Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 8:19
And I have given the Levites [as] a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
19. as a gift ] lit. ‘given [persons].’ See on Num 3:9.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
19. the service of the children of Israel ] i.e. the service which Jehovah requires from them. They perform it in the person of their representatives, who are now the Levites instead of the first-born.
atonement ] Not in this case propitiation for past sins, but the averting of God’s anger by preventing sin from being committed. The sin would be two-fold the non-performance of the rightful worship, and, as the following words (which should be rendered as in R.V. marg.) shew, the too near approach of the laity to the holy things. The Levites are both substitutes for the laity, and at the same time a cordon to keep them at a distance.
that there be no plague ] Cf. Num 1:53.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The service of the children of Israel, i.e. to serve God in their stead and behalf, to do what otherwise they had been obliged to do in their own persons.
In the tabernacle: how in it, See Poole “Num 8:15“.
To make an atonement for the children of Israel; not by offering sacrifices, which the priests alone might do, but by assisting the priests in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of all the parts of their office, whereby God was pleased both with them and with the people. That there be no plague: this is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in or about the tabernacle, that they might watch and guard it, and not suffer any of the people to come near it, or meddle with holy things, which if they did, it would certainly bring a plague upon them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. to make an atonement for thechildren of Israel, c.to aid the priests in that expiatorywork or, as the words may be rendered, “to make redemption for”the Levites being exchanged or substituted for the first-born forthis important end, that there might be a sanctified body of menappointed to guard the sanctuary, and the people not allowed toapproach or presumptuously meddle with holy things, which wouldexpose them to the angry judgments of Heaven.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I have given the Levites [as] a gift to Aaron and his sons, from among the children of Israel,…. Or I have given the Levites that were given; that is, the Lord gave to Aaron and his sons the Levites, that were first given to him; as they were, when brought before him, and the children of Israel laid hands on them, and they were offered before the Lord, Nu 8:10;
to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation; to do what otherwise they must have done, watch and guard the tabernacle, carry the sacrifices to the priests, assist them at the altar, take down and set up the tabernacle, and carry it, and the vessels of it, from place to place:
and to make an atonement for the children of Israel; not by offering sacrifices for them, which was the work of the priests, but by being now offered themselves, Nu 8:10; that they themselves might be the atonement of their souls as Aben Ezra expresses it, as well as they were by their service hereafter a means of preserving the Israelites from death; which may be interpreted of making an atonement, which Phinehas is said to do by his deed, though no sacrifice was offered,
Nu 25:7; which sense seems to be confirmed by what follows:
that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh to the sanctuary; by approaching nearer than they should, touching what they ought not, intruding themselves into service they were not called to, or doing it amiss, not being instructed in it, or inured to it as the Levites were. The phrase, “the children of Israel”, is five times used in this verse, to denote the love of God to them, as Jarchi observes.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. And I have given the Levites. He declares on what terms He desires to have them as His own, viz., that they may be directed by Aaron, and obey his commands; for by “a gift” is not to be understood such an act as that whereby a person resigns and cedes his own right to another; but, when He devotes them to the ministry of the sanctuary, He desires that they should have a leader and master. At the end of the verse, Moses teaches that this is done for the advantage and profit of the whole people: whence it follows, that there was no room for ill-will towards them, unless the people should perhaps be annoyed that God had taken measures for their welfare. A two-fold advantage is pointed out; first, because they were to be the intercessors or ministers of reconciliation, (for either sense would be appropriate;) secondly, because, whilst they would be the guardians of the sanctuary, they would prevent the Israelites from bringing destruction upon themselves, by their rash approach to it.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) As a gift.Hebrew, given, as in Num. 8:16.
That there be no plague among the children of Israel.The appointment of the Levites in the place of the firstborn was calculated to insure the reverent and orderly discharge of the duties of the Sanctuary, and to operate as a safeguard against those sins of omission and commission into which the firstborn would have been more likely to be betrayed, and which would have provoked the Divine wrath against the Israelites generally.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. To make an atonement This looks toward priestly functions to be discharged by the Levites. Though it is not probable that they alone ever sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices, which is a purely sacerdotal act, yet they assisted the priests who sprinkled the blood “which they received of the hand of the Levites,” (2Ch 30:16,) and were drawn more and more clearly to the priests by being released from menial service through the substitution of the Nethinim. Hence they soon became teachers, interpreters, chanters of Hebrew psalmody, and special guardians of the sanctity of the sabbath. Neh 13:22. The last prophet of the Old Testament predicts that in the latter days the Lord “shall purify the sons of Levi.”
That there be no plague The inner sanctuaries of the tabernacle, the apartment of the priests, and the holy of holies were inaccessible to strangers, that is, non-Levites. Hence the appointment of the Levites to be guardians of the tabernacle and safeguards of the people lest they be smitten by the stroke of Jehovah’s wrath. See Num 1:51; Num 1:53, notes.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Levites Given As a Gift to Aaron, Yahweh’s Representative, To Do the Service of the Tent of Meeting ( Num 8:19 ).
Num 18:19
“ And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel; that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh to the sanctuary.”
And having taken the Levites He has given them as a gift to Aaron and his sons. This was done for two reasons. Firstly that they might do the service in the Tent of meeting which otherwise the firstborn of Israel would have to do. And secondly in order that, by replacing the firstborn, they might make atonement for the children of Israel so that when the people of Israel approached Yahweh, they would not have to be punished with the plague because their firstborn had not been given to the Sanctuary.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Num 8:19. And to make an atonement for, &c. The Levites being regularly called to perform the duties of the tabernacle, their service was acceptable to God, and (as figurative of the great Antitype of the whole Levitical Priesthood) averted his displeasure from Israel; which is the meaning of the phrase to make an atonement for, as appears from the following words. So ch. Num 25:13. Phineas is said to have made an atonement for Israel, because his pious zeal against two notorious offenders averted the divine judgment from the community. Some have thought, that the phrase signifies, that the Levites were thus accepted in lieu of the people themselves; an opinion which they think the 10th and 11th verses countenance.
In the tabernacle of the congregation The Levites entered not into the tabernacle. The preposition beth, signifies at, before, about, near; in any one of which senses it may be properly used here. See Noldius.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Num 8:19 And I have given the Levites [as] a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
Ver. 19. As a gift to Aaron. ]
“ Clarissima semper
Munera sunt, Author quae pretiosa facit. ”
Ministers also are given as an honorary to the Church.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I have given: Num 3:6-9, Num 18:2-6, 1Ch 23:28-32, Eze 44:11-14
a gift: Heb. given
that there: Num 1:53, Num 16:46, Num 18:5, 1Sa 6:19, 2Ch 26:16-20
Reciprocal: Num 3:9 – General 2Ch 29:34 – their brethren 2Ch 35:3 – serve now
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 8:19. To do the service of Israel To serve God in their stead; to do what otherwise they would have been obliged to do in their own persons. To make an atonement Not by offering sacrifices, which the priests alone might do, but by assisting the priest in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of all the parts of their office, whereby God was pleased both with them and with the people. That there be no plague This is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in the tabernacle, that they might guard it, and not suffer any of the people to come near it, or meddle with holy things; which if they did, it would certainly bring a plague upon them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:19 And I have given the Levites [as] a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the {g} children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the {h} sanctuary.
(g) Which the Israelites should do.
(h) Because the levites go into the sanctuary in their name.