And David divided them into courses according to the sons of Levi Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
David's last act as king is to put the house of God in order, and this verse is where that order begins: he sorts the whole tribe of Levi into divisions under Levi's three sons. Why does a king rearrange what Moses had already set up, and why does the second son's line end up at the centre?
This verse is the heading for everything that follows through verse 23. One writer marks that transition, then shows how the list handles Aaron and Moses:
After the numbering of the Levites comes their division into courses (vv. 6-23) according to their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Aaron and Moses belonged to the sons of Kohath, but Aaron and his sons are "for ever" set apart from this family of Levites to carry out the office of the priesthood "for ever" (v. 13). Moses was lawgiver, mediator, and leader of the people. Yet he and his sons simply enter the tribe of Levi (vv. 14-26). From the moment Solomon's reign begins, his family holds no place higher than their brothers.
The three names do not carry equal weight. Aaron came from Kohath, the second son, not from the eldest. One writer sees a pattern God repeats:
Kohath is one more case among many where the firstborn naturally loses his place to another. Kohath is not Levi's firstborn — Gershon is. Grace, not nature, rules.
The same choice shaped the jobs each family carried in the wilderness:
God appointed the duties of the Levites as it pleased Him. So each Levitical family could set to work, and no one was to interfere with them. They were responsible to God, and they had received their authority for service from Him. And here the principle of election showed itself. Gershon was the eldest son of Levi, so his descendants might have expected to be chosen to carry the sacred vessels on their shoulders. But that work went to the descendants of Kohath, Levi's second son.
Aaron's own sphere stays untouchable. The rest of the tribe takes its orders from David:
The offerings, the work of the most holy place, and the making of atonement for Israel — all this is the special work of Aaron. Aaron stands out in Levi as David does in the tribe of Judah. No one could interfere with Aaron or his sons, or with the work given them. But each branch of the tribe of Levi had to look to David for the detail of their service, and always according to all that Moses, the servant of God, had commanded.
One writer reads David's freedom to rearrange as pointing beyond himself:
David, therefore, acting as a type of the Messiah, orders everything anew. The old order set up under Moses did not stay as it was. The great principles, of course, last for ever. But the form differed in a most important way, and that difference came from the greater glory of the one who stood there only as a type. How much more when we remember the One that type pointed to, the Lord Jesus. David, therefore, orders an entirely new arrangement here. He divided the priests into courses, and one course was always to be on the spot in Jerusalem. The Pentateuch does not refer to that state of things at all.
So who decided which family got which work, and does that pattern still hold?
The order of the service of the Levites was according to the sovereignty of God, who put each one in his place. So in the service of the church we find the greatest differences, and God gives each one his own place.
One writer explains where the Levites came from, and draws the line straight to God's people today:
God took the tribe of Levi instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. Those firstborn sons had been sheltered from judgment by the blood in Egypt, and God claimed them as His own, but He took the Levites instead for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people, called to give themselves to God's interests, and God cared for them in a special way. They were a type of the whole Christian company today, King David ordered their service, and that service pictures the place and the spiritual service God has called us to.
A complete division left nobody spare:
Thirty-eight thousand men and not an idler among them.
- Divided — This verse opens the list that runs to verse 23. David sorts the whole tribe under Levi's three sons.
- Chosen — Gershon was the eldest. Yet the priesthood came through Kohath: grace, not nature, rules.
- Assigned — God gave each family its own work, and no one was to interfere with another's.
- Directed — Aaron's work stood apart. Every other branch of Levi looked to David for the detail of its service.
- Employed — The division was complete, so all 38,000 men had work. The same order pictures the place and service God gives His people now.
Of the Gershonites Laadan and Shimei.
Near the end of his reign, David organised the tribe of Levi to serve in the temple his son would build. This verse opens the list with the house of Levi's eldest son, and it raises a fair question: why does Scripture name these families at all?
The chapter first counts the Levites, then sorts them. One writer marks where the sorting begins:
After the numbering of the Levites comes their division into courses (vv. 6-23) according to their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
So the Gershonites come first, with Ladan and Shimei as the two houses under that head. In the wider sweep of the book, this is one step in a much larger reordering:
Then in 1 Chron. 23 David divides the Levites for their services, and in 1 Chron. 24 the sons of Aaron into their twenty-four courses, as in 1 Chron. 25 the singers and musicians into a like number.
This family already had a long history of service. A Bible dictionary follows the line from the wilderness, where they carried the tabernacle — Israel's tent of worship — to the days of the kingdom:
Gershon was the eldest son of Levi, born before the Israelites entered Egypt… When the Israelites were counted in the wilderness, there were 7,500 Gershonites as one branch of the Levites. Their charge was the frame of the tabernacle and the tent, with the hangings and curtains… In the kingdom, under Asaph and his sons, they "prophesied according to the order of the king." Others had charge of the "treasures of the house of God, and were over the treasures of the holy things," and of the precious stones.
The carriers of curtains became keepers of treasure and leaders of song.
This verse names Ladan first. One writer, naming Gershon's sons as Libni and Shimei, finds a message in what the names mean:
The sons of Levi are Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and these three are the heads of eight families. "Gershon" means "exile." His two sons are Libni, "white," and Shimei, "my report" — names that are not hard to join into one meaning. A true exile really is someone who feels his exile, even if only for a while, from the home of his heart. And out of this spirit of being a stranger comes power for purity and freedom from defilement. The last name may well speak of what has the fullest value for him here: the "report" of things not now seen.
Their work matched that character. A second writer, who spells the name Gershom, puts it this way:
Gershom means "a stranger there." It speaks of service for God that does not settle down in the world, but serves God without selfish, material motives… So the spiritual meaning of Gershom's service is that it encourages a godly walk through a world where we are strangers, a walk that honors God, though the world does not understand.
Only two families are listed here. Gershon's branch was few in number, and the later division by lot took that into account:
First (vv. 20-25) come the sons of Kohath… then, in verses 26-31, the sons of Merari. Gershon was counted as a single course because it was so few in number (1 Chron. 23:11). Note that the least among the Levites had the same portion as the chief fathers in the division by lot, which followed the Lord's free choice (v. 31).
