Numbers 3 (v40-51), Levitical Census

Let’s continue to do an overview of Numbers first.

·       Faith and unbelief in human experience is seen in several contexts.  All of these provide great opportunities for encouragement to Christians:

o   The spies being sent out and the two-fold report (Ch. 13).

o   The stages of the journey through the wilderness (Ch. 33).

o   Complaint and its consequences (Ch. 11).

o   Questioning authority (Ch. 12,16-17).

o   Moses striking the rock (Ch. 26).

·       “Wars” are a significant part of the story.  Previously Israel had faced the Amalekites.  But the battles against Arad, Heshbon (Sihon), Bashan (Og; all in Ch. 21) and then Moab (Ch. 22-24) occur after Israel has begun it’s final part of the journey to Canaan.  The land taken from Sihon and Og will become the tribal inheritance of two and a half tribes.  Here is an interesting observation from Dr. Alden's notes:

We have refrained from making the offerings and festivals Israel’s only religious experiences because war was also a religious experience.  It was a matter of God fighting her battles for her.  Following the victories over Sihon and Og, Moab was apprehensive and resorted to the aid of a soothsayer.  This led to one of the most striking experiences of the wilderness wanderings.  Balak (of Moab) hired Balaam to curse the Hebrews, but blessing resulted to the dismay of the irate ruler.

This was not uncommon among the nations at the time, who also attributed their success to the power of their gods.  One way Israel was to be a witness to those nations was in the way they trusted the true and living God YAHWEH.  By the time they entered Canaan word had preceded them of the great works of their God.

As for Num. 3, the Levites were numbered according to males from a month old and above.  The reason for this is, one, that they did not go to war, so the census was not of soldier material; and second, God took the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel, and so needed to know how many males there were.  The issue of the “firstborn” goes back to Egypt, the last plague, and the Passover.

Levi had 3 sons: Kohath, Gershon and Merari.  Moses and Aaron came through Kohath, and indeed, the other Levites descending from Kohath had the responsibility for all the tabernacle furniture (Ark of the Covenant, Menorah, Table of Showbread and so forth).  The descendants of Gershon carried the cloth hangings of the tabernacle while those of Merari carried the heavy boards and the courtyard fence. 

The chapter gives their tribal identity (v1-4), their general service (v5-13), their numbers (v14-39) and their dedication in place of the firstborn (v40-51).