Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Numbers 9:1) And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the
second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, (2) "Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at its appointed time."
I am supposedly doing a chronological Bible study, one that was suggested by Skip Andrews found here. However, this taking place in the first month of the second year after they had come out of Egypt, was actually prior to the numbering that took place in Numbers 1 which was on the first day of the second month (Num. 1:1). Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, explained it this way: "It is...recorded here as introductory to the ordinance of Num. 9:6-14 in this chapter respecting the supplementary Passover; the observance of which was one of the last occurrences during the halt at Sinai." The Lord spoke to Moses telling him the children of Israel were to keep the Passover at its appointed time as follows:
(3) "In the fourteenth day of this month, at evening, you shall keep it at its appointed time; and according to all its ceremonies you shall keep it.”
The fourteenth day of this first month, Abib or Nissan (corresponding to our March or April), at evening, which was when the Hebrew day started, they were to keep the Passover according to all its ceremonies which had been previously described in Exodus 12.
(4) And Moses spoke to the children of Israel, that they should keep the Passover.
Moses told the children of Israel what the Lord had told him about them keeping the Passover at its appointed time.
(5) And they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening in the wilderness of Sinai; according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did.
The Israelites kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at evening, just as the Lord had commanded Moses that they do. As far as keeping all its ceremonies (v. 3 above), some details would necessarily differ from the first Passover, like putting the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts, which was not only impossible since they were living in tents, but also unnecessary since they were not in Egypt and no longer had to be identified and "passed over" during the killing of all the firstborn in Egypt. However, the people had been instructed to keep that day as a memorial and keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout their generations (Exodus 12:14).
(6) And there were certain men who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and before Aaron on
that day.
There were certain men who could not keep the Passover on that day because they had been defiled by a dead body. The people had been told previously in Numbers 5:2 to separate those who had been defiled by the dead from the camp. Albert Barnes suggested that these men were probably Mishael and Elzaphan, who buried Nadab and Abihu within a week of this Passover. Moses was the one who had instructed these men to carry their brethren out of the camp (Lev. 10:4), so it was certainly through no fault of their own that they could not keep the Passover. Therefore they brought their case to Moses and Aaron.
(7) And those men said to him, “We are defiled by the dead body of a man; why are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in its appointed time among the children of Israel?"
The men explained to Moses that they had been defiled by a dead body, and seemed to lament the fact that they would not be able to participate in the Lord's Passover at its appointed time.
(8) And Moses said to them, “Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you."
Moses told the men to wait there while he consulted the Lord about what He would have these men do.
(9) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (10) “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘If any man of you or of your posterity is unclean because of a dead body, or is on a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the Passover to the LORD.'"
The Lord told Moses to tell the children of Israel that if any of them at that time and in their future generations became unclean because of a dead body, or found themselves on a journey far away, they would still be able to keep the Passover to the Lord.
(11) "'The fourteenth day of the second month at evening they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.'"
They would be allowed to keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month, that is Iyar, corresponding to our April or May. That gave them an entire month to cleanse themselves if they were defiled or to return home and prepare for the Passover, which was never to be omitted. The Passover lamb was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs as instructed in Exodus 12:8.
(12) "‘They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break any bone of it; according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it.'"
None of the flesh of the Passover lamb was to be left until morning, but any that was left was to be burnt with fire (Ex. 12:10), nor was any bone of the lamb to be broken (Ex. 12:46). The people were to observe the same ordinances of the Passover as if they had kept it on its appointed day.
(13) "‘But the man who is clean and is not on a journey, and fails to keep the Passover, that same person shall be cut off from among his people; because he did not bring the offering of the LORD at its appointed time, that man shall bear his sin.'"
However, if a person was not defiled and was not on a journey afar off, but just neglected to keep the Passover for whatsoever petty reason, that person was to be cut off from among his people, which meant either excommunication or even death by the immediate hand of God. Because that man had broken a divine law of God and had shown negligence and ingratitude to his Lord, he would certainly bear his sin in this affront to God.
(14) "'And if a stranger shall sojourn among you and will keep the Passover to the LORD, according to the ordinance of the Passover and according to its manner, so shall he do; you shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger and for him that was born in the land.'"
If a stranger was visiting and wished to participate in the Passover, he could, as long as he had been circumcised, according to earlier instructions in Exodus 12:48: "And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover
to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come
near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land; for
no uncircumcised person shall eat of it." If the stranger was circumcised and wished to participate in the Passover, he may, but he must observe the law of the Passover just as a child of Israel must.
(15) And on the day that the tabernacle was raised up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony; and at evening there was above the tabernacle like the appearance of fire, until the morning.
On the day that the tabernacle was raised up, which was the first day of the first month in the second year after the people came out of Egypt (Exodus 40:2), the pillar of cloud in which the presence of the Lord manifested itself (Exodus 13:21), covered the tabernacle, more specifically that part that covered the Ark of the Testimony. Through the night the cloud looked like a pillar of fire.
(16) So it was always; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
So it was that the Lord was with them always; the cloud covered the tent of the testimony by day, and the appearance of fire covered it by night. The King James translators supplied the words "by day"; they were not in the original text. Even commentators agree the words were necessarily applied. However, I see the meaning clearly without those words. Those words make it sound as if the cloud took on two different forms, one as a cloud during the day and one as a pillar of fire during the night. I see the meaning as the cloud covered it always and that same cloud had the appearance of fire at night.
(17) And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the
children of Israel journeyed; and in the place where the cloud settled,
there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
We learned in earlier scriptures that the cloud was with them always guiding them on their journey (Exodus 13:21-22), but when the tabernacle had been raised, the cloud covered the tent and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle (Exodus 40:34). When the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, as that pillar of cloud probably visible to all the camp, then the children of Israel journeyed with the pillar of cloud guiding them. When the cloud settled back down, there the Israelites pitched their tents.
(18) At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at
the commandment of the LORD they pitched; as long as the cloud abode
upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
It's not that the Lord audibly commanded they journey, but by the motion of the cloud, He directed them to move or camp. As long as the cloud abode over the tabernacle, the people rested in their tents.
(19) And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and did not journey.
Even if the cloud remained over the tabernacle many days, the children of Israel obeyed the Lord's command and did not journey.