One writer sees in this ordering of the Levites a pattern of how God places His servants:
The order of the service of the Levites was according to the sovereignty of God, who put each one in his place. So in the service of the church we find the greatest differences, and God gives each one his own place.
Another writer applies the Levites' service to believers today, and points to the numbers in this chapter:
Thirty-eight thousand men and not an idler among them… They were a picture of the whole Christian company today, and their service, as King David ordered it, gives us a picture of the place and spiritual service to which we have been called.
- Named. The verse starts the sorting of Levi's descendants into courses under his three sons. Gershon's house heads the list, and Scripture records every family by name.
- Placed. God's sovereignty arranged the Levites' service, and He put each one in his place. The same holds among His servants now.
- Stranger. Gershon means "exile," and the work given his sons fits the name: a service that does not settle down in the world.
- Small. Gershon was so few that it counted as one course. Yet the least Levite received the same portion as the chief fathers.
- Working. Of the 38,000 Levites, not one was idle — the mark of a company called to God's service.
The sons of Laadan the head was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.
Three names in a list — Jehiel, Zetham, Joel — stand here in David's plan for the Levites who would serve the temple. Why name men whose story Scripture never tells, and what does their family line say about the work God gives?
This verse sits inside a bigger job: sorting the whole tribe of Levi.
Once the Levites are counted, they are divided into groups (vv. 6-23) by their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Aaron and Moses belonged to the sons of Kohath, but Aaron and his sons are set apart "for ever" from this family of Levites to hold the office of the priesthood "for ever" (v. 13).
Every part of this service traces back to David:
From verse 3 we see David numbering the Levites. Everything depends on him: not only the materials for the temple, but all its service, down to the smallest detail. The Levites are first counted from thirty years old and upward, but they do the work of the service from twenty years old and upward (vv. 3, 27)... Once the reign of peace was firmly established, the Levites could begin their service at a younger age.
A list like this can look like filler. One writer, writing on a similar list of names and gifts, says the opposite — that the detail is exactly what we should expect from God.
Each name shines out on its own. Each offering is described in detail and given its full value. The names and the offerings are not thrown together at random. This would not be like our God... He delights to record every little act of service, every little loving gift. He never forgets the smallest thing. And He does not only remember it Himself; He takes special care that countless millions will read the record.
The record also points ahead. One writer, on another list of priests and Levites, notes:
There is little to say here except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants... He honours those who honour Him. He records their names in His word now, just as He will glorify their persons in the great day that is coming soon.
Ladan's sons are Gershonites — descendants of Levi's eldest son. One writer finds a lesson in the meaning of the name Gershon.
This is what makes the saint "a stranger" in the world (that is what the name Gershon means). Suppose we walk in a way that displays the character of the Lord Jesus, and in doing so realise that our place is in the wilderness. Then we may be sure of the result: it will give our character a very clear stamp of the stranger in the world.
The first man on this list turns up again later, holding real responsibility.
Jehiel. Son of Laadan, a Gershonite: he had charge of the treasures. 1 Chr. 23:8; 1 Chr. 29:8.
That charge covered the gifts people had dedicated to God:
Among the Levites (vv. 20-28) we find men appointed over the treasures of the house of God and over the treasures of the holy things... Everything that had been dedicated was under the hand of Shelomith and his brothers (vv. 26-28), until the moment when Solomon would use all these treasures.
The numbers behind this list show how David spread the work:
There were 38,000 of them fit for the work. Of these, 24,000 were labourers — and happy to be such, we should judge. 6,000 were officers and 4,000 were doorkeepers. Another 4,000 praised the Lord with the instruments David made for praise — they were the singers. Thirty-eight thousand men and not an idler among them.
The same writer explains where the Levites came from and what they picture:
They were taken by the Lord instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. Those firstborn sons had been sheltered from judgment by the blood in Egypt, and the Lord claimed them as His own. But He took the tribe of Levi instead of them for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people, called to give themselves to God's interests and to have His special care... They were a picture of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, shows us the place and spiritual service God has called us to.
- Counted — David numbered the Levites. Every detail of the temple service depended on him, not just the materials.
- Named — God does not lump His servants together. Each name stands out, and He makes sure millions read the record.
- Placed — Ladan's three sons belong to the family of Gershon, a name that means "stranger." That is the mark of anyone who carries the character of Christ through the world.
- Trusted — Jehiel, "the chief" here, later had charge of the treasures. A name on a list became a real job.
- Working — Out of 38,000 Levites, not one was idle. Commentators see in their ordered service a picture of Christian service today.
The sons of Shimei Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the chief fathers of Laadan.
Three men — Shelomoth, Haziel and Haran — are named here as heads of families. David was putting the whole tribe of Levi in order for the service of God's house. Why does God keep such names, and what can a family list teach us now?
This verse sits inside a section that sorts the Levites by family. One writer sets out those divisions, and shows where even the tribe's greatest men stood:
After the Levites are counted, they are divided into courses (vv. 6-23) by their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Aaron and Moses both belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are "forever" separated from this family of Levites to carry out the office of the priesthood "forever" (v. 13). Moses was once "king in Jeshurun," the lawgiver, mediator and leader of the people. Yet he and his sons enter the tribe of Levi with everyone else (vv. 14-26). From the moment Solomon's reign begins, he and his family hold no place above his brothers.
Lists like this are easy to skip. Commenting on another list of names, one writer finds the message in the record itself:
Here we have little to remark except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants... It is not only that He has been a dwelling place for His own in all generations, but He honours those that honour Him and records their names in His word now, as He will glorify their persons in the great day that hastens.
Another writer turns the thought on the reader himself:
It is deeply sobering to the soul to be allowed to go over a record of names long since forgotten by man. Yet God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their pathway through this world. Some day our names likewise will be lost to mankind, but neither we nor our ways will be forgotten by God.
Shimei belonged to Gershon's branch. One writer gives the meanings of these names:
Gershon: a stranger, or exile... Shimei: hearing, renowned. Libni: for edification, white.
The same writer presses the meaning of "Gershon" on the Christian:
This is what makes the believer "a stranger" (as the name Gershon means) in the world. If we walk showing the character of the Lord Jesus, and realise as we do so that our place is in the wilderness, we may be sure it will mark our character in the world clearly as that of strangers. The Church has laid down the rams' skins and badgers' skins, and with them the Gershonite character. In other words, the Church has stopped walking in the footsteps of her rejected Lord and Master.
