Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 3:27-32
iv). The Family and Privilege of Kohath (Numbers 3:27).
‘And of Kohath was the family (‘clan') of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families (‘clans') 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.
‘According to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, there were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the 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. (Or alternately eight chieftains and six ‘hundreds').
‘The families of the sons of Kohath shall encamp on the side of the tabernacle southward.'
These ‘clans' were to encamp on the south side of the Tabernacle, the second most prestigious position, between the Dwellingplace and the tribes of Reuben, Simeon and Gad. The priests themselves had the most prestigious position.
‘And the prince of the fathers' house of the clans of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.'
The chieftain of the Kohathite sub-tribe was Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel. He was chief over all the clans which were a part of the sub-tribe.
‘And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the lampstand, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all its service.'
The responsibility of the Kohathites was to be for the actual Dwellingplace furniture, the Ark, the Table, the Lampstand, 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.
‘And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the 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' (Numbers 3:28).