Bible Commentaries

Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,

Of the sons of Kohath. — Kohath was not Levi’s firstborn, but Gershom: and yet he hath the pre-eminence, and chief charge, as of the ark, tables, candlestick, altars, …, Numbers 3:31 perhaps because Moses and Aaron were of that family.

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From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

To do the work. — The work of the ministry is not an idle man’s occupation, but a labouring even to lassitude; compared therefore to harvest work, and to that of cleaving wood, digging in mine pits, rowing with oars, … All the comfort is, that God that helped the Levites to bear the ark of the covenant, 1 Chronicles 15:26 will not be wanting to his weak, but willing servants, "that labour in the word and doctrine." 1 Timothy 5:17

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And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:

And when the camp setteth forward. — Which was not till the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle, by the Lord, Numbers 10:11-12 who went before them. Semper memento illud Pythagoricum, Eπον θεω , Boetius. Let God lead us, and we cannot miscarry.

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And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.

And cover the same. — It is well observed, that only the ark (representing Christ), and the table with show bread, (representing the Church), had three coverings; all the other holy things had but two, for "a covert from storm and from rain." Thus, "upon all the glory shall be a defence." Isaiah 4:5-6

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And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:

The ashes from the altar. — The fire from heaven was also carefully kept alive, Leviticus 6:12 though nothing be here said of it.

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And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear [it]: but they shall not touch [any] holy thing, lest they die. These [things are] the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

Lest they die. — As Uzzah did. 1 Chronicles 13:10

The burden of the sons of Kohath. — Who, as they had the honos, so the onus See Numbers 4:1 .

“ Fructus honos oneris, fructus honoris onus. ”

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And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest [pertaineth] the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, [and] the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein [is], in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

And to the office of Eleazar. — Called therefore prince of the princes of the Levites. Numbers 3:32

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Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:

Cut ye not off, — i.e., Cause them not, by your default, to be cut off. Heed must be taken, that we neither give offence carelessly, nor take offence causelessly.

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