Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 4:17
And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
17-20. Cut ye not off the tribe ofthe families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, &c.asolemn admonition to Moses and Aaron to beware, lest, by anynegligence on their part, disorder and improprieties should creep in,and to take the greatest care that all the parts of this importantservice be apportioned to the proper parties, lest the Kohathitesshould be disqualified for their high and honorable duties. The guiltof their death would be incurred by the superintending priest, if hefailed to give proper directions or allowed any irreverentfamiliarity with sacred things.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord spake unto Moses, and unto Aaron,…. And gave them a very solemn and awful charge about this affair of the Kohathites, it being a very hazardous one they were employed in:
saying; as follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
In order to prevent as far as possible any calamity from befalling the Levites while carrying the most holy things, the priests are again urged by the command of God to do what has already been described in detail in Num 4:5-15, lest through any carelessness on their part they should cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites, i.e., should cause their destruction; viz., if they should approach the holy things before they had been wrapped up by Aaron and his sons in the manner prescribed and handed over to them to carry. If the Kohathites should come for only a single moment to look at the holy things, they would die. , “ cut ye not off, ” i.e., “take care that the Kohathites are not cut off through your mistake and negligence” ( Ros.). “ The tribe of the families of the Kohathites: ” shebet , the tribe, is not used here, as it frequently is, in its derivative sense of tribe ( Tribus), but in the original literal sense of stirps.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 17-20:
God charged that the priests deal carefully with the Kohathites, to prevent them from committing a presumptuous sin by entering the sanctuary to look upon the holy furniture before it was covered and ready for transporting.