(20) And so it was, when the cloud was a few days
upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode
in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they
journeyed.
That was the way it was for the people when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle. According to the commandment of the Lord through the motion of the cloud, they either abode in their tents or journeyed.
(21) And so it was, when the cloud abode from evening until the morning, and the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed; whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
Likewise, that was the way it was for them if the cloud rested over the tabernacle only one night. Whenever the cloud was taken up, whether day or night, they journeyed.
(22) Or whether it was two days, or a month, or a
year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining on it, the
children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not; but when it
was taken up, they journeyed.
Even if it was more than a few days, if it was a month or a year that the cloud remained on the tabernacle, the children of Israel resided in their tents and did not journey. At the time it was taken up, whenever that was, they journeyed.
(23) At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed; they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Once again, the commandment was made visible to the people by the motion of the cloud, and they obeyed and rested in their tents, or they obeyed and journeyed, according to the commandment of the Lord that had been explained to Moses.
There are many lessons to be learned in this pillar of cloud. The people never knew when the cloud would move. They had to be always ready to move, but then again, they could be waiting days, weeks, or months. Is that not the way it is for us? We have no idea what the future holds and our best laid plans can be wiped away in an instant: "Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away" (James 4:14). Also there is a time when we should rest and wait on the Lord: "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him..." (Psalm 37:7a). As Matthew Henry stated in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, "There is no time lost while we are waiting God's time. It is as acceptable a piece of submission to the will of God to sit still contentedly when our lot requires it as to work for him when we are called to it." When we get busy and try to fix things ourselves, we can often screw it up, or at the very least, we won't have God's best for us! Think of Sarah deciding it must be up to her to "help" God when she gave Abraham her hand maiden Hagar to have a child for him. God still gave Sarah a child, but there was much strife in her life caused by Hagar and her child, all because Sarah jumped in to "do something" before God's timing.
Note how many times it was stated that the people obeyed the commandment of the Lord in the cloud. It must be very important and I believe, for our instruction, as "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). How important it is for us to be with God at all times! We must follow
the direction of His word and Spirit; "all the motions of our souls must
be guided by the divine will" (Matthew Henry). "In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:6). How
wonderful the care God has for His people! Although we don't visually
see His constant presence in a cloud, He gave us His Holy Spirit to
guide us: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth..." (John 16:13a). "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD..." (Psalm 37:23a).
Showing posts with label Elzaphan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elzaphan. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Saturday, February 3, 2018
The Numbering of the Levites and Their Exchange for the First-Born, Part 2
Continuing a chronological Bible study, this third chapter of Numbers having been started in the last post:
The Numbering of the Levites and Their Exchange for the First-Born, Part 1
(Numbers 3:21) Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
In the first half of Numbers 3, Moses had begun numbering the Levites, as instructed by God. From Levi's first son, Gershon, and his family, the Gershonites, came the Libnites, named for Gershon's son Libni, and the Shimites, named for his son Shimei.
(22) Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.
The Gershonites, including the Libnites and the Shimites, numbered 7500 males from one month of age and upward.
(23) The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
It had already been established in Numbers 1:53 that the Levites would pitch their tents around the tabernacle between the tabernacle and the rest of the tribes. The Gershonites were to camp on the west side of the tabernacle between the tabernacle and the camp of Ephraim, which was also westward (Numbers 2:18).
(24) And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
The chief of the Gershonites was to be Eliasaph, the son of Lael, not to be confused with Eliasaph, the son of Reuel or Deuel, from the tribe of Gad.
(25) And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, (26) And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
The Gershonites which included the Libnites and the Shimites, were in charge of the tent, the skin covering, and all the curtains and linen hangings of the tabernacle, including all the necessary cords that fastened them in place. The Gershonites were responsible for the taking down and carrying of all the coverings and hangings of the tabernacle, and the care of them while they were not in use as a tabernacle, for they would not have normally been allowed within the curtains of the tabernacle to do any service.
(27) And of Kohath were the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites.
Levi's son Kohath had sons, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, whose families were known as the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites.
(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.
The number of all the Kohathites was 8600 males from one month and older, and they were in charge of the vessels and furnishings of the sanctuary.
(29) The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
The Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle between the tabernacle and the camp of Reuben, which was also southward (Numbers 2:10).
(30) And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elzaphan the son of Uzziel.
The chief of the Kohathites was to be Elzaphan, the son of Uzziel. This was the same Elzaphan who, with his brother Mishael, carried Nadab and Abihu out of the camp after they had been devoured by fire from the Lord when they offered "strange fire" before the Lord (Lev. 10:4).
(31) And their charge shall be the ark, the table, the candlestick, the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
The Kohathites were in charge of the Ark of the Covenant which would include the mercy seat, and the showbread table, the gold candlestick, the altars, and all the vessels and furnishings of the sanctuary. It also included "the hanging" which would be the veil that divided the holy place from the most holy place; all the other hangings were in the charge of the Gershonites.
(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.
Eleazar, Aaron's son, was to be chief over all the chiefs of the Levites, that is, the chiefs of the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites. He would have oversight of the Kohathites who were to keep charge of the sanctuary furnishings.
(33) Of Merari were the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these are the families of Merari.
Levi's son, Merari, had sons Mahli and Mushi, from which came the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites.
(34) And those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
The number of all the Merarites, from one month old and older, was 6200.
(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.
The chief of all the Merarites was to be Zuriel, the son of Abihail, and they were to pitch their camps on the north side, between the tabernacle and the camp of Dan, which was also pitched northward (Num. 2:25).
(36) And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and all its vessels, and all that serves these, (37) And the pillars of the court all around, and their sockets, their pins, and their cords.
The Merarites were to be in charge of the boards of the tabernacle, including all the bars and pillars, and the sockets in which the boards and pillars were put, and the pins and cords of the pillars, by which the outside hangings of the court were kept tight and unmoved by the winds. Whereas the Gershonites had charge of the cords of all the hangings of the tabernacle and tent, it seems the Merarites had charge of the cords of the court.
(38) But those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
On the east side which was in front of the court of the tabernacle, between it and the camp of Judah, Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons, the priests were to camp. They were to keep charge of the sanctuary for the children of Israel and for their safety, for whoever came near to enter the holy place who was not a priest would be put to death.
