Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 3:7
And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
7. keep his charge ] i.e. perform the duties of their service to him and to the priests.
the charge of the whole congregation ] comprised the ritual functions in connexion with the offering of animals sacrificed by and in behalf of the laity of Israel.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
keep his charge – i. e. so assist him that the obligations incumbent on him and on the congregation may be fulfilled.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 7. The charge of the whole congregation] They shall work for the whole congregation; and instead of the first-born.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
His charge, i.e. Aarons charge, or those things which are committed principally to Aarons care and oversight, and under him and his direction to the Levites.
Of the whole congregation, i.e. of all the sacrifices and services which are due to the Lord from all the people, and because all the people could not and might not perform them, or at least divers of them, in their own persons, therefore they were to be performed by some particular persons in their name and stead; formerly by the first-born, Num 8:16, and now by the Levites. See Num 1:53; 16:9.
Before the tabernacle, emphatically; not within the tabernacle, for the care of these things within the holy place was appropriated to the priests, as the care of the most holy place was peculiar to the high priest.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation,…. The charge of Aaron and of all the people of Israel, which was to secure the sanctuary from being polluted or plundered: this the Levites were to be employed about, and thereby ease the high priest and the other priests, and the people, of what otherwise would have been incumbent on them:
before the tabernacle of the congregation; not within it, neither in the holy place, nor in the most holy place, where they might not enter, to do any service peculiar thereunto, but at the door of the tabernacle, and in the court of it, and in the rooms and chambers in it: and do the service of the tabernacle; not to offer sacrifices on the altar of the burnt offering, which stood in the court, and much less to burn incense on the altar of incense, and to him the lamps, and set on the shewbread in the holy place; and still less to enter into the most holy place, and do there what was to be done on the day of atonement; but to do all that is before observed, and to bring the people’s offerings to the priest, and to assist in slaying them; and to keep all profane and polluted persons out of it, the tabernacle, as we find in later times; they were porters at it, and some of them were singers in it, and had the care of various things belonging to it: see 1Ch 9:14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(7) And they shall keep his charge.The word rendered charge may mean the directions which the Levites should receive from Aaron (comp. Gen. 26:5); oras seems more probable from the use of the same word in this and the following verse with reference to the congregationit may refer to the charge which was laid upon Aaron and upon the whole congregation in matters pertaining to the public worship of God.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
7. Charge of the congregation As the Levites were subordinated to Aaron, it was proper that he should address them concerning their duties. As they were substituted for the firstborn of the people, the whole people were interested in their faithful discharge of their duties, and might with propriety be said to charge the Levitical body with these duties, which they themselves in the persons of their firstborn would have performed if the Levites had not been consecrated. In Num 8:11 Aaron is directed to “offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the Lord.” The Hebrew for bring near, in Num 3:6, is a sacrificial word, used when an offering is presented to Jehovah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Num 3:7. They shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation This verse is better rendered in our old version, and they shall take the charge with him, even the charge of the whole congregation, before the tabernacle of the congregation, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
tabernacle = tent. Hebrew. ‘ohel. See App-40. the tabernacle. Hebrew. miahkdn. App-40.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
keep: Num 3:32, Num 8:26, Num 31:30, 1Ch 23:28-32, 1Ch 26:20, 1Ch 26:22, 1Ch 26:26
to do the: Num 1:50, Num 8:11, Num 8:15, Num 8:24-26
Reciprocal: Lev 8:35 – keep Num 1:53 – shall pitch Num 3:25 – the charge Num 3:28 – keeping Num 3:38 – for the charge Num 4:3 – to do Num 18:21 – even the service Num 18:23 – do the service Heb 13:10 – serve
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 3:7. His charge That is, Aarons, or those things which were committed principally to Aarons care and oversight. Of the congregation That is, of all the sacrifices and services which were due to the Lord from all the people. Because the people might not perform them, in their own persons, therefore they were to be performed by some particular persons in their stead; formerly by the firstborn, (Num 8:16,) and now by the Levites. Before the tabernacle Not within the tabernacle, for the care of the things within the holy place was appropriated to the priests, as the care of the most holy place was to the high-priest.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation {e} before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
(e) Which belonged to the executing of the high priests commandment, to the oversight of the people, and the service of the tabernacle.