Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 4:29-33
The Responsibility of the Sons of Merari (Numbers 4:29).
“ As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their families, by their fathers' houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shall you (thou) number them, every one who enters on the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting.”
The sons of Merari who were between 30 and 50 and able to serve were also to be listed by their families and by their father's houses for the work of the Tent of Meeting. The same had been true also for the other sub-tribes. In this respect they were all equal and acceptable.
“ And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of meeting, the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, 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 you shall appoint the instruments of the charge of their burden.”
Their responsibility was to look after all the ‘nuts and bolts' of the Tent of Meeting without which it could not be erected and hold together. They may not have seemed important compared with the furniture of the Dwellingplace but it could not be erected without them.
“And by name you shall appoint the instruments of the charge of their burden.” The sons of Merari were the only ones who were to be allotted their charge by name. Looking after the nuts and bolts was a very important job, and none must go astray. Thus different members of the ‘hundreds' would each be allotted his own area of responsibility in order to ensure that nothing went astray.
“ This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”
So this was their service and responsibility. Like the Gershonites they too were under the control and authority of Ithamar.
This reminds us that all of us are allocated different tasks in our service for God, and while our task may seem to be small it is vital that it be done properly and in a right spirit. For if one nut or bolt is missing the whole will be blemished. Blessed indeed is the church where every member fulfils his or her responsibility prayerfully and believingly.