Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 3:39-51
vii). The Make-up of the Levites And Their Substitution for the Firstborn (Numbers 3:39).
‘All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of Yahweh, by their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.'
The total ‘number' of the male Levites over one month old is now given. Note that they are numbered ‘in terms of (by) their families'. Their total number came to 22 'lph (families), or 21 family leaders/chieftains plus an 'lph composed of the 13 ‘hundreds' of people (a rounded figure). Note how 13 ‘hundreds' could be thought of as ‘a thousand'.
The adding up of the ‘numbers' of the three sub-tribes would actually give us 22,300. Thus the 22 'lph is clearly under any system a rounding off. Some have suggested that the extra three hundred was taken off in order to allow for the number of first-born in Levi, for as they were already dedicated to Yahweh as first-born they could not replace others who were dedicated as first-born. This is certainly good reason and would have to be allowed for, but the numbers are still rounded and not exact. (And they still are so even if, unnecessarily, an error in the copying of the text is suggested).
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Number all the first-born males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names. And you shall take the Levites for me (I am Yahweh) instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the children of Israel.” '
The overall principle here is that the Levites and their cattle were to take the place of the firstborn of Israel and the firstborn of cattle who were obligated to Yahweh because of the deliverance at the Passover when the firstborn of sons and cattle were spared. That obligation was now removed by virtue of the setting apart of the Levites.
Moses was firstly to number all the first-born males of the children of Israel taking ‘the number of their names'. These were then to be released from their dedication to Yahweh by being replaced by Levites. Up to this point, since the setting up of the Dwellingplace, the firstborn sons had had to perform the duties there. That would be required no longer. While these duties would not have been onerous while in the wilderness, had they continued once in the land they would have become so. The firstborn sons would have had to leave home and would not have been fully available for work on the farms and with the flocks and herds. But now the service in the Dwellingplace was to be the privilege of the Levites.
“And the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the cattle of the children of Israel.” The interpretation of quite what this indicates is complicated by the fact that while the Passover obligation of ‘the firstborn' was being removed, the firstborn cattle of the children of Israel were still owing to Yahweh as firstfruits. That obligation was not removed. So it did not mean that the firstborn cattle were not to be offered to Yahweh. They were Yahweh's anyway under the principle of the firstfruits. The point was rather that as the firstborn cattle were now already Yahweh's as firstlings, they could not also be separately offered as firstborn. Thus they had to be substituted by the cattle of the Levites otherwise they would need to be offered twice over.
Initially all firstborn of cattle were to be ‘made holy to Yahweh' (Exodus 13:2) because of the deliverance from Egypt and their sparing at the Passover. They shall be Yahweh's (Exodus 13:12). They were to be ‘given to Yahweh' (Exodus 22:30). They were later made holy to Yahweh as firstfruits (Deuteronomy 15:19). When they were being sacrificed the meat was to go to the priests (Numbers 18:15; Numbers 18:17). Some was, however, to be made available for feasting before Yahweh as Deuteronomy reveals (Deuteronomy 12:6; Deuteronomy 12:17; Deuteronomy 14:23; Deuteronomy 15:19). This latter ‘making holy as firstfruits' is clearly not being abrogated as these future references make clear. But that is because they were firstfruits. The only obligation to be abrogated was that of the firstborn as a result of the Passover.
It should be noted that the Levite cattle now became Yahweh's. All the cattle that they held in future would also be seen as Yahweh's. All that a Levite owned from now on was his own home, or anything he purchased. The fields and cattle around his city belonged to Yahweh, while being available for the use of the Levites as Yahweh's servants. Thus they could be substituted for the Passover firstborn cattle without being killed.
It is significant that the closer to Yahweh's service they came the less possessions they had. Their minds were not to be filled with a desire for possessions, but to the desire to have God as their possession. They were not to be dragged down by ‘the deceitfulness of riches'. Their whole attention was to be on serving Him. Once this attitude was lost, they were lost.
“I am Yahweh.” This brings out the great privilege that was to be theirs. They were to be YAHWEH's, servants of the One Who Is, the Creator, the Controller of History.