(39) All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.
After having discussed in the last post that it appeared Moses only was commanded to number the Levites (Num. 3:14-16), maybe because he was presenting them to Aaron (Num. 3:6), it appears that both Moses and Aaron numbered the Levites. However, the old commentators pointed out that the word "Aaron" in the original Hebrew text had a dot over every letter, for what reason it is not certain; but the word itself was left out in the Samaritan and Syriac versions, so perhaps the reason was that it had been questionably added to the text by an early transcriber. The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by Canne, Browne, Blayney, Scott, etc., asserts that "Moses alone, as Houbigant observes, was commanded to number the Levites (Num 3:5, Num 3:11, Num 3:40, Num 3:44, Num 3:51) for as the money with which the first-born were redeemed was to be paid to Aaron and his sons (Num 3:48), it was decent that he, whose advantage it was that the number of the first-born should exceed, should not be authorized to take that number himself." Most of the scriptures referenced are yet to come in the study, but Houbigant's explanation does seem reasonable. The Houbigant referenced is probably Charles Francois Houbigant, a French Oratorian Biblical scholar (the French Oratory being a Roman Catholic Society of apostolic life of Catholic priests).
The total number of Levites from one month of age and upward was said to be 22,000. This number does not agree with the total when the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites are totaled together, which comes to 22,300. The old commentaries go to great lengths to explain the discrepancy, but the simplest explanation seems to be that there was an error in the number of Gershonites, where instead of 7500, there were only 7200. The numbers in the Hebrew Bible were expressed by letters and not by words at full length, and apparently the symbol for 500 is very similar to the one for 200 and could have easily been mistakenly transcribed.
(40) And the LORD said to Moses, "Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names."
After numbering the Levites, the Lord told Moses to number the firstborn males of all the Israelites that were one month and older, identifying each one and counting them.
(41) “And you shall take the Levites for Me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel."
This is where God made the exchange for His firstborn among all the children of Israel, those firstborn that He made His because as their sovereign Lord who saved all their firstborn in Egypt, He had every right to them. He would take all the Levites as His, to serve Him in His tabernacle, and no longer require that the firstborn be in service to Him. Likewise, He would accept the cattle of the Levites as His as they would be used in the service of His priests and tabernacle, and would no longer require the firstborn among the people's cattle to be for Him.
(42) And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and he numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
(43) And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
The number of firstborn males one month old and older of all the children of Israel totaled 22,273.
(44) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (45) "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle, and the Levites shall be mine; I am the LORD."
The Lord had declared before that He had taken the Levites in exchange for all the firstborn among the Israelites. Now He told Moses, who had numbered them, to take them and their cattle, and they were to be the Lord's, once again, because He was Lord and had thusly commanded ('nuf said).
(46) "And for those who are to be redeemed of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; (47) You shall take five shekels apiece by the head, after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs)."
There were 273 more firstborn of all the Israelites than there were Levites. I believe this proves that the number 22,000 said to be the total of all the Levites (v. 39 above) must be the accurate number, and that the correct number of Gershonites had been 7200 instead of the transcribed 7500. Had the number been 22,300, for whatever reason some of the old commentators went to great lengths to explain, why would there have been a need to redeem for the discrepancy? It is evident there were 273 more firstborn of all the Israelites than there were Levites, so the Lord required a redemption to be made to level the discrepancy. The number of firstborn which exceeded the number of the Levites (273 in all) were to be redeemed at five shekels apiece, according to the shekel used by the sanctuary. There were twenty gerahs to one shekel, and as discussed in an earlier post, a gerah is defined as a "kernel" or a "grain", the smallest weight or coin among the Israelites, about two and a half or three pennies of American money (if a shekel of silver as in former scriptures). As discussed previously, that doesn't seem like a huge value for a person, but precious metals were probably worth a lot more in Biblical times than now, and, if you calculated for inflation, the value would be exceedingly more now. There is common agreement among the Biblical scholars that the exchange began with the oldest of the firstborn, and so downward, so that those who were to be redeemed with money were the 273 youngest of the firstborn.
(48) “And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is to be redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”
The redemption money was to be given to Aaron and his sons, the priests. Because the Levites were given to Aaron that they might minister to him (Num. 3:6) and there was a deficiency of them in exchange for the firstborn, it was right and just that the redemption price be paid to him and his sons.
(49) And Moses took the redemption money of them who were over and above them who were redeemed by the Levites.
A Levite redeemed a firstborn, or freed him from the redemption price, being taken in lieu of him. 22,000 Levites were answerable to 22,000 firstborn of Israel, but as there were 273 more firstborn than Levites, those were to be redeemed by money, and it was the redemption money of these that Moses took.
(50) Of the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
Obviously, Moses took the money from the parents of the 273 firstborn. We can't be sure how it was decided which 273 must pay. As suggested before, many commentators believed the firstborn were counted in age order; it does seem reasonable that the first who were born would be the first to be redeemed by a Levite, and when the Levites "ran out", there were left the 273 youngest firstborn. Perhaps it was just the last 273 who were numbered. However it was determined, Moses collected from those 273, 1365 shekels, which is exactly 273 times five shekels.
(51) And Moses gave the money of them who were redeemed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Moses did just as the Lord had commanded he do, and he gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, the priests.
The firstborn being the Lord's, then being exchanged for priests in service to Him, and those being redeemed, paints a big beautiful symbolic picture of the things that were to come with the arrival of the Messiah. The church is called the church of the firstborn, and its people called a royal priesthood redeemed with the precious blood of Christ:
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. - Hebrews 12:23
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. - 1 Peter 2:9
Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. - 1 Peter 1:18-19
Obviously, the Lord didn't have to do a formal exchange, nor did He have to level the number by a redemption fee. After all, He is the sovereign Lord, and He could do whatever He wanted to do. He obviously did it this way to paint a picture to us humans of what was to come. Once again, I marvel at how often we find Jesus in the scriptures of the Old Testament! It also occurs to me that God's chosen people, the Israelites, are like the Levites, God's chosen for His priesthood; and that the 273 who had to be redeemed are like the Gentiles who were allowed to be redeemed and grafted into the living olive tree, illustrative of everlasting life through Christ (Romans 11:16-24). God's plan for salvation through Jesus Christ was there from the beginning, and with all these beautiful illustrations, He patiently shows us our need for Christ.
