Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 3:12
And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
12. 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, 2Ki 3:27, Mic 6:7), but the Israelite practice of redeeming human first-born by an equivalent in money or animals must have arisen at an early date. The practice of offering the firstborn is enjoined in J E (Exo 22:29 (E ), Num 13:11-33 [Note: J, however, differs from P in dating the offering of first-born not from the Exodus but from the entrance into Canaan.] , Num 34:19 f. (J )), Num 18:15 f. (P ), and the redemption (in P ) is to be by a money payment. But at this point, in P , a different form of redemption is commanded, i.e. the handing over of the Levites for service. This subject is resumed in Num 3:40-51, where it is explained that the Levites were substituted only for those firstborn who were more than a month old at the time.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 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 God in commemoration of his slaying the first-born of the Egyptians, and preserving those of the Israelites. Even the cattle of the Levites were taken in place of the first-born of the cattle of the rest of the tribes. See Nu 3:45.
Several reasons have been assigned why God should give this honour to the tribe of Levi in preference to all the others, but they do not seem to me to be conclusive. Their zeal in destroying those who had corrupted the worship of God in the business of the golden calf, Ex 32:28, has been thought a sufficient reason. A better reason is, that this was the smallest tribe, and they were quite enough for the service. To have had a more numerous tribe at this time would have been very inconvenient.
Aaron, says Mr. Ainsworth, being in his priesthood a type of Christ, all these rites are fulfilled in him. For unto Christ God gave children, Heb 2:13. And they are a congregation of first-born, whose names are written in heaven, Heb 12:23, being of God’s own will begotten by the word of truth, that they should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures, Jas 1:18, to whom he also gives the first-fruits of his Spirit, Ro 8:23. These wait on and follow the Lamb, being first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb, Re 14:4; and Christ hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, that we may serve him day and night in his temple, Re 1:6; Re 7:15.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Instead of all the first-born, who were Gods propriety by right of redemption, Exo 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 this privilege by joining with the rest of their brethren in the idolatrous worship of the calf, or because they were to be mainly concerned in the distribution and management of the inheritances which now they were going to possess, and therefore could not be at leisure to attend upon the service of the sanctuary; which made it fit that this work should be committed to other hands. And God would not commit it to some other persons in each tribe, which might be an occasion of idolatry, confusion, division, and contempt of sacred things, but to one distinct tribe, which might be entirely devoted to that service, and particularly to the tribe of Levi; partly, out of his respect to Moses and Aaron, branches of this tribe; partly, as a recompence of their zeal for God and against idolaters; see Exo 32:26,29; Deu 33:9; and partly, because it was the smallest of the tribes, and therefore most likely to find both employment in and maintenance for the work.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
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 he did of his own will and pleasure, who is a sovereign Being, and might and would do whatsoever he pleased, nor should any object unto him, or contradict him: and this he did,
instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel; he made an exchange of those for the Levites; upon the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt, and saving the firstborn of Israel, he claimed the latter as his own in a special sense, and now he gave up his right to them, and instead thereof took the Levites; nor could the people of Israel reasonably object to this, nor be uneasy at it, but rather be pleased with it; since hereby they were not only freed from the charge of redeeming their firstborn, but since they were the Lord’s, he might have appointed them to be servants to the priests; and every Israelite would choose rather, no doubt, to part with a tribe for this service than to have their firstborn sons employed in it; and there were none so fit as the tribe of Levi, not only because it was a small tribe, but because the priests were of this tribe, to whom they were to minister; and therefore as there was a connection between them, the Levites would readily serve them: it is a notion that has obtained both among Jews and Christians, that the firstborn before this time were priests in the family, but now the Levites were taken in their room; and Jarchi particularly observes, that when the firstborn sinned in the business of the calf, they were rejected, and the Levites, who did not commit idolatry, were chosen in their room; but it does not appear, before the fixing the priesthood in Aaron’s family, that the firstborn in a family were priests, and officiated as such, but rather the father and head of the family for the whole, or everyone for himself, as in Adam’s family, he and his two sons; and moreover, it was a recent thing, and only among the Hebrews, that the firstborn were in a peculiar manner the Lord’s, not as priests, only to be redeemed, and now the Levites were redeemed in their room; it was not to be priests, but the servants of the priests r:
therefore the Levites shall be mine; whom he gave to the priests to assist them in their work, which was for him and his glory.
