Números 3
Nueva Traducción BibliaTodo (NTBT) · Español
1 Esta es la descendencia de Aarón y de Moisés, cuando Jehová habló a Moisés en el monte Sinaí. 2 Estos son los nombres de los hijos de Aarón: Nadab, el primogénito, Abiú, Eleazar e Itamar. 3 Estos son los nombres de los hijos de Aarón, los sacerdotes ungidos, que fueron investidos para ejercer el sacerdocio. 4 Pero Nadab y Abiú murieron delante de Jehová cuando presentaron fuego no autorizado delante de Jehová en el desierto de Sinaí. No tenían hijos; Eleazar e Itamar ejercieron el sacerdocio delante de Aarón, su padre. 5 Jehová habló a Moisés y le dijo: 6 «Presenta a la tribu de Leví y ponla delante del sacerdote Aarón para que le sirvan. 7 Cumplirán su encargo y el encargo de toda la comunidad delante de la tienda de reunión, para realizar el servicio del tabernáculo. 8 Cuidarán todos los utensilios de la tienda de reunión y cumplirán el encargo de los hijos de Israel, para realizar el servicio del tabernáculo. 9 Darás los levitas a Aarón y a sus hijos; le son dados por completo de entre los hijos de Israel. 10 Designarás a Aarón y a sus hijos para que cumplan sus deberes sacerdotales. A la persona no autorizada que se acerque se le dará muerte». 11 Jehová habló a Moisés y le dijo: 12 «Yo he tomado a los levitas de entre los hijos de Israel en lugar de todo primogénito que abre la matriz entre los hijos de Israel; los levitas serán míos. 13 Porque todo primogénito es mío. El día en que herí a todo primogénito en la tierra de Egipto, consagré para mí a todo primogénito de Israel, tanto de las personas como de los animales. Serán míos. Yo soy Jehová». 14 Jehová habló a Moisés en el desierto de Sinaí y le dijo: 15 «Registra a los hijos de Leví por sus casas paternas y sus clanes; registrarás a todo varón de un mes en adelante». 16 Moisés los registró por mandato de Jehová, tal como se le había ordenado. 17 Estos fueron los hijos de Leví, por sus nombres: Gersón, Coat y Merari. 18 Estos son los nombres de los hijos de Gersón, por sus clanes: Libni y Simei. 19 Los hijos de Coat, por sus clanes, fueron Amram, Izhar, Hebrón y Uziel. 20 Los hijos de Merari, por sus clanes, fueron Mahli y Musi. Estos son los clanes de los levitas por sus casas paternas. 21 De Gersón procedían el clan de los libnitas y el clan de los simeítas; estos son los clanes de los gersonitas. 22 En el censo de todos los varones de un mes en adelante se registraron siete mil quinientos. 23 Los clanes de los gersonitas acampaban detrás del tabernáculo, al occidente. 24 El jefe de la casa paterna de los gersonitas era Eliasaf hijo de Lael. 25 Los hijos de Gersón tenían a su cargo, en la tienda de reunión, el tabernáculo, la tienda, su cubierta y la cortina de la entrada de la tienda de reunión, 26 las cortinas del atrio y la cortina de la entrada del atrio que rodea el tabernáculo y el altar, y sus cuerdas, para todo su servicio. 27 De Coat procedían el clan de los amramitas, el clan de los izharitas, el clan de los hebronitas y el clan de los uzielitas; estos son los clanes de los coatitas. 28 Según la cuenta de todo varón de un mes en adelante, eran ocho mil seiscientos, encargados de la custodia del santuario. 29 Los clanes de los hijos de Coat acampaban al lado sur del tabernáculo. 30 El jefe de la casa paterna de los clanes de los coatitas era Elizafán hijo de Uziel. 31 Tenían a su cargo el arca, la mesa, el candelabro, los altares, los utensilios del santuario con que se prestaba servicio, el velo y todo su servicio. 32 El jefe de los jefes de los levitas era Eleazar hijo del sacerdote Aarón; supervisaba a los encargados de la custodia del santuario. 33 De Merari procedían el clan de los mahlitas y el clan de los musitas; estos son los clanes de Merari. 34 Sus registrados, según la cuenta de todo varón de un mes en adelante, eran seis mil doscientos. 35 El jefe de la casa paterna de los clanes de Merari era Zuriel hijo de Abihail. Acampaban al lado norte del tabernáculo. 