The Numbering of the Levites and Their Exchange for the First-Born, Part 1
(Numbers 3:21) Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
In the first half of Numbers 3, Moses had begun numbering the Levites, as instructed by God. From Levi's first son, Gershon, and his family, the Gershonites, came the Libnites, named for Gershon's son Libni, and the Shimites, named for his son Shimei.
(22) Those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, those who were numbered of them were seven thousand five hundred.
The Gershonites, including the Libnites and the Shimites, numbered 7500 males from one month of age and upward.
(23) The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
It had already been established in Numbers 1:53 that the Levites would pitch their tents around the tabernacle between the tabernacle and the rest of the tribes. The Gershonites were to camp on the west side of the tabernacle between the tabernacle and the camp of Ephraim, which was also westward (Numbers 2:18).
(24) And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
The chief of the Gershonites was to be Eliasaph, the son of Lael, not to be confused with Eliasaph, the son of Reuel or Deuel, from the tribe of Gad.
(25) And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, (26) And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
The Gershonites which included the Libnites and the Shimites, were in charge of the tent, the skin covering, and all the curtains and linen hangings of the tabernacle, including all the necessary cords that fastened them in place. The Gershonites were responsible for the taking down and carrying of all the coverings and hangings of the tabernacle, and the care of them while they were not in use as a tabernacle, for they would not have normally been allowed within the curtains of the tabernacle to do any service.
(27) And of Kohath were the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these are the families of the Kohathites.
Levi's son Kohath had sons, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, whose families were known as the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites.
(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.
The number of all the Kohathites was 8600 males from one month and older, and they were in charge of the vessels and furnishings of the sanctuary.
(29) The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
The Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle between the tabernacle and the camp of Reuben, which was also southward (Numbers 2:10).
(30) And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elzaphan the son of Uzziel.
The chief of the Kohathites was to be Elzaphan, the son of Uzziel. This was the same Elzaphan who, with his brother Mishael, carried Nadab and Abihu out of the camp after they had been devoured by fire from the Lord when they offered "strange fire" before the Lord (Lev. 10:4).
(31) And their charge shall be the ark, the table, the candlestick, the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
The Kohathites were in charge of the Ark of the Covenant which would include the mercy seat, and the showbread table, the gold candlestick, the altars, and all the vessels and furnishings of the sanctuary. It also included "the hanging" which would be the veil that divided the holy place from the most holy place; all the other hangings were in the charge of the Gershonites.
(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.
Eleazar, Aaron's son, was to be chief over all the chiefs of the Levites, that is, the chiefs of the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites. He would have oversight of the Kohathites who were to keep charge of the sanctuary furnishings.
(33) Of Merari were the family of the Mahlites and the family of the Mushites; these are the families of Merari.
Levi's son, Merari, had sons Mahli and Mushi, from which came the families of the Mahlites and the Mushites.
(34) And those who were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
The number of all the Merarites, from one month old and older, was 6200.
(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.
The chief of all the Merarites was to be Zuriel, the son of Abihail, and they were to pitch their camps on the north side, between the tabernacle and the camp of Dan, which was also pitched northward (Num. 2:25).
(36) And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and all its vessels, and all that serves these, (37) And the pillars of the court all around, and their sockets, their pins, and their cords.
The Merarites were to be in charge of the boards of the tabernacle, including all the bars and pillars, and the sockets in which the boards and pillars were put, and the pins and cords of the pillars, by which the outside hangings of the court were kept tight and unmoved by the winds. Whereas the Gershonites had charge of the cords of all the hangings of the tabernacle and tent, it seems the Merarites had charge of the cords of the court.
(38) But those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
On the east side which was in front of the court of the tabernacle, between it and the camp of Judah, Moses and Aaron and Aaron's sons, the priests were to camp. They were to keep charge of the sanctuary for the children of Israel and for their safety, for whoever came near to enter the holy place who was not a priest would be put to death.
(39) All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty-two thousand.
After having discussed in the last post that it appeared Moses only was commanded to number the Levites (Num. 3:14-16), maybe because he was presenting them to Aaron (Num. 3:6), it appears that both Moses and Aaron numbered the Levites. However, the old commentators pointed out that the word "Aaron" in the original Hebrew text had a dot over every letter, for what reason it is not certain; but the word itself was left out in the Samaritan and Syriac versions, so perhaps the reason was that it had been questionably added to the text by an early transcriber. The Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge by Canne, Browne, Blayney, Scott, etc., asserts that "Moses alone, as Houbigant observes, was commanded to number the Levites (Num 3:5, Num 3:11, Num 3:40, Num 3:44, Num 3:51) for as the money with which the first-born were redeemed was to be paid to Aaron and his sons (Num 3:48), it was decent that he, whose advantage it was that the number of the first-born should exceed, should not be authorized to take that number himself." Most of the scriptures referenced are yet to come in the study, but Houbigant's explanation does seem reasonable. The Houbigant referenced is probably Charles Francois Houbigant, a French Oratorian Biblical scholar (the French Oratory being a Roman Catholic Society of apostolic life of Catholic priests).
The total number of Levites from one month of age and upward was said to be 22,000. This number does not agree with the total when the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites are totaled together, which comes to 22,300. The old commentaries go to great lengths to explain the discrepancy, but the simplest explanation seems to be that there was an error in the number of Gershonites, where instead of 7500, there were only 7200. The numbers in the Hebrew Bible were expressed by letters and not by words at full length, and apparently the symbol for 500 is very similar to the one for 200 and could have easily been mistakenly transcribed.
(40) And the LORD said to Moses, "Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names."
After numbering the Levites, the Lord told Moses to number the firstborn males of all the Israelites that were one month and older, identifying each one and counting them.
(41) “And you shall take the Levites for Me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel."
This is where God made the exchange for His firstborn among all the children of Israel, those firstborn that He made His because as their sovereign Lord who saved all their firstborn in Egypt, He had every right to them. He would take all the Levites as His, to serve Him in His tabernacle, and no longer require that the firstborn be in service to Him. Likewise, He would accept the cattle of the Levites as His as they would be used in the service of His priests and tabernacle, and would no longer require the firstborn among the people's cattle to be for Him.