r Vid. Outram. de Sacrificiis, l. 1. c. 4. sect. 1, 2, 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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 special privilege the first-born of the people were preserved in the destruction of the Egyptians. God, therefore, declares that those, whose lives were thus gratuitously spared, were purchased to Himself. Since, then, He had the free option of devoting to Himself the first-born of every tribe, He was no less at liberty to take (425) only the twelfth part of the people from one tribe. Thus He cuts off all handle for complaint, inasmuch as it would have been intolerable ingratitude to withdraw from His control those whom He had miraculously redeemed; therefore He says that they did not perish in the general slaughter, in order that tie might subject them to ttimself.
(425) “Moins que la douzieme partie;” less than the twelfth part. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
12. Openeth the matrix Or womb. “This expression is generally employed in cases in which a common term is required to designate the firstborn of both man and beast, (Exo 13:2; Exo 13:12-15; Exo 34:19-20; Num 8:16-17; also Num 18:15; Eze 20:26😉 but even then, wherever the two are distinguished, the term , peter, is applied to the firstborn of animals, and to the firstborn sons of men. On the other hand, where only firstborn sons are referred to, as in Deu 21:15-17, we look in vain for the expression peter rechem ’openeth the womb.’ Again, the Old Testament, like modern law, recognises only firstborn sons, and does not apply the term firstborn to daughters at all.” Keil and Delitzsch. The law of inheritance omits the daughter in designating the firstborn. In case of polygamy there was only one firstborn.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 3:12-13. I have taken the Levitesinstead 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 which they shewed in the affair of the golden calf; see Exo 32:28 and some have thought, that the words of Moses, Deu 33:8-9 are confirmative of this opinion.
REFLECTIONS.The family of Aaron being appointed to the priests office, we have,
1. A particular account of them. Nadab and Abihu perished childless for their disobedience: Eleazar and Ithamar remained. Made cautious by the warning given them, they ministered under Aaron’s eye. ‘Tis good to be under the direction of the elder and more experienced. They alone were permitted to enter the holy place, and it was death for any other to come there. Note; Intruders into the office of the Gospel-ministry, who have no DIVINE call, will one day be met, with a terrible inquiry, “Friend, how camest thou in hither?”
2. As there was much work in the tabernacle, and so few to minister, the tribe of Levi are given to Aaron, as his assistants. They were taken of God instead of the first-born, who were consecrated to him in return for their deliverance in Egypt, when God spared them and slew the Egyptians. The lives which God preserves by his providence, he has a double right to expect should be employed in his service: and how much more the souls redeemed by the death of his own Son!
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos (App-6), for emphasis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
When God miraculously destroyed all the first-born of the Egyptians – Exo 12:29, he spared those of the Israelites; and, in commemoration of that event, he was pleased to appoint that all the first-born males “should be set apart unto himself” – Exo 13:12-16. God is here pleased to relinquish this claim, and to appoint the whole tribe of Levi to attend his immediate service in their stead. Num 3:41, Num 3:45, Num 8:16, Num 8:18, Num 18:6
Reciprocal: Num 3:40 – General Num 8:15 – and offer Num 8:21 – offered
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 3:12. The firstborn Who were Gods property: (Exo 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 this privilege by joining with the rest of their brethren in the idolatrous worship of the calf, or because they were to be mainly concerned in the distribution and management of the inheritances which now they were going to possess, and therefore could not be at leisure to attend upon the service of the sanctuary: and God would not commit it to some other persons in each tribe, which might be an occasion of idolatry, confusion, division, and contempt of sacred things, but to one distinct tribe, which might be entirely devoted to that service, and particularly to the tribe of Levi; partly out of his respect to Moses and Aaron, branches of this tribe; partly as a recompense of their zeal for God against idolaters, and partly because it was the smallest of the tribes, and therefore most likely to find both employment in, and maintenance for the work.