36 Los hijos de Merari tenían asignada la custodia de las tablas del tabernáculo, sus travesaños, sus columnas, sus bases y todos sus utensilios, y de todo su servicio, 37 y de las columnas que rodeaban el atrio, sus bases, sus estacas y sus cuerdas. 38 Delante del tabernáculo, al oriente, frente a la tienda de reunión, hacia la salida del sol, acampaban Moisés, Aarón y sus hijos, encargados de custodiar el santuario en representación de los hijos de Israel. A la persona no autorizada que se acercara se le daría muerte. 39 Todos los registrados de los levitas, que Moisés y Aarón registraron por mandato de Jehová, por sus clanes, todos los varones de un mes en adelante, fueron veintidós mil. 40 Jehová dijo a Moisés: «Registra a todos los primogénitos varones de los hijos de Israel de un mes en adelante y cuenta sus nombres. 41 Tomarás a los levitas para mí —yo soy Jehová— en lugar de todos los primogénitos de los hijos de Israel, y el ganado de los levitas en lugar de todo primogénito del ganado de los hijos de Israel». 42 Moisés registró a todos los primogénitos de los hijos de Israel, tal como Jehová le había ordenado. 43 Todos los primogénitos varones de un mes en adelante, contados por sus nombres en el registro, fueron veintidós mil doscientos setenta y tres. 44 Jehová habló a Moisés y le dijo: 45 «Toma a los levitas en lugar de todos los primogénitos de los hijos de Israel, y el ganado de los levitas en lugar de su ganado. Los levitas serán míos. Yo soy Jehová. 46 Por el rescate de los doscientos setenta y tres primogénitos de los hijos de Israel que exceden al número de los levitas, 47 tomarás unos cincuenta y siete gramos de plata por persona, conforme al siclo del santuario. El siclo equivale a veinte geras. 48 Entregarás la plata a Aarón y a sus hijos como rescate de los que exceden». 49 Moisés tomó la plata del rescate de los que excedían a los rescatados por los levitas. 50 De los primogénitos de los hijos de Israel tomó unos quince kilos y medio de plata, según el peso del santuario. 51 Moisés entregó la plata del rescate a Aarón y a sus hijos por mandato de Jehová, tal como Jehová había ordenado a Moisés.
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Números 3:1
Nu 3:1-51. The Levites' Service.
1. These ... are the generations of Aaron and Moses, &c.--This chapter contains an account of their families; and although that of Moses is not detailed like his brother's, his children are included under the general designation of the Amramites (Nu 3:27), a term which comprehends all the descendants of their common father Amram. The reason why the family of Moses was so undistinguished in this record is that they were in the private ranks of the Levites, the dignity of the priesthood being conferred exclusively on the posterity of Aaron; and hence, as the sacerdotal order is the subject of this chapter, Aaron, contrary to the usual style of the sacred history, is mentioned before Moses.
in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai--This is added, because at the date of the following record the family of Aaron was unbroken.
Números 3:2-4
2-4. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron--All the sons of Aaron, four in number, were consecrated to minister in the priest's office. The two oldest enjoyed but a brief term of office (Le 10:1, 2; Nu 3:4; 26:61); but Eleazar and Ithamar, the other two, were dutiful, and performed the sacred service during the lifetime of their father, as his assistants, and under his superintendence.
Números 3:5-10
5-10. Bring the tribe of Levi near--The Hebrew word "bring near" is a sacrificial term, denoting the presentation of an offering to God; and the use of the word, therefore, in connection with the Levites, signifies that they were devoted as an offering to the sanctuary, no longer to be employed in any common offices. They were subordinate to the priests, who alone enjoyed the privilege of entering the holy place; but they were employed in discharging many of the humbler duties which belonged to the sanctuary, as well as in various offices of great utility and importance to the religion and morals of the people.