(42) And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and he numbered all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
(43) And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.
The number of firstborn males one month old and older of all the children of Israel totaled 22,273.
(44) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (45) "Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle, and the Levites shall be mine; I am the LORD."
The Lord had declared before that He had taken the Levites in exchange for all the firstborn among the Israelites. Now He told Moses, who had numbered them, to take them and their cattle, and they were to be the Lord's, once again, because He was Lord and had thusly commanded ('nuf said).
(46) "And for those who are to be redeemed of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; (47) You shall take five shekels apiece by the head, after the shekel of the sanctuary you shall take them (the shekel is twenty gerahs)."
There were 273 more firstborn of all the Israelites than there were Levites. I believe this proves that the number 22,000 said to be the total of all the Levites (v. 39 above) must be the accurate number, and that the correct number of Gershonites had been 7200 instead of the transcribed 7500. Had the number been 22,300, for whatever reason some of the old commentators went to great lengths to explain, why would there have been a need to redeem for the discrepancy? It is evident there were 273 more firstborn of all the Israelites than there were Levites, so the Lord required a redemption to be made to level the discrepancy. The number of firstborn which exceeded the number of the Levites (273 in all) were to be redeemed at five shekels apiece, according to the shekel used by the sanctuary. There were twenty gerahs to one shekel, and as discussed in an earlier post, a gerah is defined as a "kernel" or a "grain", the smallest weight or coin among the Israelites, about two and a half or three pennies of American money (if a shekel of silver as in former scriptures). As discussed previously, that doesn't seem like a huge value for a person, but precious metals were probably worth a lot more in Biblical times than now, and, if you calculated for inflation, the value would be exceedingly more now. There is common agreement among the Biblical scholars that the exchange began with the oldest of the firstborn, and so downward, so that those who were to be redeemed with money were the 273 youngest of the firstborn.
(48) “And you shall give the money, with which the excess number of them is to be redeemed, to Aaron and his sons.”
The redemption money was to be given to Aaron and his sons, the priests. Because the Levites were given to Aaron that they might minister to him (Num. 3:6) and there was a deficiency of them in exchange for the firstborn, it was right and just that the redemption price be paid to him and his sons.
(49) And Moses took the redemption money of them who were over and above them who were redeemed by the Levites.
A Levite redeemed a firstborn, or freed him from the redemption price, being taken in lieu of him. 22,000 Levites were answerable to 22,000 firstborn of Israel, but as there were 273 more firstborn than Levites, those were to be redeemed by money, and it was the redemption money of these that Moses took.
(50) Of the firstborn of the children of Israel he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary.
Obviously, Moses took the money from the parents of the 273 firstborn. We can't be sure how it was decided which 273 must pay. As suggested before, many commentators believed the firstborn were counted in age order; it does seem reasonable that the first who were born would be the first to be redeemed by a Levite, and when the Levites "ran out", there were left the 273 youngest firstborn. Perhaps it was just the last 273 who were numbered. However it was determined, Moses collected from those 273, 1365 shekels, which is exactly 273 times five shekels.
(51) And Moses gave the money of them who were redeemed to Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Moses did just as the Lord had commanded he do, and he gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, the priests.
The firstborn being the Lord's, then being exchanged for priests in service to Him, and those being redeemed, paints a big beautiful symbolic picture of the things that were to come with the arrival of the Messiah. The church is called the church of the firstborn, and its people called a royal priesthood redeemed with the precious blood of Christ:
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect. - Hebrews 12:23
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. - 1 Peter 2:9
Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. - 1 Peter 1:18-19
Obviously, the Lord didn't have to do a formal exchange, nor did He have to level the number by a redemption fee. After all, He is the sovereign Lord, and He could do whatever He wanted to do. He obviously did it this way to paint a picture to us humans of what was to come. Once again, I marvel at how often we find Jesus in the scriptures of the Old Testament! It also occurs to me that God's chosen people, the Israelites, are like the Levites, God's chosen for His priesthood; and that the 273 who had to be redeemed are like the Gentiles who were allowed to be redeemed and grafted into the living olive tree, illustrative of everlasting life through Christ (Romans 11:16-24). God's plan for salvation through Jesus Christ was there from the beginning, and with all these beautiful illustrations, He patiently shows us our need for Christ.
Saturday, September 10, 2016
The Sin and Death of Nadab and Abihu
Continuing a chronological Bible study:
(Leviticus 10:1) And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.
In the last chapter and post, Aaron, who along with his sons had been previously solemnly consecrated to the priest's office, began the exercise of his priestly office and offered the first offerings of himself and of the people. A fire had come from the Lord indicating His acceptance of the offerings that Aaron had offered just as had been instructed by Moses.
Now Nadab and Abihu, the two oldest sons of Aaron (Exodus 6:23), each took his own censer, a vessel in which coals of fire were put and incense upon them, which the sons indeed put, and they offered "strange fire" before the Lord, which the Lord had not commanded be done. The original word for "strange" was "zoor" and it meant "strange, profane" and "to be estranged, as to commit adultery". At first glance, it might seem that we don't know exactly what Nadab and Abihu did that made their fire profane, but I believe the answer is in the end of the verse that said God "had not commanded them". While everyone else was prostrate in awe and reverence and humility, these two did not wait for the solemn instruction with which everything else had been done up to this point, but of themselves took their censers and put fire and incense and burned it. The rituals that took place in the tabernacle were all for the Lord and per His instruction. Deciding of themselves to offer incense was offering a strange fire not authorized by God, and forbidden, like had been commanded in Exodus 30:9 when it was said that no "strange incense" be burned on the incense altar, "strange" meaning any other incense for any other purpose other than what was commanded. The brothers offered "strange fire" of themselves that had not been commanded by God.
(2) And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
The fire from the Lord that had just sanctified the ministry of Aaron as well pleasing to the Lord, now brought destruction to Aaron's two oldest sons because they performed a self-willed act of worship. Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, pointed out that this was consistent with what was said later in the Gospel:
"For we are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savor of death leading to death, and to the other the savor of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?" - 2 Corinthians 2:15-16
The very same salvation Gospel of Christ means life to them who accept and are saved by it, and death to those who reject it. This fire that came from the Lord devoured Nadab and Abihu, meaning devoured their lives, and they died right there before the Lord. They were not completely devoured to non-existence as a later verse will show.