These men head households inside that order. One writer draws out the principle:
Nothing is more important in practice than this: each servant of God should know the work He has given him to do, and should stick to it once he knows it. You can be sure of this too: it matters greatly never to interfere with another's service. The Lord is sovereign in this. He divides according to His own will.
Writing on this chapter, another writer numbers the Levites task by task:
The Levites numbered 38,000. 24,000 of them — the majority — directed the work of the house of God, and 6,000 were officers and judges. It is important to understand that administration and judgment is not entrusted to the greatest number of God's servants. A still smaller number, 4,000, kept the gates. Their function was to guard that nothing profane or foreign should find its way into the temple. Disasters may take place among God's children when all think they are qualified to discern, failing to accept that this service belongs to some and not to others.
Why should a Christian care who Haziel was? Because of what the tribe stood for:
They were taken by the LORD instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. The blood in Egypt had sheltered those firstborn sons from judgment, and the LORD claimed them as His own. But He took the tribe of Levi instead of them, for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people, called to devote themselves to God's interests and to be specially cared for by Him... They were a type, a picture, of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, shows us the place and spiritual service God has called us to.
- Named — God takes pleasure in recording the names of His servants. Three unknown men stand in Scripture because they served His house.
- Placed — Each family had its own course. Not even Moses' sons stood above their brothers, for the Lord divides service as He wills.
- Charged — Gershon means stranger. Walking in the character of the Lord Jesus gives the believer that same stranger character in the world.
- Distinguished — Not every task belongs to everyone. Trouble follows when all assume they are fit for work given to a few.
- Remembered — Our names will be lost to people, but not to God. He honours those who honour Him, and will glorify them in the coming day.
And the sons of Shimei Jahath, Ziza, and Jeush, and Beriah. These were the four sons of Shimei.
This is one line in a long roll call. David is setting the whole tribe of Levi in order for the temple Solomon would build. Four men of Shimei's house are named, from the Gershon branch. Why does Scripture preserve names no one remembers, and what does a list like this teach about service?
David's census of Levi comes at a turning point. One writer notes why the age for entering service changed.
The Levites are first counted from the age of thirty years and upward, but they do the work of the service from the age of twenty years and upward. David set this order, not the order Moses set for the sons of Kohath. Once the reign of peace was firmly in place, the Levites could begin their service at a younger age. The obstacles that had stood in the way before Solomon's kingdom were gone, and the Levites no longer had to "carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service." Strong men in their prime were no longer needed, because no one had to carry the ark, the altars, and the vessels from place to place any more. From then on the service would fall to younger men, who could give themselves to the various tasks in God's house without their strength failing them.
Shimei's four sons belong to that new arrangement. David numbers them for the tasks of God's house.
Shimei belonged to Gershon's line. That family carried one particular part of the sanctuary, and the charge had a character of its own.
The Gershonites were responsible for the coverings of the tabernacle and the hangings for its entrance. They also cared for all the hangings of the court, its entrance hangings and cords, and so on. These all speak of the practical moral character of the Lord Jesus or of His saints. So Gershon stands for the ministry that insists on the moral perfection of the Lord Jesus. It also insists on the practical righteousness that all believers should show, as a witness to our faith in the perfect one.
Gershon's line was small, so the record counted it as one group instead of dividing it further. Being small did not reduce their share.
Gershon was counted as a single course, because it was few in number. Note that the least among the Levites had the same portion as the chief fathers in the division by lot according to the Lord's free choice.
Lists like this can look like dead weight. Commentators on the genealogies read them the other way.
There is little to say here except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants... He honours those who honour Him and records their names in His word now, just as He will glorify their persons in the great day that is coming quickly.
The same principle reaches the lowest names on such a list:
God even takes account of those we might have forgotten: the temple servants (the Nethinim) and Solomon's servants. These may not have been of Jewish descent, and they did lowly work. But God is pleased to mention all the names of the fathers of those who went up to Jerusalem. In the same way, members in the body of Christ have different tasks, duties, and abilities. The most prominent ones may not be the most important ones (1 Cor. 12).
These four names matter because of what the whole tribe pictures. God did not choose Levi at random.
The LORD took them instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. The blood in Egypt had sheltered those firstborn sons from judgment, and the LORD claimed them as His own. But He took the tribe of Levi in their place, for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people, called to give themselves to God's interests and to receive His special care. They are a picture of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, pictures the place and spiritual service God has called us to.
The same writer totals the whole tribe:
There were 38,000 of them fit for the work. Of these, 24,000 were labourers... 6,000 were officers, 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 praised the LORD with the instruments that David made. Thirty-eight thousand men, and not an idler among them.
- Peace first. The burdens of the wilderness were over, so younger men could serve. Settled peace opens the door to ordered service.
- Place next. Shimei's sons served in the Gershon line. Its charge points to the practical moral character of the Lord Jesus and of His people.
- Portion equal. A line too small to divide still counted. The least among the Levites received the same share as the chief fathers.
- Record kept. The Lord takes pleasure in writing down the names of His servants. The most prominent are not always the most important.
- Work for all. The Levites picture the whole Christian company — 38,000 men, and not an idler among them.
And Jahath was the head, and Ziza the second; and Jeush and Beriah had not many sons as father's house, therefore, they were reckoned as one.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
The sons of Kohath Amram, Jizhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.
David is reorganising the Levites for the temple. He counts the whole tribe, then sorts it family by family. This verse names the four sons of Kohath, the branch of Levi that carried the ark. Read together, their four names say more than ancestry.
One writer sets out the order of the chapter. He also notes where the two most famous sons of Kohath ended up:
First comes the numbering of the Levites. Then comes their division into groups (vv. 6-23) by their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Aaron and Moses belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are separated "forever" from this family of Levites, to hold the office of the priesthood "forever" (v. 13). Moses was lawgiver, mediator, and leader of the people. Yet he and his sons simply enter the tribe of Levi. From the moment Solomon's reign begins, his family holds no higher place than their brothers. So on the holy mountain he disappears completely, together with Elijah, to give place to Jesus alone as He enters His kingdom.
