Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 3:21

Of Gershon [was] the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these [are] the families of the Gershonites.

21 39. The Levitical families and their duties.

Notice that narrative in Num 3:21 f., 27 f., 33 f., 39 alternates with commands in Num 3:23-26 ; Num 3:29-32 ; Num 3:35-38. It is one of the many indications that the priestly portions of the book were the composite work of more than one writer.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Of Gershon [was] the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites,…. The first son of Levi:

these [are] the family of the Gershonites; that were now, numbered.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Gershonites were divided into two families, containing 7500 males. They were to encamp under their chief Eliasaph, behind the tabernacle, i.e., on the western side (Num 3:23, Num 3:24), and were to take charge of the dwelling-place and the tent, the covering, the curtain at the entrance, the hangings round the court with the curtains at the door, and the cords of the tent, “ in relation to all the service thereof ” (Num 3:25.); that is to say, according to the more precise injunctions in Num 4:25-27, they were to carry the tapestry of the dwelling (the inner covering, Exo 26:1.), and of the tent (i.e., the covering made of goats’ hair, Exo 26:7.), the covering thereof (i.e., the covering of rams’ skins dyed red, and the covering of sea-cow skin upon the top of it, Exo 27:16), the hangings of the court and the curtain at the entrance (Exo 27:9, Exo 27:16), which surrounded the altar (of burnt-offering) and the dwelling round about, and their cords, i.e., the cords of the tapestry, coverings, and curtains (Exo 27:14), and all the instruments of their service, i.e., the things used in connection with their service ( Exo 27:19), and were to attend to everything that had to be done to them; in other words, to perform whatever was usually done with those portions of the sanctuary that are mentioned here, especially in setting up the tabernacle or taking it down. The suffix in (Num 3:26) does not refer to the court mentioned immediately before; for, according to Num 3:37, the Merarites were to carry the cords of the hangings of the court, but to the “dwelling and tent,” which stand farther off. In the same way the words, “ for all the service thereof, ” refer to all those portions of the sanctuary that are mentioned, and mean “everything that had to be done or attended to in connection with these things.”

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

Verses 21-26:

The census of the Levites differed from that of the other tribes, in that the count was taken of the Levite males from one month old and upward, while that of the other tribes was from twenty years old and upward.

The Gershonites numbered 7,500 males.

The place of the Gershonites in Israel’s encampment was directly behind the Tabernacle, to the west (see chart).

The ministry of the Gershonites was to secure and transport the actual Tabernacle itself: the tent, the coverings, the hangings for the court, etc., all that made up the actual Tabernacle, see Ex 26:1-37; 27:9-19; chapter 36.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

iii). The Family And Privileges of Gershon.

As Gershon was the first-born details concerning his sub-tribe were given first. Information was now given about general descent, status, sacred task and ‘numbers’ of those in the sub-tribe over one month old expressed in terms of ‘hundreds’ (units of those who serve).

Num 3:21

‘Of Gershon was the family (or ‘clan’) of the Libnites, and the family (or ‘clan’) of the Shimeites: these are the families (or ‘clans’) of the Gershonites.’

Coming down to Moses’ day the descendants of the sub-tribe of Gershon were the clans of the Libnites and the Shimeites. These were the ‘families’ of the Gershonites whose males from one month and upwards had to be ‘numbered’.

Num 3:22

‘Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.’

And those who were numbered amounted to seven ’lph. ’lph (‘thousands) were lower levels of ‘family’ to the two clans mentioned above, but larger than a ‘nuclear family’. Thus an ’eleph is lower down the scale from a mishpachah. There was one mishpachah divided up into seven ’eleph. And there were five ‘hundreds’, or service groups in those seven ’lph s.

Alternately it means that there were seven chieftains and in all five ‘hundreds’ or service groups. It will be noted that all is in ‘hundreds’ (service groups). There is no attempt to make an individual count.

Num 3:23

‘The families of the Gershonites shall encamp behind the tabernacle westward.’

The sub-tribes of the Gershonites were to encamp between the Rachel tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Benjamin to the west, and the Tabernacle. This was the third most prestigious position (Num 2:18-24). The first was to the east, occupied by the priests, the second to the south, occupied by the Kohathites, because they were more directly related to Moses and Aaron (compare Num 2:3-16).

Num 3:24

‘And the prince of the fathers’ house of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.’

The person appointed to oversee the Gershonites in their sacred tasks was Eliasaph, son of Lael, probably already the chieftain of the sub-tribe rather than a special appointment.

Num 3:25-26

‘And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting shall be the tabernacle, and the Tent, its covering, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting, and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all its service.’

The responsibility of the Gershonites was to be for the Dwellingplace itself, including the Tent Sanctuary, and all hangings and coverings and cords. This was the second most prestigious task of the Levites, the first being the responsibility for the sacred furniture including the Ark.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Charges of the Various Divisions among the Levites

v. 21. of Gershon was the family of the Libnites and the family of the Shimites; these are the families of the Gershonites.

v. 22. Those that were numbered of them, mustered or entered into the rolls of service, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, for at that age the first-born boy babies were liable for the service of the Lord, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

v. 23. The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the Tabernacle westward, inside the armies led by the tribe of Ephraim.

v. 24. And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph, the son of Lael.

v. 25. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the Tabernacle of the Congregation shall be the tabernacle, the inner curtains of variegated cloth, and the tent, the outer covering or curtain of goat-hair, the covering thereof, that of rams’ skins and that of the leather of sea-cows, and the hanging for the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, the entrance to the Holy Place,

v. 26. and the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the Tabernacle, the white byssus curtains as well as the beautiful entrance curtain of variegated material, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof, the various guy-ropes for the Tabernacle, but not for the court,

v. 37. The Gershonites had to tend to all the drapery and the curtains but the screen of the Most Holy Place.

v. 27. And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites.

v. 28. In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the Sanctuary, taking their share in the ministry of the Holy Place.

v. 29. The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle southward, inside the armies led by the tribe of Reuben.

v. 30. And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan, the son of Uzziel.

v. 31. And their charge, for which they would be held responsible, shall be the ark, and the table, that of showbread, and the candlestick, and the altars, both the golden altar of the Holy Place and the altar of burnt offering in the court, and the vessels of the Sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, the screen of the Most Holy Place, and all the service thereof, everything that was connected with the actual carrying of these appointments from one station to the next.

v. 32. And Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary; he was the superintendent of the work as here described.

v. 33. of Merari was the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these are the families of Merari.

v. 34. And those that were numbered of them, mustered as in the other cases, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.

v. 35. And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel, the son of Abihail; these shall pitch on the side of the Tabernacle northward, inside the armies under the leadership of the tribe of Dan.

v. 36. And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the Tabernacle, the great planks which formed its walls, and the bars thereof, the cross-bars which held the planks upright, and the pillars thereof, at the entrance to the Tabernacle and to the Most Holy Place, and the sockets thereof, the bases of the planks and of the pillars, and all the vessels thereof, the pins and the tools, and all that serveth thereto,

v. 37. and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, the bronze bases which held the pillars upright, and their pins, and their cords, the guy-ropes which held them in place. Theirs was the last work when camp was struck and the first when a new station was reached. The work was thus divided in a manner which practically excluded all friction and made for the greatest efficiency. In this respect we Christians of the New Testament may learn a lesson from the children of Israel.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Num 3:18

Reciprocal: Num 4:22 – General Jos 21:6 – General 1Ch 6:17 – the sons of Gershom

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge