SERIES E --- YHVH’S LAWS --- LESSON 03

THE THIRTEENTH TRIBE

THE LEVITES AND THEIR WORK

From Numbers 3

Aaron had four sons at the time Adonai spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. Nadab was the oldest, followed by Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. All four were anointed as priests and were given the job of serving as priests in the tabernacle. Nadab and Abihu however, died in the Wilderness of Sinai when they tried to offer unholy fire to Adonai. They had no children, so Eleazar and Ithamar were the only priests during Aaron’s lifetime. Adonai gave further instructions to Moses concerning the priestly helpers. Summon the tribe of Levi and assign them to Aaron as his assistants Adonai said. They will do whatever part of the sacred work of the tabernacle Aaron tells them to do. They will be in charge of the furnishings of the tabernacle and will represent the people of Israel in maintaining its work. The Levites will be committed to serving Aaron and his sons in their work. But only Aaron and his sons may do the priestly work. Whoever else tries to do it must be put to death. Adonai continued to talk to Moses. The Levites are Mine He said, for I have accepted them instead of the firstborn sons of the people. All the firstborn sons are Mine. Since that day in Egypt when I destroyed all the firstborn Egyptian sons, I have claimed all firstborn males, both of men and of animals. Yes, I am Adonai and I claim them for My own. Adonai also instructed Moses to take a census of the Levites there in the Wilderness of Sinai. Number all the Levite males who are at least a month old, Adonai Commanded. Number them by clans and families. Moses took the census as Adonai Commanded. Here is the record of Levi’s family: Levi’s three sons were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Gershon’s two sons were Libni and Shimei. At the time the Levites were appointed to the tabernacle service, Gershon’s descendants numbered seventy-five hundred and were under the leadership of Eliasaph the son of Lael. They camped behind the tabernacle on the west side. Gershon’s descendants were responsible for the care of the tabernacle with its coverings, entry curtains, courtyard curtains, curtains at the entrance to the courtyard, the altar and all of the ropes used in the tabernacle. Kohath’s four sons were Amram {father of Aaron, Moses and Miriam}, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. At this time Kohath’s descendants numbered eighty-six hundred and were under the leadership of Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. They camped on the south side of the tabernacle. Kohath’s descendants were responsible for the Ark, the table, the lampstand, the altar and all the utensils used in the tabernacle service. They were also responsible for the veil. Their work included whatever repairs these items might need. Merari’s two sons were Mahli and Mushi. At this time their descendants numbered sixty-two hundred and were under the leadership of Zuriel the son of Abihail. They camped on the north side of the tabernacle. Merari’s descendants were responsible for the frames of the tabernacle, along with the bars, pillars, sockets and whatever materials were associated with them. They also were in charge of the pillars of the courtyard fence, with its sockets, pegs and ropes. Eleazar, Aaron’s son, was in charge of the entire group of Levite leaders, all those who were in charge of the tabernacle. Eleazar himself was directly responsible to Aaron and Moses. The area east of the tabernacle was set aside for Moses, Aaron and Aaron’s sons to live. They represented the people of Israel and were in charge of the entire tabernacle and all its services. Except for these men and the other Levites, anyone who entered the tabernacle was to be put to death. The total number of Levite males who were at least a month old was twenty-two thousand. Then Adonai told Moses to take another census. Number all of the firstborn males who are at least a month old, Adonai Commanded. When Moses did that, he found there were twenty-two thousand, two hundred and seventy-three of them. That meant that there were two hundred and seventy-three more firstborn males than there were Levites. Give Me the Levites instead of the firstborn males Adonai said. Give Me the cattle of the Levites instead of the firstborn cattle of the other Israelites, for I am Adonai. To redeem the two hundred and seventy-three firstborn males who are not represented by the twenty-two thousand Levites, Aaron must be given five shekels for each of them. This is based on the value of a shekel at twenty gerahs {about a nickel for each gerah}. Moses collected this amount of silver for Aaron and his sons. The total value was about thirteen hundred and sixty-five. Then, as Adonai had Commanded, he gave this money to Aaron and his sons.

COMMENTARY

THE LEVITES AND THEIR DUTIES

Old Testament priests and Levites were supported by the rest of the Israelites. But that did not mean they did nothing. The tribe of Levi had many responsibilities. Their duties had to be performed with great care, exactly according to instructions. There were many complicated things to learn about rituals and the Laws of sacrifice, the holy days and festivals, purification, forbidden foods, fasting, marrying and many other matters that marked the Israelites as YHVH’s chosen people. All the priests were Levites. They came from the same clan, the descendants of one of the three sons of Levi, named Kohath. The Kohathites as they were called offered sacrifices on the altar. They were also responsible for giving the people religious instruction. The other two Levite clans were not priests. They descended from Levi’s other two sons, Gershon and Merari. In the days of the Exodus, the Levite clans were responsible for taking down, carrying and setting up the tabernacle at each new campsite. The priestly Levites were very well cared for. They and their families automatically received a portion of animal sacrifices for use as food and the skins of the animals to use as clothing. They also got a tenth of all produce and some of each tithe given to Adonai. The Levites who were not priests had to be taken care of as well. They, along with the poor and any guests, were to be given a share of the sacrifice animal that was returned to the worshiper. Every third year, the people’s tithes were given entirely to the Levites and the poor. When the Israelites settled in Canaan, the Levites were given additional duties. They supervised religious Laws and their observance and acted as judges in disputes. They were also responsible for guarding the sanctuary. During the time of King David, the Levites took on even more duties. They supplied the music for worship by playing cymbals, trumpets and singing in choirs. The many different jobs they did were assigned by casting lots. When Solomon built the temple, still more duties appeared. The Levites were responsible for the care of the temple storehouses, treasuries and war trophies. They had to keep track of donations and gifts. They took care of temple clean-up and repair. Their religious duties also grew in number. The second temple, built after Solomon’s was destroyed, continued this system of Levite responsibility. But when the Romans destroyed that temple, the tradition of priests and Levite duty came to an end.