Of the three branches of Levi, Kohath's carried the holiest load. They carried it without wagons:
Gershon and Merari might need wagons and oxen to carry the boards and the rest. Kohath did not. His charge was too precious to trust to anyone or anything but himself. So it was his high and honoured place to carry it all on his shoulders. What a privilege to carry the ark, the table, or the golden candlestick!
Kohath's name fits the load he carried:
Everyone agrees that "Kohath" means "assembly." And he has the ark in his charge, the centre of gathering. God reveals Himself to us in Christ, as the fruit of His work. To lift Christ up like that is to draw people to Him, just as He promised. This is the glory of Kohathite service. John the Baptist looked at Jesus as He walked, and out of the fullness of his heart said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!" Those who heard him left him and followed Jesus.
The same writer takes the four sons in order, name by name:
Kohath's first son is Amram, "people of the Exalted One." It is a beautiful name, if we connect it with that gathering to Christ which his father's own name seems to speak of. The next is Izhar, "oil," the undoubted type of the Spirit as the Anointer. Then we have Hebron, "union," as some put it, or "communion," as we have taken it elsewhere. Either way, it is the effect of the Spirit's work. Last comes Uzziel, "the power of God," the father of Elizaphan. These names run together naturally. Plainly they fit into one blessed picture of the results of Kohathite service.
A long list of names can look like dead weight. But there is a reason God writes His servants' names down:
Here we have little to say, except that the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants… He honours those who honour Him. He records their names in His word now, and He will glorify them in person in the great day that is coming soon.
One writer links the Levites directly to Christians today:
The LORD took them instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. The blood in Egypt had sheltered those firstborn sons from judgment, and the LORD claimed them as His own. But He took the tribe of Levi in their place, for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people. Their calling was to give themselves to God's interests, and He took special care of them. They were a picture of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, shows us in picture the place and the spiritual service God has called us to.
- Assembly — Kohath's name means "assembly." He carried the ark, the centre of gathering. Lifting up Christ draws people to Him.
- Exalted — Amram, "people of the Exalted One," names those so gathered as belonging to Him.
- Oil — Izhar, "oil," points to the Spirit as the Anointer, who does the work in them.
- Union and power — Hebron means union, or communion: the effect of the Spirit's work. Uzziel means "the power of God." The four names read as one picture of Kohathite service.
- Named — the Lord takes pleasure in recording even the names of His servants. The service ordered here pictures the place Christians are called to.
The sons of Amram Aaron and Moses. And Aaron was separated, that he should be hallowed as most holy, he and his sons for ever, to offer before Jehovah, to do service to him, and to bless in his name for ever.
Chapter 23 lists the Levites family by family. At Amram it stops to mark out one man: Aaron stands on different ground from all his relatives, and stands there for good. So what was that separation for, and how far does its "forever" reach?
The whole tribe was already set apart from Israel for the sanctuary. God then draws a second line inside that tribe, around Aaron's household.
The Levites are separated from the middle of the people, to be the special servants of the sanctuary. From among them the house of Aaron is separated in the same way, to be the only priesthood of that sanctuary. Israel was not to claim the services of the Levites, nor were the Levites to claim the priesthood of the family of Aaron. God was to be sanctified in those who drew near to Him. They were to approach Him in His holiness in the proper and appointed order.
Aaron and Moses were both sons of Amram. The verse lifts one of those lines out of the Levite ranks; the other stays among them.
Aaron and Moses belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are separated "for ever" from this family of Levites, to hold the office of the priesthood "for ever" (v. 13). As for Moses, the lawgiver, mediator and leader of the people: he and his sons enter into the tribe of Levi (vv. 14-26), and take no place above their relatives once the reign of Solomon begins.
The verse says Aaron was to minister to the LORD. A few verses later it describes the Levites' work in other words.
There is a difference here between the priests and the Levites. The former did service to the Lord Himself (v. 13), the latter, "did the work of the service of the house of God" (vv. 24, 28).
Commentators read both roles as pictures of the Christian life. Neither one can be dropped for the other.
Suppose Aaron and his sons represent the Church as a holy priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Then the Levites are a picture of the saints set apart to God for His will and service… Some value, above everything, the privilege of being in the presence of God as worshippers. Others count it the highest favour that they may serve. But the perfection of the Christian life lies in the combination of the two.
The verse sets Aaron apart for the most holy things. The altar of incense was one of them, and what he burned there was no sacrifice for sin.
Then the altar of incense; this was to be before the veil, that is, by the ark of the testimony, "where I will meet with you," He says. Aaron was to burn incense on this every morning, and so in the evening. It was outside for use, but it belonged inside, and was kodesh hakkadashim (holy of holies)… This had nothing to do with burnt offering, but was of priestly approach.
The verse ends with blessing in the LORD's name. That blessing came to the people through one channel.
This generous blessing flows through the channel of priesthood. Aaron and his sons are commissioned to pronounce this wonderful blessing. God will bless His assembly and keep it, without a break. It is always to rest in the sunlight of His gracious face. Its peace is to flow like a river. The LORD's name is to be called upon it. He is always there to bless.
Writers differ over how far the word "forever" reaches. One sees an office that stopped for a time and will start up again.
This priesthood was to be Aaron's and his sons' forever, "an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations" (Ex. 40:15). For centuries it has been on hold, since the altar and temple were laid low. But in time both will be restored in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, and then the sons of Zadok will take up their office again.
Another reads the type by its contrast with Christ, whose priesthood needs no successor.
No priesthood forever was theirs. It passed from father to son, unlike what we read of our Lord in Hebrews 7:24… The Lord Jesus is crowned in His glory and honour forever. So here again, when we view the type in the light of the One it pictures, the contrast strikes us more than the comparison.
- Apart. God set the Levites apart from Israel, then Aaron's house apart from the Levites. Nearness to God comes by His appointment, not by ambition.
- Inward. The priest served the Lord Himself. The Levite did the work of the house. Both are real service, and neither replaces the other.
- Upward. The incense was about drawing near, not about sin. Aaron burned it morning and evening at an altar that stood outside the veil but belonged inside.
- Outward. What the priest received in God's presence he carried back to the people. He put God's name on them in blessing.
- Onward. Aaron's line passed from father to son. Commentators differ: some say the office waits to be restored, others that it points to a Priest who never needs a successor.
