Numbers 4 - Introduction

A second account of the Levitical census, and the duties of the three families

In Numbers 3:22; Numbers 3:28; Numbers 3:34 the numbers of the Levites have already been ascertained, but in Numbers 4:2; Numbers 4:22; Numbers 4:29 Moses is commanded to number those who are of age for service. Chs. 3 and 4 may be the work of different writers; and the greater elaboration of detail in 4 suggests that it is the later of the two.