Numbers 3:1-4

V. FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO THE LEVITES
(Numbers 3)

A. THE SONS OF AARON vv. 1-4
TEXT

Numbers 3:1. These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses, in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai. 2. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 3. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office. And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.

PARAPHRASE

Numbers 3:1. These are also the descendants of Aaron and Moses from the time that the Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. 2. The names of the sons of Aaron were Nadab, his first son, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; 3. these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the ones who were anointed as priests, whom he consecrated to serve in the office of priest. 4. Nadab and Abihu lied in the presence of the Lord when they offered unholy fire unto Him in the wilderness of Sinai. They had no children. Then Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of Aaron their father.

COMMENTARY

From this time forward, we may think of Ephraim and Manasseh as replacing Joseph and Levi among the twelve tribes of Israel. Levi is set apart unto a special task among his people; he will be dispersed among the tribes when they establish themselves in the Promised Land (Numbers 35:1-8). All of Joseph's descendants, of course, are through the two sons.

We may compare this section with Exodus 6:23 and Leviticus 10:1-2. In this manner the priesthood is introduced. However, although Moses is mentioned along with Aaron his brother, Moses-' descendants appear in 1 Chronicles 23:14 as Levites. With the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, who were childless, the entire descent of the priests is now traced to Eleazar and Ithamar. Aaron's sons were set apart to be custodians of the sanctuary; this was the Lord's chosen alternative, with the other possibility that of taking the firstborn of all tribes.

The word -consecrate-' is, in the original, a term meaning -to fill the hand-'. The possible significance is that of occupying all of one's industry in behalf of that to which he has been set apart. The priests were not to dilute their service to God in any manner whatever.

Had there been children to Nadab and Abihu, they need not necessarily have shared the consequences of offering the strange fire before the Lord unless they had actually participated in the wrongdoing. The consistent biblical truth makes the father responsible for his own sins, and the son free of parental iniquity (see Ezekiel 18:19-20); the reverse is also true, as parents are not liable for the sins of knowledgeable children. But the crime of the two priests had been mortal. In the historical account (Leviticus 10:1-2), we are given no more indication of the sin itself, whether they had violated the ritual, or substituted for the incense, or offered in an irreverent attitude, or offended in some other way. The hand of God struck with such suddenness and such finality that none could fail to realize the gravity of their crime. Like the imposition of death upon Ananias and Sapphira in the early church (Acts 5), this incident would serve a stern warning upon all who stood in a like holy place before God.

Aaron may be mentioned before Moses in the passage for various reasons. He was, first of all, older. This might be reason enough, expecting that the order is usually reversed. The more probable reason now is that since we are being directed to the development of the priesthood, and since the priestly families will be descendants of Aaron only, his name is given the priority.

QUESTIONS AND RESEARCH ITEMS

52.

Why is Aaron named before Moses in this passage?

53.

How far can we trace the descendants of Moses?

54.

Relate what happened to Nadab and Abihu.

55.

Comment upon the special meaning of consecrated in Numbers 3:3.

56.

What is meant by the strange fire offered by Nadab and Abihu, and why was their offense so grave?