-- And as to Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the tribe of Levi.
Aaron's line has just been set apart for the priesthood "forever" (v. 13). Now the record turns to Moses. It gives him a great title, yet it lists his sons with the ordinary Levites. So what does "the man of God" mean, and why does it pass nothing on to his children?
One writer lists the places where Scripture calls Moses by this name, and the life that went with it.
What is a man of God? Moses is the first servant of God to bear this honoured title. Scripture gives it to him four times (Deuteronomy 33:1; 1 Chronicles 23:14; 2 Chronicles 30:16; Ezra 3:2). His whole life was one of rare devotion to Jehovah. He gladly gave up the honours and comforts of the Egyptian palace so that he could take his place with God's crushed people. He willingly carried the burden of them through the forty years of "the provocation." And he bore their complaining and ingratitude with amazing patience.
Another writer explains what such a man is and does:
A man of God is a servant who represents God before men and upon whom God has impressed His own character. Such a man speaks for God; he speaks as the oracles of God. It is a high and solemn work, but it reduces man to nothing and strips him of all confidence in the flesh.
A writer asks why the sons of the greatest leader are filed with the crowd.
There is a special divine purpose in all the sons of Moses being counted among the mass of common Levites. "Now concerning Moses, the man of God [he himself is most prominent, and distinguished by that title], his sons were named among the tribe of Levi." There is no succession here of the kind that a Christendom copying Jewish forms boasts of. The man who took his place in leading Israel into the promised land was Joshua the son of Nun… But to be the leader of His people was an appointment God kept in His own hand.
Rossier links this listing to the start of Solomon's reign.
Aaron and Moses both belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are "forever" separated from this family of Levites to hold the office of the priesthood "forever" (v. 13). As for Moses — once "king in Jeshurun," lawgiver, mediator, and leader of the people — he and his sons enter into the tribe of Levi. From the moment the reign of Solomon begins, he and his family no longer hold a place above their brothers. So we see him on the holy mountain disappear completely, together with Elijah, to give place to Jesus alone, entering into His kingdom.
One of Moses' own descendants became a priest in idol worship.
This Levite took the place of priest in connection with idolatry. And he was a descendant of no one else but Moses himself, the great lawgiver of Israel. What a thought! Is it not true, is it not written on every verse we have read, "You must be born again"? There is no such thing as spiritual descent. There is no such thing as inheriting spiritual traits. The child of Moses may become the leader in a falling away from God.
Being ranked among ordinary Levites was no disgrace. The record names the work these men were given.
The sons of Moses "the man of God" could not, like their brothers the sons of Aaron, officiate as priests. They were named among the tribe of Levi. During David's reign, "Shebuel the son of Gershom," Moses' eldest son, was "ruler of the treasures." Shelomith, descended from Moses' second son, was the keeper, with his brothers, of "all the treasures of the dedicated things," given for the upkeep of the house of Jehovah. They held an honourable position in David's kingdom. So we can point to the sons of Moses as a striking example of that gracious promise fulfilled: "The children of Your servants shall continue; their offspring shall be established before You."
- Title — Moses is the first man Scripture calls "the man of God." The name marks a servant who gave up palace comforts for God's people, and on whom God has stamped His own character.
- Personal — The name stays with him alone. His sons appear on the common Levite roll, so the honour never becomes family property.
- No succession — Aaron's sons inherited his priesthood, but Moses' sons inherited no office. Leadership stayed in God's own hand.
- New birth — A descendant of Moses became a priest to idols. There is no such thing as spiritual descent, so each person must be born again.
- A place — These men still had real work: keeping the treasures of God's house. God's promise held true — the children of His servants are established before Him.
The sons of Moses Gershom and Eliezer.
David's great roll of the Levites gives one line to the family of the man who led Israel out of Egypt. It names his two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Two questions follow. Why does the lawgiver's household sit here among ordinary Levites, and what do those two names still say?
The record treats the two brothers differently. Aaron's line stands apart in the priesthood. Moses' line takes its place with the rest of the tribe.
Aaron and Moses both belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are "forever" set apart from this family of Levites to serve as priests "forever" (v. 13). Moses was once "king in Jeshurun," lawgiver, mediator, and leader of the people. Yet he and his sons enter into the tribe of Levi (vv. 14-26). From the moment Solomon's reign begins, his family holds no place higher than his brothers. So we see him on the holy mountain disappear altogether, along with Elijah, to give place to Jesus alone as He enters into His kingdom.
The two names move in opposite directions. One looks at where Moses was living. The other looks at what God was to him.
In naming his elder son Gershom, Moses showed he knew he was a stranger in the world where he lived. The cutting off of circumcision fitted that very well. Now the second son is named, and we move from what is negative to what is positive, since Eliezer means, "My God is a help." This had now been made very plain. In these two names we find Moses saying in principle what Joseph before him had said in the names of his two sons, which meant, "Forgetting," and "Fruitful."
Exodus records a struggle over these same boys before God could use their father.
The two names bear bright witness to the true and faithful heart of their father. In Exodus 4:24, 26 we have a hint that all was not well in Moses' own household. Zipporah evidently refused to let the sons be circumcised, because to her it seemed a cruel, unnecessary custom... But before God could use His servant this must be set right, and his household, as well as he himself, must bear the mark which testifies of death.
Gershom's line has a painful sequel. Some translations of Judges make it plain.
Turn to the New Translation, or the Revised Version, of Judges 18:30, and you will read the tragic words, "Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land." If this reading is correct — and it probably is, though we may not be fully sure — then the first idol priest recorded in Israel was the grandson of Moses.
Some copies read "Manasseh" instead of "Moses" there. One reference work explains how that happened, and comes down on the same side:
In many Hebrew manuscripts the letter nun (N) sits over or between the letters mem (M) and shin (S), so as to change the name of Moses to Manasseh. The Rabbis give this reason for the supposed correction: the copyists wanted to clear the name of Moses from the disgrace of having a descendant among idolaters in Israel. No doubt Moses should be read instead of Manasseh.
The story does not end in that shadow. Under David, descendants of both Gershom and Eliezer carry real responsibility.
