“As The Lord Commanded” (4:1-49)

Neal Pollard

As with the previous chapters, this material is very structured. You will notice that twice Moses writes that “the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron” (1,17). After each occurrence, we find an important command. First, take a census of the Kohathites between the ages of 30 and 50 (3). Then, do not let the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites (18). 

We also find the phrase “this is the service” to delineate the responsibilities of the three divisions of the Levites: of the sons of Kohath (4-23), of the sons of Gershon (24-32), and of the sons of Merari (33-45).  That this chapter is about the service rendered by these Levite clans is clear from the fact that the word service is found 17 times in this chapter. This word “service” is found 290 times in the Old Testament. 

The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says, “The etymology of this word seems to share the ideas of several Semitic roots, e.g. the old Aramaic root which means ‘to do or make,’ an Arabic root meaning ‘to worship, obey’ (God) and its intensive stem meaning ‘to enslave, reduce to servitude.’ This service may be directed toward things, people, or God. When used in reference to things it is usually followed by an accusative of the thing upon which the labor is expended” (Kaiser et al, 639).  The word is often used in connection with Levitical service. 

In the second half of the chapter, there is Moses’ summary statement concerning all three clans: “This was the list of the clans of…” followed by the number who served in the tabernacle of the Lord. The Kohathites numbered 2750 (36). The Gershonites numbered 2,630. The Merarites numbered 3,200. This yielded a total of 8,580 (48). Thus, “According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the Lord commanded Moses” (49). 

Within the chapter, the specific tasks of each division or clan is detailed. The Kohathites are given care of the holy things and the service within the holy of holies (1-16). It was perilous duty and they are warned, with the object lesson of Nadab and Abihu in their rearview, to do this work with reverence and obedience (17-20). The Gershonites are given care for taking down and packing the contents of the tabernacle coverings and curtains (21-28). The Merarites are given the care of dismantling the tabernacle and frame as God leads them through the wilderness (29-33). 

We see such precision in these instructions, giving us yet another object lesson concerning our God being a God of order. He is showing His people how there should be obedience, intentionality, and forethought given to how to approach Him. While this should not reduce us to a puddle of fear and trepidation when we come before Him, it does encourage us to be much more thoughtful about how we come before Him in worship today. Worship is not filled with the external trappings of tents, curtains, and furniture today. It involves preparing and presenting a heart that adores God and longs to give Him what He wants in the way He want it (cf. John 4:24).