpersonal skills, communication skills, thought processes and emotional intelligence — that can really make or break your decisions. Hiring a relative whose behavior and values just aren’t there means you’re at risk of eroding your brand and destroying company morale. This is one step of the hiring process in which working with a relative works to your advantage. You know this person better than the other candidates and can make a more accurate assessment whether or not his or her personality will bring positive energy to the overall workflow — or create internal distress.
Core values are what a company stands for. So much more than just words and phrases, it is your company’s creed and culture and what every employee — including those you are related to — should embody. Before hiring a relative, be clear as to what your core values are and what will be expected of him. The smaller your organization, the more important it is that you define how these core values should be manifested for that particular position.
The legal concerns surrounding nepotism are few, but that doesn’t mean you should gloss over them. While nothing explicitly prohibits you from hiring a relative, you may be crossing the line if you advertise a job opening, then proceed to offer the position to a family member who is less qualified than say, a female or minority candidate. This can conflict with Title VII or state discrimination laws, no matter what your intention was. When hiring a relative, is also illegal not to disclose any potential conflict of interest to shareholders. Failure to make that information known could violate Sarbanes-Oxley.
When it comes to hiring family members, the stars don’t have to align for it to be a good decision, but caution and consideration are critical. And beyond the hiring process, relatives should be encouraged to hold one another accountable, so that the standards and expectations you set are not just met, but exceeded. This promotes a more collaborative effort where family members feel supported by one another, and can ultimately become more invested in the business. And in turn, this can create a ripple effect throughout the company, as higher performance becomes the new status quo.
Today we are going to take a look at Nepotism. Our Holy God Himself selected the All in the Family line for all the men who serve Him. They all come from the line of Levi. Why? Well for one thing as we learned in the book of Exodus after the people rebelled as our Holy God Yahweh and His servant Moses by making a golden calf we are taught that only the tribe of Levi come forth to support Moses.
For that loyalty our Holy God picked them to be His servants. Yet, most importantly is that if our Holy Creator wants to do something then it shall be done –end of story!
Nepotism I believe is proven by our Holy Lord that it in the long run it does not work. In fact we read in scripture that our Lord ended the family ties of Aaron descendent as the High Priest with a man named Eli. In the book of 1 Samuel chapter 3 we find this out, “10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.” 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel: “Behold, I will do something in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12 In that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. 13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them. 14 And therefore I have sworn to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be atoned for by sacrifice or offering forever.”
A question then to be considered is as to why our Holy Master created the position of High Priest. The answer was because it was designed to be filled by our Lord Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews chapter 7 speaking about our Great High Priest Jesus Christ points this fact out to us, “for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn And will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’ ,
In this chapter more information is given about the priests and Levites, those set apart by Yahweh to watch over His Tabernacle. Their task was to watch over the holiness of the Sanctuary.
We are first given a summary of the priesthood as it then was, and their consecration. At this stage it can be seen why they would need assistance from the tribe of Levi. Apart from these five, soon to become three, no one apart from Moses was allowed within the Sanctuary, although the sons of these priests were no doubt already growing up. Aaron was by this time ‘well matured’ (Exodus 7.7) and Eleazar and Ithamar were no doubt married and would have developing sons of their own. The priests would soon multiply. But as yet they were still few.
3 Now these are the records of Aaron and Moses when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. 2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he consecrated to minister as priests.
The names of the anointed priests apart from Aaron are given, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. These were his natural born sons whom, at Yahweh’s command, he had consecrated to minister with him in the priest’s office.
4 Nadab and Abihu had died before the LORD when they offered profane fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests in the presence of Aaron their father.
But two of these four were slain ‘before Yahweh’, in the Sanctuary precincts, because they treated the things of God lightly, offering non-holy incense (‘strange fire’, that is, not in accord with God’s commandments) before Him. In view of the fact that everything in chapter 4 is described as being under the control of Eleazar and Ithamar it is clear that that event had already happened by this stage.