(3) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'I will be sanctified in those who come near Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace.
Moses spoke immediately to Aaron repeating the words of the Lord. Although this exact quote of the Lord is not found in scripture, there is a hint of it in Exodus 19:22 when the Lord said that the priests who came near to Him must be sanctified "lest the LORD break forth upon them". The Lord is a holy God who must be approached with reverence and seriousness and His presence is not to be entered into vainly or lightly. Aaron held his peace meaning he acknowledged and submitted to God's righteous justice and did not murmur against His Lord.
(4) And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.”
Here is where we see that the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not totally devoured to nothingness because Moses called upon Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, who was the uncle of Aaron, to carry Nadab and Abihu out of the camp.
(5) So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp as Moses had said.
They did as Moses said and carried the bodies in their coats out of the camp. It's interesting to note that although fire came out and killed them, perhaps as if by a flash of lightning, neither their bodies nor their clothes were burned up.
(6) And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled."
Moses told Aaron and Aaron's two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, that they were not to uncover their heads or rent their clothes, which were signs of grief and mourning. As a matter of fact, they were strictly forbidden to do it or else they would die and God's wrath would come upon all the people. Lamenting so demonstrably for them would have sent the message that even though their family members' actions were so heinous and provoking to God, and so deserving of the punishment He inflicted on them, their mourning might be seen as justifying the crimes and accusing God of unjust severity. In addition, they were not to be diverted from or disturbed in their present service to their Lord. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, put it this way, "By this they must make it to appear that they had a greater value and affection for their God and their work than for the best friend they had in the world." However, as a whole, they and the whole house of Israel, should bemoan the incident, not so much for the death of their brethren, but for the irreverence to the Lord that had occurred, and in respect and recognition of the Lord's sovereign and powerful judgment, and for His wrath that could just as easily consume all of them as they were sinners, as well.
(7) "And you shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.
Additionally, Moses told Aaron and his sons that they were not to go outside the door of the tabernacle as they were consecrated with oil to the priest's office, the oil being the symbol of the Holy Spirit, that Spirit of Life; and they were to be completely attentive to their priestly affairs dedicated to their Lord preferring service to Him over any mourning or funeral customs. They did just as Moses told them to do.
(8) And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, (9) “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations,"
The Lord now spoke directly to Aaron, rather than through Moses. He told him that neither he nor his sons were to drink wine or any strong drink when they went into the tabernacle. It is believed by many Bible commentators that the reason for this prohibition at this time might be because Nadab and Abihu were drunk when they offered strange fire. That is certainly possible. They had feasted that day and probably drank freely in celebration of their first day into their priesthood. Service in the priest's office called for clear heads and clean hearts in the administration of sacred things. Even if the brothers had not been drunk, God was pointing out to Aaron that this was a most sacred service they were undertaking and it was to be administered with reverence and respect and wine and strong drink were prohibited under the penalty of death, and as a statute forever. Note the prohibition seems to just apply to when they were going into the tabernacle; they were permitted to drink wine at other times.
(10) "And that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, (11) And that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.”
The Lord continued speaking to Aaron giving him the reason for the prohibition, that the priests' minds be clear and their understanding and judgment correct, that they be able to distinguish between holy and unholy (which obviously Nadab and Abihu were not able to do), and clean and unclean, and that they be able to properly teach the children of Israel all the statutes that God had passed to Moses to pass to them.
(12) And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings made by fire to the LORD, and eat it without leaven beside the altar, for it is most holy. (13) And you shall eat it in the holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, of the sacrifices made by fire to the LORD; for so I have been commanded."
Moses now spoke to Aaron and his remaining two sons, and told them to take the grain offering that remained of the offerings made by fire to the Lord (all but the handful that was burnt), and instructed them to eat it without leaven beside the altar, here called the holy place, because that part of the grain offering that remained for the priests was most holy. Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, pointed out that this was not the previously designated "holy place" next to the "holiest of holies" within the tabernacle, but was a so-called holy place within the court of the tabernacle next to the altar at the door of the tabernacle. This part of the grain offering was for Aaron and his sons only, not for any other family, etc., and was to be eaten nowhere else but in the tabernacle. Moses lets Aaron and his sons know that this was the will of God as He had commanded him.
(14) "And the wave breast and heave shoulder you shall eat in a clean place, you, your sons, and your daughters with you; for they are your due and your sons’ due, which are given from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel."
Moses continued speaking to Aaron and his sons, telling them that the breast that was waved and the shoulder that was heaved was provided to them and their families and was to be eaten in a clean place, but not necessarily a holy place.
(15) "The heave shoulder and the wave breast they shall bring with the offerings of fat made by fire, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be yours and your sons’ with you, by a statute forever, as the LORD has commanded.”
Moses continued speaking to Aaron and his sons, continuing the thought from the previous verse that these items were given from the sacrifices of peace offerings brought by the children of Israel with the offerings of fat, and the breast and the shoulder were to be Aaron's and his sons' portion by an everlasting statute commanded by the Lord.
(16) And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt; and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, (17) “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?"
Leviticus 9:15 told of Aaron taking the goat, the sin offering for the people, killing it, and offering it for sin. Verse 16 stated he then brought the burnt offering. These were two different offerings as stated in Leviticus 9:3--a kid of the goats for a sin offering and a calf and a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering. Moses now looked for the goat of the sin offering and saw that it was burnt, and he was angry with Aaron's sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. The flesh of this goat was not to be burnt, but to be eaten by the priests in the holy place, according to Leviticus 6:25-26: “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before the LORD. It is most holy. The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of meeting.'" Moses demanded to know why the sons had not eaten the sin offering in a holy place; it was most holy and to be eaten by the priests to bear the iniquity of the people. In this way, they bore the sins of the people as their own, and then made atonement for them. In this, they were symbolic types of Christ, who took the people's sins upon Him and bore them in His own body on the cross, and made full satisfaction and atonement for them. Seeing that the eating of the sin offering of the people was of so great importance, the neglect of it by the priests angered Moses. You would think that just after witnessing what happened to their brothers, they would have been more carefully attentive to the laws of God.