The sons of Moses "the man of God" could not serve as priests, as their brothers the sons of Aaron did. They were named of the tribe of Levi. During David's reign, "Shebuel the son of Gershom," Moses' eldest son, was "ruler of the treasures." Shelomith, a descendant of Moses' second son, kept "all the treasures of the dedicated things" with his brothers. These were given for the upkeep of the house of the LORD (1 Chron. 26:24-28). They held an honourable position in David's kingdom. So we can point to the sons of Moses as a striking example of that gracious promise coming true: "Your children shall dwell secure; your offspring shall be established before you."
These Levites stand for more than themselves.
The LORD took them instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation... They were a privileged people, called to give themselves to God's interests, and He gave them special care (Numbers 3:40-51 tells us all about this). They were a type of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, shows us in type the place and spiritual service God has called us to.
- Named, not exalted — Moses' sons appear in the Levite roll like everyone else. His family holds no rank above his brothers.
- Named for a testimony — Gershom owns that Moses lived as a stranger; Eliezer says "My God is a help."
- Named yet unmarked — Zipporah refused circumcision for these boys. God set the household right before He used His servant.
- Named and disgraced — if the reading of Judges 18:30 is right, Moses' grandson through Gershom became the first idol priest in Israel.
- Named and trusted again — under David, descendants of both sons guard the treasures of God's house. A servant's offspring are established after all.
The sons of Gershom Shebuel the head.
David is listing the Levite families, and this line names the head of Gershom's house. Gershom was Moses' own son — so why does the lawgiver's family sit among ordinary Levites instead of the priests, and what became of that line?
The chapter divides Levi into the three families of Gershon, Kohath and Merari, and it quietly settles where Moses himself belongs.
Aaron and Moses belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are "forever" separated from this family of Levites to exercise the office of the priesthood "forever" (v. 13). Moses was once "king in Jeshurun," lawgiver, mediator, and leader of the people. Yet he and his sons enter into the tribe of Levi (vv. 14-26). From the moment Solomon's reign begins, his family holds no place above his brothers. So we see him on the holy mountain disappearing completely together with Elijah to give place to Jesus alone, entering into His kingdom.
Shebuel's family could not serve at the altar, yet the later chapters show what they were handed instead.
The sons of Moses "the man of God" could not serve as priests, as their brothers the sons of Aaron did. They were named of the tribe of Levi (1 Chron. 23:14-17). During David's reign, "Shebuel the son of Gershom," Moses' eldest son, was "ruler of the treasures." Shelomith, descended from Moses' second son, was, with his brothers, the keeper of "all the treasures of the dedicated things," given specifically for the upkeep of the house of the LORD (1 Chron. 26:24-28). They were privileged to hold an honourable position in David's kingdom. So we can point to the sons of Moses as a striking example of the fulfilment of that gracious promise, "The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before You."
(That closing promise is Psalm 102:28.)
Gershom's name carries a darker memory. One writer traces a priest of idols back to this same family.
At the very end we are told who this man is (Judges 18:30). He is the son of Gershom, the son of Moses (as the Revised Version also renders it), and he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. This Levite, who took the place of priest in connection with idolatry, was a descendant of no other than Moses himself, the great lawgiver of Israel. What a thought, beloved! Is it not true, is it not written on every verse we have read, "You must be born again"? There is no such thing as spiritual descent. There is no such thing as inheriting spiritual traits; and the child of Moses may become the leader in a falling away from God, just as much an enemy of God as an uncircumcised heathen king.
Set the two records side by side and the same family line, once linked with stolen religious treasure, is now trusted with God's own.
Why does a list of Levite names matter now? One writer explains who the Levites stood for.
The LORD took them instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. The blood in Egypt had sheltered these firstborn sons from judgment. The LORD claimed them as His own, but took the tribe of Levi instead of them for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people, called to devote themselves to God's interests and to receive His special care (Numbers 3:40-51 tells us all about this). They were a type of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, shows us in type the place and spiritual service God has called us to. Indeed, we are called "the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven" (Heb. 12:23).
- Named, not ranked. Moses' family enters the tribe of Levi and holds no place above the rest. Aaron's line alone carries the priesthood.
- Named, then trusted. Shebuel cannot serve as a priest. Yet in David's reign he is "ruler of the treasures" of God's house.
- Named, yet not saved by it. A man of this same line became a priest of idols. There is no spiritual descent — no one inherits new birth from a godly ancestor.
- Named again in grace. The family that produced an idol-priest later keeps the dedicated treasures of God's house — a striking example of the promise that a servant's offspring will be established before God.
- Your name in the list. The LORD took Levi in place of Israel's firstborn, whom the blood had sheltered. Believers today — "the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven" — are called to the same devoted service.
And the sons of Eliezer Rehabiah the head; and Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.
This verse closes the family record of Moses in verses 14–17. Eliezer had one son, Rehabiah, and Rehabiah's own descendants were too many to count. Two questions follow. Why is the great lawgiver's family listed among ordinary temple workers? And why does Scripture note that one man's household grew so large?
The list places Moses' descendants inside the tribe of Levi, not above it. One writer ties this to the start of Solomon's reign.
Moses was once lawgiver, mediator and leader of the people. Yet he and his sons enter into the tribe of Levi (vv. 14-26). From the moment Solomon's reign begins, his family holds no place higher than their brothers. So on the holy mountain we see him disappear completely, together with Elijah, to give place to Jesus alone, as He enters into His kingdom.
Moses' sons inherited nothing from him but a place among the crowd. One writer sees God's purpose in that.
There is a special divine purpose in counting all the sons of Moses among the mass of ordinary Levites. "But the sons of Moses the man of God were named among the tribe of Levi" (1 Chron. 23:14). There is no succession here of the kind that a Christendom copying Jewish ways boasts about. His immediate successor in leading Israel into the promised land was Joshua, the son of Nun.
Moses chose the names of his two sons, and one writer weighs what those names say about him.
Moses had two sons, Gershom (A Stranger There) and Eliezer (My God is an Help), names which bear bright witness to the true and faithful heart of their father.
Eliezer had no other sons, yet Rehabiah's line became very many. Later chapters show where some of that family ended up — in joy and in sorrow.