In the light of the shortage of priests the promotion of someone to act as assistants to them was inevitable. But it should be noted that the Levites had a limited main purpose. It was that of looking after the Tabernacle and its contents on their travels. Such a stress could only have arisen during the wilderness period. It would otherwise have had no purpose. For once Israel was settled in the land and the Tabernacle was permanently in one place this main task would be redundant.
That this occurred at an early date is especially confirmed by the fact that they were allotted nine tenths of the tithes. This could only have happened when their numbers were considerably in excess of those of the priesthood.
5 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him.
The tribe of Levi, Aaron’s own tribe, was now called on to supply supplementary Sanctuary service. They were set before Aaron as his Sanctuary servants, to ‘minister to him’ in his holy office. That is, they were available to do heavy work such as carrying, doing any work which did not require to be performed by a priest, and acting in general around the Sanctuary (but not within it except when the furniture had been packed) performing non-priestly functions.
‘7 And they shall attend to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work of the tabernacle. 8 Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle.
They were to be looked to both by Aaron and by the congregation of Israel to fulfill their responsibilities towards the Tent of Meeting. One of those responsibilities was to guard the Tent of Meeting and to maintain the furniture of the Tent of Meeting. The guarding would involve all the furniture, for while they could not touch it (when they carried the furniture it was wrapped and borne on staves), they must guard it with their lives. The maintenance was probably only in respect of smaller items which could be brought out for the purpose.
9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are given entirely to him from among the children of Israel.
The Levites were ‘given to Aaron’, that is they were put entirely at the disposal of Aaron and his sons. For all their duties they looked to them. The lack of mention of wider duties is significant. At this time the major one was to be that of total responsibility for the Tabernacle when travelling, and of guarding it from intrusion. Later their responsibilities would widen, for example with regard to the overseeing of tithes of corn, wheat and barley. They would also teach the people the general requirements of the Torah as instructed by the priests, especially as it related to such things. But that would only be fully necessary when they were finally in the land.
10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
It is, however, made clear that the Levites were not to act as priests. The priesthood was to be retained within the close family of Aaron. They were to ‘keep their priesthood’. Only they could approach the altar, manipulate the blood of offerings and sacrifices, and enter the inner Sanctuary. They were the authoritative teachers of the covenant regulations, the discerners of what was clean and unclean. Any Levite who acted as a priest and drew near to the altar or the inner sanctuary for priestly service was to be put to death. How this sentence would be carried out, and by whom, is not described. Later, when priests were more numerous, it would clearly require checks on identification and on ancestry and antecedents before such an execution took place (.
11 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 12 “Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, 13 because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the LORD.”
The reason for the appointment of the Levites is given. They were to be a substitute for the firstborn sons of Israel whom Yahweh had made holy to Himself at the first Passover (Exodus 13.2).
14 Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying: 15 “Number the children of Levi by their fathers’ houses, by their families; you shall number every male from a month old and above.”
God now commanded the numbering of the male children of Levi. But the numbering was to be on a different basis to that in chapter 1. Rather than being of those who were twenty years old and upwards it was of those who were one month old and upwards. This was because the comparison was to be made with all firstborn sons, not just adult ones. We can therefore assume that the same basis applied to the firstborn. They did not need to be redeemed until they were one month old.
16 So Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.
As our Holy God Yahweh commanded, so Moses did. He numbered the sons of Levi. He was continually obedient.
For the purpose of the numbering further details were given of who were involved. This brings out who were qualified to be Levites. It was those who were directly descended from Levi or his household.
17 These were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
First named were naturally Levi’s own sons, Gershon, Kohath and Merari. From these the Levites were outwardly descended. Of course they were not necessarily naturally so. They could have been born to others in the household of Levi thus becoming a part of the tribe of Levi. But they would be seen as ‘adopted’ sons of Levi.
Gershon was the first-born (1 Chronicles 6.1). It is therefore significant that it was the sons of Kohath who obtained the highest position, that of bearing the Ark and the Sanctuary furniture.
18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families: Libni and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 20 And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.
