Friday, November 6, 2020

Numbers 4:21-49 comments: brief, very brief, comments on the duties of the Gershonites and a summary of Kohathite and Gershonite duties

 

Numbers 4:21 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22  Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; 23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation. 24  This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: 25  And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers’ skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 26  And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve. 27  At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens. 28  This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 29  As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; 30  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation. 31  And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, 32  And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden. 33  This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

 

The sons of Gershon and Merari have their particular assignments under the supervision of Ithamar, Aaron’s son.

Numbers 4:34 ¶  And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers, 35  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation: 36  And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 37  These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 38  And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers, 39  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, 40  Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. 41  These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD. 42  And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, 43  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, 44  Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred. 45  These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 46  All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers, 47  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation, 48  Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. 49  According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

There are many great sermons to be had from these passages, lessons to be learned. I can think of sermons like how when you read this it underscores how though there be many in a church it is very few who actually do any heavy lifting, so to speak. 

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