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When Critics Ask (1960)

Numbers 3:12

If God commanded that firstborn sons from all the tribes be given Him, why was the tribe of Levi given instead?

PROBLEM: God had commanded Moses that “all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem” (Exodus 13:13; cf. 22:29). However, this was never done. Instead, one whole tribe was set apart to God for the work of the priesthood (Numbers 3:12).

SOLUTION: The reason for the substitution is given in Numbers 3:12. The Lord declared: “I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel.” Since they belonged to Him, God had the right to make the substitution.

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See also Numbers 3:12 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Numbers 3:12. _I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES - INSTEAD OF ALL THE_ _FIRST-BORN_] The Levites are taken for the service of the sanctuary in place of the first-born. The _first-born_ were dedicated to...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    3. THE LEVITES AND THEIR MINISTRATIONS CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The generations of the priests (Numbers 3:1)_ 2. The tribe of Levi and their ministry (Numbers 3:5) 3. The Levites substituted for all the fir...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE RELATION OF THE LEVITES TO THE PEOPLE. The Levites are here considered as dedicated to Yahweh in lieu of the first-born of Israel to whom He had a claim, and for whom no redemption money had been...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    BEHOLD. Figure of speech _Asterismos_ (App-6), for emphasis....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Levites substituted for the first-born....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    All male first-born of men and animals are sacred to God, i.e. they must be sacrificed. In very primitive ages it is probable that this custom actually prevailed (cf. Genesis 22; 2 Kings 3:27; Micah 6...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES—INSTEAD OF ALL THE FIRST-BORN— Some have thought that the Levites were chosen to this office, rather than any other of the tribes, because of the zeal for the true religion wh...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. THE LEVITES COUNTED AND ASSIGNED DUTIES vv. 5-39 TEXT Numbers 3:5. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 6. Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may mi...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING,_ I have taken the Levites ... The consecration of this tribe did not originate in the legislative wisdom of Moses, but in the special appointment of God, who c...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE LEVITES, THEIR DUTIES AND NUMBER Although Aaron and his family belong to the tribe of Levi (Exodus 2:1) the term 'Levites' is usually employed, as here, to denote the non-Aaronite Levites. The fam...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE OLD TESTAMENT BOOK OF NUMBERS IN THE DESERT NUMBERS _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 3 AARON’S SONS – NUMBERS 3:1-4 V1 The *LORD spoke to Moses on Sinai mountain. This is the family of Aaron and Mos

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ אֲנִ֞י הִנֵּ֧ה לָקַ֣חְתִּי אֶת ־הַ לְוִיִּ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    2. THE FIRST-BORN Numbers 3:11; Numbers 3:40 These two passages supplement each other and may be taken together. Jehovah claims the first-born in Israel. He hallowed them unto Himself on the day when...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    44-51, THE SUBSTITUTE FOR THE FIRST-BORN Numbers 3:1 The Levites were taken, instead of the firstborn sons of Israel, to perform the service of the Tabernacle. There were nearly as many Levites as fi...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The account of the arrangements for the service of the Levites is fully and carefully given in this and the following chapter. In the rites are certain matters of principle which are of permanent valu...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Mine. God claimed the first-born, on account of having spared them, Exodus xii. 23. He requires that all males shall be redeemed, except those of the tribe of Levi, whom he claims as his peculiar port...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Let the Reader remark with me, on the perusal of those verses, that the highest honour of birthright is to be the LORD'S. The world's policy hath in many instances reversed this. The younger branches...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    It is impossible to look at this book ever so cursorily without feeling the difference of the atmosphere from that of Leviticus. And this is so much the more striking because it cannot be fairly doubt...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    12._And I, behold, I have taken the Levites _A little further on we shall see more clearly why God claims one tribe for Himself; He now only shews that the Levites rightfully belong to Him, because by...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 3 we have the Levites set apart, according to the thoughts of God, for service. They are a figure of the church, or rather of the members of the church in their service, even as the priests...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND I, BEHOLD, I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES FROM AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,.... Separated them from others, and set them apart for the service of the sanctuary; this was his own act and deed, and which...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The firstborn_ Who were God's property: (Exodus 13:12,) and to whom the administration of holy things was formerly committed, which now was taken away from them, either because they had forfeited thi...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    [THE LEUITES ARE NUMBRED.] 1 The sonnes of Aaron. 5 The Leuites are giuen to the Priests for the seruice of the Tabernacle, 11 in stead of the first borne. 14 The Leuites are numbred by their fami...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel, as the substitutes for the oldest sons of...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE FORMAL CHARGE...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SONS OF AARON (vs.1-4) Aaron was the high priest, and in Israel a natural succession was practiced, as is not true in the Church of God today In fact, a special priesthood is not scriptural now,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-13 There was much work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites to attend them. Those whom God finds work for, he will find...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    INSTEAD OF ALL THE FIRST-BORN, who were God's propriety by right of redemption, EXODUS 13:12, and to whom the administration of holy things was formerly committed, which now was taken away from them,...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    Numbers 4:1-49. What a marvellous spectacle was the camp of Israel, in that waste howling wilderness! What a spectacle to angels, to men, and to devils! God's eye ever rested upon it. His presence was...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DEDICATION OF THE LEVITES TO THE PRIESTS AND TO YAHWEH (NUMBERS 3:5). In the light of the shortage of priests the promotion of someone to act as assistants to them was inevitable. But it should be...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Order of the host; placing of the Levites. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Aaron. CONCLUSION: Having gifts differing according to the Grace given us if ministry, let us wait on our ministering (Ro...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Numbers 3:9. _Thou shalt give the Levites to Aaron._ God has a sovereign right to choose and call his own ministers. The service of the tabernacle would be better done by a separate tribe professional...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The priests which were anointed._ AARON AND HIS SONS: PARENTS AND CHILDREN In Numbers 3:1 we have-- I. An incidental illustration of the exalted personal character and the divine mission of Moses....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 3:1__ The two censuses of Levites count different groups. The first (Numbers 3:1) counts every male Levite over one month old. The male Levites took the place of the firstborn...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NUMBERS—NOTE ON NUMBERS 3:11 In the final plague, every FIRSTBORN male Egyptian and every firstborn of their cattle died, but the Israelite boys and cattle were spared. After this, all Israelite first...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    Critical Notes.—“Muster of the Tribe of Levi. As Jacob had adopted the two sons of Joseph as his own sons, and thus promoted them to the rank of heads of tribes, the tribe of Levi founded, strictly sp...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE NUMBERS AND DUTIES OF THE LEVITES; THEIR SUBSTITUTION FOR THE FIRSTBORN (Numbers 3:1)....

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now in chapter three, God had Moses set out the tribe of Levi into three major families: the family of Gershon, the family of Kohath and Merari. And so the Levites were divided into the three major fa...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Exodus 12:29; Exodus 13:12; Numbers 18:6; Numbers 3:11; Numbers 3:41;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The first — born — Who were God's property, Exodus 13:12, and to whom the administration of holy things was formerly committed, which now was taken away from them, either because they had forfeited th...

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