Descent from the three sons of Levi was then described. If these were the grandsons, as they seemingly were (verse 27), then Amram was not the direct father of Moses, but his famous ancestor (1 Chronicles 6.1-3). But it was quite common in those days for an ancestor to be described as a person’s ‘father’.
As Gershon was the first-born details concerning his sub-tribe were given first. Information was now given about general descent, status, sacred task and ‘numbers’ of those in the sub-tribe over one month old expressed in terms of ‘hundreds’.
21 From Gershon came the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites; these were the families of the Gershonites.
Coming down to Moses’ day the descendants of the sub-tribe of Gershon were the clans of the Libnites and the Shimeites. These were the ‘families’ of the Gershonites whose males from one month and upwards had to be ‘numbered’.
22 Those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above—of those who were numbered there were seven thousand five hundred.
And those who were numbered amounted to seven thousand five hundred.
23 The families of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle westward.
The sub-tribes of the Gershonites were to encamp between the Rachel tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin to the west, and the Tabernacle. This was the third most prestigious position. The first was to the east, occupied by the priests, the second to the south, occupied by the Kohathites, because they were more directly related to Moses and Aaron.
24 And the leader of the father’s house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.
The person appointed to oversee the Gershonites in their sacred tasks was Eliasaph, son of Lael.
25 The duties of the children of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting included the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, 26 the screen for the door of the court, the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, according to all the work relating to them.
The responsibility of the Gershonites was to be for the Tabernacle itself, including the Tent Sanctuary, and all hangings and coverings and cords. This was the second most prestigious task of the Levites, the first being the responsibility for the sacred furniture including the Ark.
27 From Kohath came the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites. Of the sub-tribe of Kohath the clans were the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites. These together were responsible for the carrying of the Tabernacle furniture. 28 According to the number of all the males, from a month old and above, there were eight thousand six hundred keeping charge of the sanctuary.
In the case of the Kohathites there were eight ‘wider families’ made up of six ‘service units’ who had ‘the charge of the Sanctuary’, that is, they had primary responsibility for looking after its principle effects while on the march.
29 The families of the children of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle.
These ‘clans’ were to encamp on the south side of the Tabernacle, the second most prestigious position, between the Tabernacle and the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad. The priests themselves had the most prestigious position.
30 And the leader of the fathers’ house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
The chieftain of the Kohathite sub-tribe was Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel.
31 Their duty included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, the screen, and all the work relating to them.
The responsibility of the Kohathites was to be for the actual Tabernacle furniture, the Ark, the Table, the Lamp stand, the altars (the altar of incense and the bronze altar), the vessels used in the inner Sanctuary, the screen which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (‘the veil’) and all aspects related to them
This was an awesome responsibility. They would, however, never see them ‘uncovered’. Always the priest would have covered them and packed them adequately first so that there was no danger of their touching them directly, for that would have meant their death.
32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, with oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary.
The importance of the task of the Kohathites is evidenced by the mention here of Eleazar, Aaron’s son, who would become High Priest on the death of Aaron. He was to be in authority over all the chieftains as ‘prince of the princes’. He was especially to have oversight over the Kohathites in their task, for it was they who ‘kept the charge of the Sanctuary’.
33 From Merari came the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these were the families of Merari. 34 And those who were numbered, according to the number of all the males from a month old and above, were six thousand two hundred. 35 The leader of the fathers’ house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
Their chieftain was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They encamped on the north side of the Dwellingplace, between it and the tribes of Dan, Asher and Naphtali.
36 And the appointed duty of the children of Merari included the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, its utensils, all the work relating to them, 37 and the pillars of the court all around, with their sockets, their pegs, and their cords.
The responsibility of the sons of Merari was for the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the Sanctuary, all the small parts so necessary for the whole.
38 Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, keeping charge of the sanctuary, to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but the outsider who came near was to be put to death.
The Levites would be encamped to the north, the west and the south, but to the east of the Tabernacle would be encamped Moses, and Aaron and his sons, and their households. That was where the entrance to the Tabernacle was, and it was their responsibility to ensure that no one approached to enter, unless such approach was valid in accordance with God’s Instruction.