But there is joy as well as sorrow as we trace the descendants of Moses, for "Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler of the treasures" (1 Chron. 26:24). Shelomith came from the line of Eliezer, Gershom's brother. He was another man set "over all the treasures of the dedicated things" (1 Chron. 26:26). This was in the days of David. It is refreshing indeed to find these children of Moses trusted with some of the most responsible work in the kingdom. That is all the more striking when we remember that "Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Moses" was glad to share in the theft of Micah's treasures (Judges 18:18-20).
This family could not serve as priests. Another writer links their continuing line to a promise of God.
The sons of Moses, "the man of God," could not serve as priests, as their brothers the sons of Aaron did. They were named among the tribe of Levi (1 Chron. 23:14-17)… It was their privilege to hold an honourable position in David's kingdom. That lets us point to the sons of Moses as a striking example of God keeping His gracious promise: "The children of Your servants shall continue; their offspring shall be established before You."
(That promise is Psalm 102:28, quoted here from an older translation. The ESV reads: "Your children shall dwell secure; your offspring shall be established before you.")
Rehabiah's many sons are not filler in a register. This chapter counts men so that each one gets work to do.
King David's realm knew nothing of handouts for the jobless. Or if it did, they did not reach the Levites, for the simple reason that none of them was out of work. There were 38,000 of them fit for the work. Of these, 24,000 were labourers — and happy to be such, we should judge. Another 6,000 were officers and 4,000 were gatekeepers. The last 4,000 praised the Lord with the instruments which David said he had made for praise: they were the singers. Thirty-eight thousand men, and not an idler among them.
- Counted down — the record puts Moses' family among the Levites, with no rank above their brothers. The lawgiver gives way as Solomon's reign begins.
- Counted out — Aaron's sons took his priesthood, but Joshua led Israel after Moses. No one inherits a great man's place.
- Counted in — Moses named this son Eliezer, "My God is an Help," and the name witnesses to his own faithful heart.
- Counted up — Eliezer's one son left descendants beyond number. David put some of them over the treasures of God's house, while Jonathan, another descendant, shared in stealing treasure.
- Counted for work — 38,000 Levites, and not an idler among them. To be on the list was to have work to do.
-- The sons of Jizhar Shelomith the head.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
The sons of Hebron Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
The sons of Uzziel Micah the head, and Jishijah the second.
This verse sits inside a long roll of Levite names. David is sorting the tribe of Levi into working groups for the temple. It names two men from one small branch of that tribe. Why does God keep such names on record at all?
One commentator maps out how the sorting runs, and where Aaron's family lands in it:
After the numbering of the Levites comes their division into groups (vv. 6-23) according to their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Aaron and Moses belonged to the sons of Kohath. But Aaron and his sons are "for ever" separated from this family of Levites to carry out the office of the priesthood "for ever" (v. 13).
A reference work identifies the family this verse names:
Descendants of Uzziel No. 1, and one of the four divisions of the Kohathites.
Uzziel's house belonged to Kohath. That family carried the holiest furniture of the tent of worship, and carried it without wagons:
We can now easily see why Kohath had no share in the service of the princes. Gershon and Merari might need wagons and oxen to carry the boards and the rest, but not Kohath. His charge was too precious to entrust to anyone or anything but himself. So it was his high and honoured place to carry it all on his shoulders. What a privilege, for example, to be allowed to carry the ark, the table, or the golden lampstand!
In a list of Levite names and their meanings, Uzziel is given as:
Uzziel — The strength of God
Lists like this one do not record everybody. One writer points out that Kohath had other sons whose lines the list skips:
Kohath had another son, Hebron, who may have had, for all we know, ten times as many descendants. In short, the genealogies notice those about whom some special motive existed, and not the others.
So Micah and Isshiah are not filler. They are here because God had a reason to name them. The same writer says who decides a servant's place:
We are all brothers, having only one Master. But the Master gives grace to each according to His own will, according to the counsels of God the Father. He who denies brotherly unity denies the sole authority of the Master. He who denies the diversity of services also denies the authority of the Master. The Master disposes of His servants as He pleases, and chooses them according to His wisdom and His divine rights.
That is the weight behind "the chief" and "the second." The Master gives each his own place.
David, not Moses, fixes this order. One writer sees him acting here as a picture of Christ:
So David showed sovereign right to act for the LORD. He only did so because he is the type of Christ. There was One greater than Moses in the view of the Spirit of God, and David typifies Him... No doubt their duties were much enlarged. Their numbers might be great now, but the magnificence of the temple would call for every man from twenty years old. And, besides, David would give them all a place in it. It was an honour as well as a duty.
Why does a list of obscure names matter? The whole tribe pictures God's people now, each one put to work:
They were a privileged people, called to devote themselves to God's interests, and God cared for them in a special way... They were a picture of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David ordered it, shows us the place and spiritual service to which we have been called.
And the total count leaves no room for a spectator:
There were 38,000 of them fit for the work. Of these, 24,000 were labourers — and happy to be such, we should judge. 6,000 were officers, 4,000 were gatekeepers, and 4,000 praised the LORD with the instruments... Thirty-eight thousand men and not an idler among them.
- Named. Micah and Isshiah are on record because God had a reason to name them. The genealogies keep those about whom "some special motive existed," and pass over the rest.
- Placed. They stand in Uzziel's house, one of the four divisions of Kohath. That family's charge was too precious for wagons, so they carried it on their own shoulders.
- Ranked. "The chief" and "the second" show order inside the house. The Master gives to each according to His own will; to deny that diversity is to deny His authority.
- Appointed. David set this order, acting with sovereign right as a picture of Christ. He gave every man a place — an honour as well as a duty.
- Applied. The tribe pictures God's people today, called to devote themselves to His interests. Among 38,000 fit men, there was not an idler.
The sons of Merari Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli Eleazar and Kish.
Near the end of his reign, David organised the service of God's house down to the last detail. This verse sits inside that list, naming Merari — the third of Levi's three families — with the sons who came after him.
This verse is not a loose scrap of family history. It sits inside an ordered division of the Levites:
First the Levites are numbered. Then they are divided into groups (vv. 6-23) according to their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
The new order also changed the work. Men could start younger, because the heavy carrying had ended:
Once the reign of peace was firmly in place, the Levites could start their service at a younger age. What had blocked this before Solomon's reign was now gone. They no longer had to "carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service" (v. 26).