(18) "Behold, the blood of it was not brought inside the holy place; indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place, as I commanded.”
Moses referred back to the instructions given in Leviticus 6:30, which were that if any blood of the sin offering had been brought into the tabernacle, then the sin offering was not to be eaten, but was to be burnt in the fire. However, in this case, he said that no blood of the sin offering was brought inside the holy place, therefore they were to have eaten it in a holy place, as he had previously told them.
(19) And Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD, and such things have befallen me; and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?”
Moses had directed his anger toward Eleazar and Ithamar, but it was Aaron who answered. Perhaps what they did was by Aaron's direction, and therefore he apologized for it. In essence what he said was that on this very day when they had sacrificed sin and burnt offerings to the Lord, this great calamity had befallen him; and would it have been pleasing to the Lord that those so humbled and distressed by the sin of their family members and God's divine judgment, would have chosen to feast on the most holy flesh of the sin offering?
(20) And when Moses heard that, he was content.
Moses was content with Aaron's answer. God judges the heart of man rather than his actions. In verse 3 above, Aaron had held his peace and not openly and audibly mourned for his sons. In his excuse to Moses, he did not say that it was in an act of mourning (choosing to mourn for his sons over the law of God) that he chose not to feast on the sin offering, but rather wondered aloud if it would have been acceptable to the Lord to be done in his present sorrowful spirit. Indeed, God had provided in other places that what could not be eaten was to be burnt. Aaron's unfitness for duty, natural and not sinful, was given a great allowance and God had mercy on him and his remaining sons. It appeared that Aaron did aim to be acceptable to the Lord, and this was most surely a case of the spirit being willing, but the flesh was weak. God judged Aaron's heart, and we being unable to see within a person's heart, should learn to be careful not to judge every little action of another person. We must learn to forgive and show mercy just as we are forgiven and shown mercy by our Lord.
(Leviticus 10:1) And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.
In the last chapter and post, Aaron, who along with his sons had been previously solemnly consecrated to the priest's office, began the exercise of his priestly office and offered the first offerings of himself and of the people. A fire had come from the Lord indicating His acceptance of the offerings that Aaron had offered just as had been instructed by Moses.
Now Nadab and Abihu, the two oldest sons of Aaron (Exodus 6:23), each took his own censer, a vessel in which coals of fire were put and incense upon them, which the sons indeed put, and they offered "strange fire" before the Lord, which the Lord had not commanded be done. The original word for "strange" was "zoor" and it meant "strange, profane" and "to be estranged, as to commit adultery". At first glance, it might seem that we don't know exactly what Nadab and Abihu did that made their fire profane, but I believe the answer is in the end of the verse that said God "had not commanded them". While everyone else was prostrate in awe and reverence and humility, these two did not wait for the solemn instruction with which everything else had been done up to this point, but of themselves took their censers and put fire and incense and burned it. The rituals that took place in the tabernacle were all for the Lord and per His instruction. Deciding of themselves to offer incense was offering a strange fire not authorized by God, and forbidden, like had been commanded in Exodus 30:9 when it was said that no "strange incense" be burned on the incense altar, "strange" meaning any other incense for any other purpose other than what was commanded. The brothers offered "strange fire" of themselves that had not been commanded by God.
(2) And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
The fire from the Lord that had just sanctified the ministry of Aaron as well pleasing to the Lord, now brought destruction to Aaron's two oldest sons because they performed a self-willed act of worship. Albert Barnes, in his Notes on the Bible, pointed out that this was consistent with what was said later in the Gospel:
"For we are to God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: to the one we are the savor of death leading to death, and to the other the savor of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?" - 2 Corinthians 2:15-16
The very same salvation Gospel of Christ means life to them who accept and are saved by it, and death to those who reject it. This fire that came from the Lord devoured Nadab and Abihu, meaning devoured their lives, and they died right there before the Lord. They were not completely devoured to non-existence as a later verse will show.
(3) Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD spoke, saying, 'I will be sanctified in those who come near Me, and before all the people I will be glorified.'" And Aaron held his peace.
Moses spoke immediately to Aaron repeating the words of the Lord. Although this exact quote of the Lord is not found in scripture, there is a hint of it in Exodus 19:22 when the Lord said that the priests who came near to Him must be sanctified "lest the LORD break forth upon them". The Lord is a holy God who must be approached with reverence and seriousness and His presence is not to be entered into vainly or lightly. Aaron held his peace meaning he acknowledged and submitted to God's righteous justice and did not murmur against His Lord.
(4) And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.”
Here is where we see that the bodies of Nadab and Abihu were not totally devoured to nothingness because Moses called upon Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, who was the uncle of Aaron, to carry Nadab and Abihu out of the camp.
(5) So they went near and carried them in their coats out of the camp as Moses had said.
They did as Moses said and carried the bodies in their coats out of the camp. It's interesting to note that although fire came out and killed them, perhaps as if by a flash of lightning, neither their bodies nor their clothes were burned up.
(6) And Moses said to Aaron, and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, “Do not uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, lest you die, and wrath come upon all the people; but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD has kindled."
Moses told Aaron and Aaron's two remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, that they were not to uncover their heads or rent their clothes, which were signs of grief and mourning. As a matter of fact, they were strictly forbidden to do it or else they would die and God's wrath would come upon all the people. Lamenting so demonstrably for them would have sent the message that even though their family members' actions were so heinous and provoking to God, and so deserving of the punishment He inflicted on them, their mourning might be seen as justifying the crimes and accusing God of unjust severity. In addition, they were not to be diverted from or disturbed in their present service to their Lord. Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible, put it this way, "By this they must make it to appear that they had a greater value and affection for their God and their work than for the best friend they had in the world." However, as a whole, they and the whole house of Israel, should bemoan the incident, not so much for the death of their brethren, but for the irreverence to the Lord that had occurred, and in respect and recognition of the Lord's sovereign and powerful judgment, and for His wrath that could just as easily consume all of them as they were sinners, as well.
(7) "And you shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest you die, for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.
Additionally, Moses told Aaron and his sons that they were not to go outside the door of the tabernacle as they were consecrated with oil to the priest's office, the oil being the symbol of the Holy Spirit, that Spirit of Life; and they were to be completely attentive to their priestly affairs dedicated to their Lord preferring service to Him over any mourning or funeral customs. They did just as Moses told them to do.