Números 3:11-13
11-13. I have taken the Levites, &c.--The consecration of this tribe did not originate in the legislative wisdom of Moses, but in the special appointment of God, who chose them as substitutes for the first-born. By an appointment made in memory of the last solemn judgment on Egypt (from which the Israelitish households were miraculously exempt) all the first-born were consecrated to God (Ex 13:12; 22:29), who thus, under peculiar circumstances, seemed to adopt the patriarchal usage of appointing the oldest to act as the priest of the family. But the privilege of redemption that was allowed the first-born opened the way for a change; and accordingly, on the full organization of the Mosaic economy, the administration of sacred things formerly committed to the first-born was transferred from them to the Levites, who received that honor partly as a tribute to Moses and Aaron, partly because this tribe had distinguished themselves by their zeal in the affair of the golden calf (Ex 32:29), and also because, being the smallest of the tribes, they could ill find suitable employment and support in the work. (See on De 33:8). The designation of a special class for the sacred offices of religion was a wise arrangement; for, on their settlement in Canaan, the people would be so occupied that they might not be at leisure to wait on the service of the sanctuary, and sacred things might, from various causes, fall into neglect. But the appointment of an entire tribe to the divine service ensured the regular performance of the rites of religion. The subsequent portion of the chapter relates to the formal substitution of this tribe.
I am the Lord--that is, I decree it to be so; and being possessed of sovereign authority, I expect full obedience.
Números 3:14-31
14-31. Number the children of Levi--They were numbered as well as the other tribes; but the enumeration was made on a different principle--for while in the other tribes the number of males was calculated from twenty years and upward [Nu 1:3], in that of Levi they were counted "from a month old and upward." The reason for the distinction is obvious. In the other tribes the survey was made for purposes of war [Nu 1:3], from which the Levites were totally exempt. But the Levites were appointed to a work on which they entered as soon as they were capable of instruction. They are mentioned under the names of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, sons of Levi, and chiefs or ancestral heads of three subdivisions into which this tribe was distributed. Their duties were to assist in the conveyance of the tabernacle when the people were removing the various encampments, and to form its guard while stationary--the Gershonites being stationed on the west, the Kohathites on the south, and the families of Merari on the north. The Kohathites had the principal place about the tabernacle, and charge of the most precious and sacred things--a distinction with which they were honored, probably, because the Aaronic family belonged to this division of the Levitical tribe. The Gershonites, being the oldest, had the next honorable post assigned them, while the burden of the drudgery was thrown on the division of Merari.
Números 3:32
32. chief--rather, "chiefs" of the Levites. Three persons are mentioned as chiefs of these respective divisions [Nu 3:24, 30, 35]. And Eleazar presided over them; whence he is called "the second priest" (2Ki 25:18); and in the case of the high priest's absence from illness or other necessary occasions, he performed the duties (1Ki 4:4).
Números 3:38
38. those that encamp, &c.--That being the entrance side, it was the post of honor, and consequently reserved to Moses and the priestly family. But the sons of Moses had no station here.
Números 3:39
39. twenty and two thousand--The result of this census, though made on conditions most advantageous to Levi, proved it to be by far the smallest in Israel. The separate numbers stated in Nu 3:22, 28, 34, when added together, amount to twenty-two thousand three hundred. The omission of the three hundred is variously accounted for--by some, because they might be first-born who were already devoted to God and could not be counted as substitutes; and by others, because in Scripture style, the sum is reckoned in round numbers. The most probable conjecture is, that as Hebrew letters are employed for figures, one letter was, in the course of transcription, taken for another of like form but smaller value.
Números 3:40-51
40-51. Number all the first-born of the males of the children of Israel, &c.--The principle on which the enumeration of the Levites had been made was now to be applied to the other tribes. The number of their male children, from a month old and upward, was to be reckoned, in order that a comparison might be instituted with that of the Levites, for the formal adoption of the latter as substitutes for the first-born. The Levites, amounting to twenty-two thousand, were given in exchange for an equal number of the first-born from the other tribes, leaving an excess of two hundred seventy-three; and as there were no substitutes for these, they were redeemed at the rate of five shekels for each (Nu 18:15, 16). Every Israelite would naturally wish that his son might be redeemed by a Levite without the payment of this tax, and yet some would have to incur the expense, for there were not Levites enough to make an equal exchange. Jewish writers say the matter was determined by lot, in this manner: Moses put into an urn twenty-two thousand pieces of parchment, on each of which he wrote "a son of Levi," and two hundred seventy-three more, containing the words, "five shekels." These being shaken, he ordered each of the first-born to put in his hand and take out a slip. If it contained the first inscription, the boy was redeemed by a Levite; if the latter, the parent had to pay. The ransom-money, which, reckoning the shekel at half a crown, would amount to 12s. 6d. each, was appropriated to the use of the sanctuary. The excess of the general over the Levitical first-born is so small, that the only way of accounting for it is, by supposing those first-born only were counted as were males remaining in their parents' household, or that those first-born only were numbered which had been born since the departure from Egypt, when God claimed all the first-born as his special property.
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