Merari's share was the frame of the tabernacle itself. One writer sees a picture of the church in those parts:
Their work was to care for the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars and sockets… The boards speak of the basic facts of what believers are "in Christ," and of their union in one building, the Church of God… So Merari stands for the ministry that unites believers to Christ and to one another, resting on the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Such ministry is of great importance in our present day.
The three names in this verse are not happy ones. One writer finds the reason in the work itself:
Last of Levi's three sons we find Merari, "bitter," with his two sons, Mahli, "sick," and Mushi, "yielding." These are the strangest words of all to find among Levi's sons… His work is mainly what we may call church work. Has anyone done this work without finding the bitterness that Merari's name expresses? A man who could not feel it would be a poor fit for ministry.
Each branch of Levi had its own task, so no one had to invent a role or compete for one:
Each had his specific work given. There could be no misunderstanding about it. How strange it would have been if these 22,000 Levites had formed committees and sub-committees to divide the work and direct in it!… Every member in the body of Christ has a service to render. The Lord Himself puts each member in place… Much of what people call Christian service is done in self-will, and so it lacks power and blessing.
The verse names two sons of Mahli. One of them, Eleazar, left no sons:
Son of Mahli, a Merarite. He had only daughters who married their cousins. 1 Chr. 23:21-22; 1 Chr. 24:28.
Later, when these Levite houses were divided by lot, no one ranked above another:
Note that the least among the Levites had the same portion as the chief fathers. The division was made by lot, according to the Lord's free choice (v. 31).
A list of forgotten men is still a list God kept:
It is deeply solemn to be allowed to read such a record of names. People forgot these names long ago. God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their path through this world. Some day our names likewise will be lost to mankind, but neither we nor our ways will be forgotten by God.
- Named. Merari, Mahli, Mushi, Eleazar, Kish. The world forgot these men. God remembered each one, and every detail of his path.
- Placed. Each of Levi's three families had its own work, with no room for confusion. In the same way, the Lord Himself sets each member of the body of Christ in place.
- Assigned. Merari's charge was the boards, bars, pillars and sockets. These parts hold the structure together — a picture of ministry that joins believers to Christ and to one another.
- Costly. The names mean "bitter," "sick," and "yielding." One writer reads them as the true experience of this work, and says a man who never feels it is a poor fit for it.
- Equal. Eleazar had only daughters, and they married their cousins. When lots were cast, the least among the Levites received the same portion as the chief fathers.
And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters; and their brethren the sons of Kish took them.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
The sons of Mushi Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.
Three names close out the family of Mushi, one line inside David's ordering of the whole tribe of Levi for temple service. Why does God's word keep names like these, and what work were they written down to do?
Mushi belongs to the third of Levi's three great branches. David was sorting the whole tribe into groups for service.
First comes the numbering of the Levites. Then comes their division into groups for service (vv. 6-23), according to their three families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
Mahli appears twice in this family. He is a son of Merari, and here a son of Mushi. Reference works keep the two men apart:
Son of Mushi, and nephew of the Mahli listed first. 1 Chr. 6:47; 1 Chr. 23:23; 1 Chr. 24:30.
Hebrew names carry meaning, and the meanings in this family fit the work given to them.
Last of Levi's three sons we find Merari, "bitter," with his two sons, Mahli, "sick," and Mushi, "yielding." Mahli, on the other hand, may express the faintness that comes from too much work. Mushi may point to that spirit of patience and gentleness which can give up everything else, where the truth allows it. How necessary such a spirit is in just this relation to the Church of God! The lack of it causes about as much trouble among believers as anything you could find. The leader over Merari's families stands in striking, comforting contrast to these names: Zuriel, "my rock is God," the son of Abihail, "the father of valour."
Merari's charge was the frame of the tabernacle — boards, bars, pillars, cords. Writers read that work as a picture of one kind of service.
Merari's service has to do with the house of God, the church of the living God. It has to do with holding up Christ as the way of access to God. And it has to do with supporting, strengthening and steadying what is His witness in the world. He stands for the workman. Gershon stands for the stranger and pilgrim, and Kohath for the one taken up with Christ. His name — Merari, "bitterness" — tells how painful such service is. Self-love will break down under it, or run off into some odd path that is easier on flesh and blood.
Naming every son of every father was not clerical fussiness. It meant nobody had to guess where he belonged.
Merari (bitter), with the family of the Mahlites and Mushites, numbered 6,200 people. Their place was on the north side, opposite Dan. Their service was to handle the boards of the tabernacle, the pillars, sockets, pins and cords. Each had his specific work given. There could be no misunderstanding about it. How strange it would have been if these 22,000 Levites had formed committees and sub-committees to divide the work and direct it! All this would have brought in disorder. All they needed to do was the work into which the Lord had called them. The same is true in the church. Every member of the body of Christ has a service to give. The Lord Himself puts each member in place, and He gives each one his service, as He gave these sons of Levi and their families their specific work around the tabernacle.
Writers link the whole Levite arrangement to Christians today. The reason lies in how the tribe first came to hold its place.
The Lord took them instead of the firstborn sons of the whole nation. In Egypt the blood had sheltered those firstborn sons from judgment, and the Lord claimed them as His own. But He took the tribe of Levi in their place, for special service in His house and for His Name. They were a privileged people, called to give themselves to God's interests and to receive His special care. They were a picture of the whole Christian company today. Their service, as King David arranged it, shows what place and spiritual service God has called us to.
Writers admit that a list like this gives little on the surface. They look ahead for its full sense.
We pass over the names and the assigned work in the chapters that follow. They are not unimportant. But the full meaning of this listing may only be seen when everything comes to pass under the reign of the true Solomon.
- Placed. Mushi's three sons close out the Merarite branch. Merari was the third of Levi's families, and David was dividing the tribe for service.
- Named. The names read like the work itself. Merari means "bitter", Mahli "sick", Mushi "yielding" — the very spirit this service needs.
- Charged. Merari's load was boards, bars, pillars and cords. Plain work like this steadies and supports God's witness in the world.
- Assigned. The Lord gave each man his own task, so no one could mistake it. The tribe needed no committees, only obedience.
- Kept. These names record a people taken in place of the firstborn, a picture of Christians. Their full meaning waits for the reign of the true Solomon.