‘And Moses numbered, as Yahweh commanded him, all the first-born among the children of Israel.'
So Moses did what Yahweh had commanded. He ‘numbered' all the firstborn among the children of Israel, allocating them to their service.
‘And all the first-born males according to the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.'
The number of the firstborn males was assessed at 22 'lph and two hundred and seventy three. All this is actually saying is that the number of Levites was twenty two 'lph (whatever that meant), and that by assessment the firstborn were 273 more. This incidentally removes any difficulty from the figures. There was simply a surplus of 273 extra to be accounted for, however we interpret the 22,000.
We have already noted that ‘according to the number of the names' has a specialised meaning representing a grouping. See 1:18, 20, 22, etc.
This would also explain why there were so ‘few' Levites compared with the other tribes. (22,000 Levites of one month old and upwards compared with 32,200 ‘above 20 years old' of even the smallest other tribe). It could partly be explained by the fact that the Levites had probably not adopted so many resident aliens. But if the 'lph simply refers to ‘wider families' (or ‘chieftains') then it may simply have been due to the fact that their ‘family' system worked on the basis of closer ties, this resulting in larger ‘families'.
EXCURSUS.
Note On The 22,273 Firstborn of Israel.
For those who take all the ‘numbers' in the Pentateuch in terms of modern translations and apply them literally this number has caused considerable problems. It is asked how could there only be 22,273 firstborn of Israel if there were 600,000 men of over 20? This would indicate excessively large families. The explanation could certainly be helped by the fact that ‘bechor' meant simply the firstborn of the father (1:20), but only if polygamous marriages were fairly common. Later evidence is that they were not so, but circumstances may have been very different at this stage. The situation in Egypt may well have caused a shortage of men compared with women (compare Isaiah 4:1). Furthermore it may well be that the firstborn, due to their position in the family, had suffered most in Egypt, being the first to be put to death for infractions by ‘the slaves'. This could then have resulted in a small number of living firstborns, and would help to explain the judgment on the firstborn of Egypt.
However, in our view the difficulty does not arise for the reasons mentioned above.
End of EXCURSUS.
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle. And the Levites shall be mine. I am Yahweh.” '
Yahweh now repeats His instruction, stressing its importance, and making it crystal clear. The Levites were to replace the firstborn sons as servants of the Sanctuary, and their cattle, now set aside as Yahweh's, were to replace the firstborn which would otherwise be due from the Israelite cattle. They would be released from their double obligation of firstling and firstborn, being now only responsible for firstlings.
“ And for the redemption of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the first-born of the children of Israel, that are over and above the number of the Levites, you shall take five shekels apiece per head. After the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs), and you shall give the money, with which the odd number of them is redeemed, to Aaron and to his sons.”
The remaining surplus of 273 were now brought into account. They were to be redeemed by their parents at a ransom of 5 shekels per person. This money was then to be given to the priests. This was the estimate of the value of a male child under five years old (Leviticus 27:6 - possibly the equivalent of the slave price for a male under five years old), the redeemed children clearly being seen as those most recently born. The ones to be paid for were probably selected by Urim and Thummim. Or it may have been paid by the more wealthy. The resulting redemption silver was to be handed over to the priests.
‘And Moses took the redemption-silver from those who were over and above those who were redeemed by the Levites. From the first-born of the children of Israel took he the silver, a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.'
So Moses collected the redemption silver which amounted to 1,365 shekels.
‘And Moses gave the redemption-silver to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of Yahweh, as Yahweh commanded Moses.'
Moses then passed it on to the priests, as he had been commanded by Yahweh, so that ‘the word of Yahweh' was fulfilled.
One important lesson for us that comes from this chapter is its lesson on substitution and redemption. In the economy of God, like could be substituted for like. Thus was our Lord Jesus Christ, Creator of the world and all that is in it (John 1:1; Colossians 1:14), a more than sufficient substitute for His creation.
We may also draw the lesson of responsibility. The Levites were required to respond to Yahweh and be totally dedicated to His service. God requires that of us too. But we are not restricted by the tribe that we belong to. Our dedication is a matter of willingness on our part. The question for us is, ‘Who is on the Lord's side?'