(8) And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, (9) “Do not drink wine or strong drink, you, nor your sons with you, when you go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations,"
The Lord now spoke directly to Aaron, rather than through Moses. He told him that neither he nor his sons were to drink wine or any strong drink when they went into the tabernacle. It is believed by many Bible commentators that the reason for this prohibition at this time might be because Nadab and Abihu were drunk when they offered strange fire. That is certainly possible. They had feasted that day and probably drank freely in celebration of their first day into their priesthood. Service in the priest's office called for clear heads and clean hearts in the administration of sacred things. Even if the brothers had not been drunk, God was pointing out to Aaron that this was a most sacred service they were undertaking and it was to be administered with reverence and respect and wine and strong drink were prohibited under the penalty of death, and as a statute forever. Note the prohibition seems to just apply to when they were going into the tabernacle; they were permitted to drink wine at other times.
(10) "And that you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean, (11) And that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.”
The Lord continued speaking to Aaron giving him the reason for the prohibition, that the priests' minds be clear and their understanding and judgment correct, that they be able to distinguish between holy and unholy (which obviously Nadab and Abihu were not able to do), and clean and unclean, and that they be able to properly teach the children of Israel all the statutes that God had passed to Moses to pass to them.
(12) And Moses spoke to Aaron, and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering that remains of the offerings made by fire to the LORD, and eat it without leaven beside the altar, for it is most holy. (13) And you shall eat it in the holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, of the sacrifices made by fire to the LORD; for so I have been commanded."
Moses now spoke to Aaron and his remaining two sons, and told them to take the grain offering that remained of the offerings made by fire to the Lord (all but the handful that was burnt), and instructed them to eat it without leaven beside the altar, here called the holy place, because that part of the grain offering that remained for the priests was most holy. Dr. John Gill, in his Exposition of the Entire Bible, pointed out that this was not the previously designated "holy place" next to the "holiest of holies" within the tabernacle, but was a so-called holy place within the court of the tabernacle next to the altar at the door of the tabernacle. This part of the grain offering was for Aaron and his sons only, not for any other family, etc., and was to be eaten nowhere else but in the tabernacle. Moses lets Aaron and his sons know that this was the will of God as He had commanded him.
(14) "And the wave breast and heave shoulder you shall eat in a clean place, you, your sons, and your daughters with you; for they are your due and your sons’ due, which are given from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel."
Moses continued speaking to Aaron and his sons, telling them that the breast that was waved and the shoulder that was heaved was provided to them and their families and was to be eaten in a clean place, but not necessarily a holy place.
(15) "The heave shoulder and the wave breast they shall bring with the offerings of fat made by fire, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be yours and your sons’ with you, by a statute forever, as the LORD has commanded.”
Moses continued speaking to Aaron and his sons, continuing the thought from the previous verse that these items were given from the sacrifices of peace offerings brought by the children of Israel with the offerings of fat, and the breast and the shoulder were to be Aaron's and his sons' portion by an everlasting statute commanded by the Lord.
(16) And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt; and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron who were left, saying, (17) “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in a holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God has given it to you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?"
Leviticus 9:15 told of Aaron taking the goat, the sin offering for the people, killing it, and offering it for sin. Verse 16 stated he then brought the burnt offering. These were two different offerings as stated in Leviticus 9:3--a kid of the goats for a sin offering and a calf and a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering. Moses now looked for the goat of the sin offering and saw that it was burnt, and he was angry with Aaron's sons, Eleazar and Ithamar. The flesh of this goat was not to be burnt, but to be eaten by the priests in the holy place, according to Leviticus 6:25-26: “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before the LORD. It is most holy. The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. In a holy place it shall be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of meeting.'" Moses demanded to know why the sons had not eaten the sin offering in a holy place; it was most holy and to be eaten by the priests to bear the iniquity of the people. In this way, they bore the sins of the people as their own, and then made atonement for them. In this, they were symbolic types of Christ, who took the people's sins upon Him and bore them in His own body on the cross, and made full satisfaction and atonement for them. Seeing that the eating of the sin offering of the people was of so great importance, the neglect of it by the priests angered Moses. You would think that just after witnessing what happened to their brothers, they would have been more carefully attentive to the laws of God.
(18) "Behold, the blood of it was not brought inside the holy place; indeed you should have eaten it in a holy place, as I commanded.”
Moses referred back to the instructions given in Leviticus 6:30, which were that if any blood of the sin offering had been brought into the tabernacle, then the sin offering was not to be eaten, but was to be burnt in the fire. However, in this case, he said that no blood of the sin offering was brought inside the holy place, therefore they were to have eaten it in a holy place, as he had previously told them.
(19) And Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, this day they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD, and such things have befallen me; and if I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?”
Moses had directed his anger toward Eleazar and Ithamar, but it was Aaron who answered. Perhaps what they did was by Aaron's direction, and therefore he apologized for it. In essence what he said was that on this very day when they had sacrificed sin and burnt offerings to the Lord, this great calamity had befallen him; and would it have been pleasing to the Lord that those so humbled and distressed by the sin of their family members and God's divine judgment, would have chosen to feast on the most holy flesh of the sin offering?
(20) And when Moses heard that, he was content.
Moses was content with Aaron's answer. God judges the heart of man rather than his actions. In verse 3 above, Aaron had held his peace and not openly and audibly mourned for his sons. In his excuse to Moses, he did not say that it was in an act of mourning (choosing to mourn for his sons over the law of God) that he chose not to feast on the sin offering, but rather wondered aloud if it would have been acceptable to the Lord to be done in his present sorrowful spirit. Indeed, God had provided in other places that what could not be eaten was to be burnt. Aaron's unfitness for duty, natural and not sinful, was given a great allowance and God had mercy on him and his remaining sons. It appeared that Aaron did aim to be acceptable to the Lord, and this was most surely a case of the spirit being willing, but the flesh was weak. God judged Aaron's heart, and we being unable to see within a person's heart, should learn to be careful not to judge every little action of another person. We must learn to forgive and show mercy just as we are forgiven and shown mercy by our Lord.
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