39 All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, by their families, all the males from a month old and above, were twenty-two thousand.
The total ‘number’ of the male Levites over one month old is now given. Note that they are numbered ‘in terms of (by) their families’. Their total number came to twenty two thousand.
40 Then the LORD said to Moses: “Number all the firstborn males of the children of Israel from a month old and above, and take the number of their names. 41 And you shall take the Levites for Me—I am the LORD—instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the livestock of the children of Israel.”
The overall principle here is that the Levites and their cattle were to take the place of the firstborn of Israel and the firstborn of cattle who were obligated to Yahweh because of the deliverance at the Passover when the firstborn of sons and cattle were spared. That obligation was now removed by virtue of the setting apart of the Levites.
Moses was firstly to number all the first-born males of the children of Israel taking ‘the number of their names’. These were then to be released from their dedication to Yahweh by being replaced by Levites. Up to this point, since the setting up of the Tabernacle, the firstborn sons had had to perform the duties there. That would be required no longer. While these duties would not have been onerous while in the wilderness, had they continued once in the land they would have become so? The firstborn sons would have had to leave home and would not have been fully available for work on the farms and with the flocks and herds. But now the service in the Tabernacle was to be the privilege of the Levites.
It should be noted that the Levite cattle now became Yahweh’s. All the cattle that they held in future would also be seen as Yahweh’s. All that a Levite owned from now on was his own home, or anything he purchased. The fields and cattle around his city belonged to Yahweh, while being available for the use of the Levites as Yahweh’s servants. Thus they could be substituted for the Passover firstborn cattle without being killed.
It is significant that the closer to Yahweh’s service they came the less possessions they had. Their minds were not to be filled with a desire for possessions, but to the desire to have God as their possession. They were not to be dragged down by ‘the deceitfulness of riches’. Their whole attention was to be on serving Him. Once this attitude was lost, they were lost.
Take note if you are a Pastor or servant of El Shaddai, Almighty God. Then listen to the words of our Holy God Jesus Christ in what was recorded in chapter 6 of Matthew’s Gospel, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Enough said!
42 So Moses numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel, as the LORD commanded him.
So Moses did what Yahweh had commanded. He ‘numbered’ all the firstborn among the children of Israel, allocating them to their service.
43 And all the firstborn males, according to the number of names from a month old and above, of those who were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
The number of the firstborn males was assessed at twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
44 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 45 “Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites instead of their livestock. The Levites shall be Mine: I am the LORD.
Our Majestic and Holy God Yahweh now repeats His instruction, stressing its importance, and making it crystal clear. The Levites were to replace the firstborn sons as servants of the Sanctuary, and their cattle, now set aside as Yahweh’s, were to replace the firstborn which would otherwise be due from the Israelite cattle. They would be released from their double obligation of firstling and firstborn, being now only responsible for firstlings.
46 And for the redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, who are more than the number of the Levites, 47 you shall take five shekels for each one individually; you shall take them in the currency of the shekel of the sanctuary, the shekel of twenty gerahs. 48 And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”
The remaining surplus of 273 was now brought into account. They were to be redeemed by their parents at a ransom of 5 shekels per person. This money was then to be given to the priests. This was the estimate of the value of a male child under five years old (Leviticus 27.6 - possibly the equivalent of the slave price for a male under five years old), the redeemed children clearly being seen as those most recently born.
49 So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
Moses collected the redemption silver which amounted to 1,365 shekels.
51 And Moses gave their redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Moses then passed it on to the priests, as he had been commanded by Yahweh, so that ‘the word of Yahweh’ was fulfilled.
One important lesson for us that comes from this chapter is its lesson on substitution and redemption. In the economy of God, like could be substituted for like.
We may also draw the lesson of responsibility. The Levites were required to respond to Yahweh and be totally dedicated to His service. God requires that of us too. But we are not restricted by the tribe that we belong to. Our dedication is a matter of willingness on our part. The question for us is, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’
