Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 4:34-49
The Assessment or ‘Numbering' of the Levites.
‘And Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers' houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered on the service, for work in the tent of meeting, and those who were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. These are they who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.'
This numbering was a mobilisation for service. The first to be ‘numbered' were the males between 30 and 50 years old of the Kohathites. They came in at two chieftains (or ‘families') and seven ‘hundreds' (or fathers' houses) of men to serve and a fifty. In the light of the addition of the fifty in the listing of the tribes (Numbers 1:25) the addition of this fifty is probably intended to stress the connection of all three sub-tribes with the covenant. If the significance of the ‘two 'lph' is two families we may probably see a combination of clans, Amram and Izehar, together with Hebron and Uzziel (Numbers 3:19). But for this reason we are probably to read ‘chieftains'.
The mention of them as working in the Tent of Meeting may just suggest that they were permitted to do so, but possibly only once the sacred furniture was packed up. This would enable the carrying out of much needed repairs. Note that all was in accordance with Yahweh's command to Moses.
‘And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, their families, and by their fathers' houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered on the service, for work in the tent of meeting, even those who were numbered of them, by their families, by their fathers' houses, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. These are they who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh.'
The second to be numbered were the Gershonites. Their 30-50 year old males ready for service came to two chieftains (or ‘families') and six ‘hundreds' (or ‘father's houses') of men to serve, and a thirty. In line with the mention of a thirty in the listing of the tribes in Numbers 26:7 this may indicate the completeness of the three sub-tribes for their task. Again we note that all was in accordance with the command to Moses.
‘And those who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers' houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered on the service, for work in the tent of meeting, even those who were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand and two hundred. These are they who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.'
The final ones to be numbered were the sons of Merari. Their thirty to fifty year olds ready for service amounted to three chieftains (or ‘families') and two ‘hundreds' (fathers' houses) of men to serve. The fact that the number of 'lphs in no case tie in with the number of clans would favour translating 'lph as ‘chieftain'.
‘All those who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered, by their families, and by their fathers' houses, from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one who entered in to do the work of service, and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, even those who were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.'
We note here that the princes of Israel had been involved with Moses and Aaron in the numbering. All the tribes were concerned with the efficient and faithful service of the Sanctuary, and were to have their part in their appointment. The full total of those who entered into the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in respect of the Dwellingplace came in total to eight 'lph and five ‘hundreds' and eighty. The eight 'lph would be made up of the six chieftains and two 'lph of ten ‘hundreds' each, making together eight 'lph. The remaining five ‘hundreds' and the eighty made up the balance to achieve the sum total of the three totals of the clans. The ‘eighty' was simply the necessary result of having a fifty and a thirty.
‘According to the commandment of Yahweh they were numbered by Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden. Thus were they numbered by him, as Yahweh commanded Moses.'
Again it is stressed (twice) that this was done at Yahweh's command to Moses., mobilising the sons of Levi for the service they had to perform and the burdens they would have to bear as they looked after the Tent of Meeting when it was on the move.
Among the lessons we learn from these Chapter s is the importance of organisation and planning in our service for God, and the recognition that there is a need for each of us to play our part, however small it may seem. There were three strata. The priests at the top, the most holy, to whom the Levites looked; the Levites in the middle, the next most holy, to whom the people looked; and the armies of Israel at the bottom, who were still holy while not being as holy as the other two. ‘Outside' were the resident aliens who had not yet merged with a tribe. This was not a question of righteousness or lack of it, but of the position that God had placed them in. We will see shortly that if Israelites wished to improve their ‘holiness' God had provided a way by which this could be done, the way of the Nazirite, which could by choice be permanent or temporary.
But it should be noted that all were necessary to the ongoing of God's purposes in and for Israel. Just as the Dwellingplace furniture and coverings were nothing without the nuts and bolts, so the priesthood and the Levites would have achieved nothing without the soldiers. God had a place for all.
We may see the priesthood as representing the activity of our Lord Jesus Christ on our behalf, offering Himself for us and interceding on our behalf; the Levites as those called by God to act on His behalf as His servants; and the men-at-arms as representing the whole people of God. And yet in another sense we have all been made priests that we may serve at the heavenly Sanctuary with sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.