Duties of the Levites

(Book of Numbers 4:1 - 4:49)

Jehovah then instructed Moses, "Record by their families and clans the names of all members of the Kohathite branch of the Levite tribe who are 30 to 50 years of age and able to serve in the Tabernacle.  The work of the Kohathites at Tabernacle is the custodianship of sacred objects.

"When camp is broken, Aaron and his sons will take down the veil that surrounds the Inner Sanctum and with it cover the Chest of Sacred Records.  Over the top of it they must lay a cloth of fine leather and over that, a cloth of blue.  Then insert into the Chest of Sacred Records its carrying staves.  Then put a blue cloth over the Showbread table, over its dishes, cups, and utensils used for drink offerings and the Showbread itself that is always displayed on it.  It should be covered with a cloth of scarlet and one of fine leather.  Afterwards, the carrying staves should be inserted into the table.  Next they should cover with a blue cloth the Menorah, its lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and the jars of olive oil that are its fuel.  These and all its accessories should be wrapped in fine leather and placed on a carrying frame.  Spread a blue cloth over the gold Incense Altar and cover it with fine leather.  Then insert the carrying staves into the altar.  The remaining furnishings of the Sanctum should be covered with a blue cloth, wrapped in fine leather, and placed on a frame for carrying.

"They must clean the ashes from the Sacrificial Altar and cover it with a purple cloth.  All the utensils used at the altar, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and basins, should be covered with the cloth, then wrapped in fine leather, and placed on a frame for carrying.  Afterwards the carrying staves should be put in place.

"The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have completed covering all the articles of the Sanctum.  As the camp sets out, the Kohathites will carry the afore-named objects, but they must not touch the sacred objects themselves, or else they will die.  But these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites are responsible for transporting.

"Eleazar, the son of Aaron, will be responsible for the oil of the Menorah, the Sacred Incense, the daily grain offering, and the Anointing Oil.  Moreover, he will be in charge of the entire Tabernacle, including the Sanctum and its sacred objects."

Jehovah warned Moses and Aaron, "Do not let the Kohathite branch of the Levite tribe perish!  So that they may be protected from being killed, Aaron or one of his sons must accompany the Kohathites whenever they enter the Sanctum and assign each man a specific task or object to carry.  No Kohathite must be allowed to sneak into the Sanctum in order to gaze upon the uncovered sacred objects, even for an instant.  Anyone who does so will be killed!"

Jehovah also instructed Moses, "Record by their families and clans the names of all members of the Gershonite branch of the Levite tribe who are 30 to 50 years of age and able to serve in the Tabernacle.   As a part of their duties the Gershonites will be entrusted with carrying the following objects: the curtains of the Sanctum, the covering to the Sanctum, including the fine leather outer covering that goes on top of it, the screen before the Sanctum entrance, the curtains that surround the Tabernacle courtyard,  the curtains for the Tabernacle entrance, and all the cords and other equipment necessary for installing the curtains.  Such are the items the Gershonites will be responsible for.  Aaron and his sons will supervise the Gershonites, whether it involves transporting objects from the Tabernacle or other tasks, and they will assign to each Gershonite worker the load he is to carry.   These are the Tabernacle duties that the Gerhsonites will be responsible for and in them they will be personally directed by Aaron's son Ithamar.

"Now record by their families and clans the names of all members of the Merarite branch of the Levite tribe who are 30 to 50 years of age and are eligible to do work related to the Tabernacle.  Their sole duty at the Tabernacle will be to carry the framework of the Sanctum, its crossbars, posts, and plinths, and the posts for the walls of the Tabernacle courtyard, with their plinths, tent pegs, ropes, and all related equipment.  Each man will be assigned an object to carry.  These are the Tabernacle duties that the Merarites will be responsible for, and in them they will be personally directed by Aaron's son Ithamar."

Moses, Aaron, and the other tribal leaders recorded by their families and clans the Kohathite branch.  The list comprising men from the age of 30 to 50 and able to serve in the Tabernacle numbered 2,750.  This was the result of the census of Kohathites able to serve in the Tabernacle conducted by Moses and Aaron in accordance with the instructions of Jehovah.

They also recorded by their families and clans the Gershonite branch.  The list comprising men from the age of 30 to 50 and able to serve in the Tabernacle numbered 2,630.  This was the result of the census of Gershonites able to serve in the Tabernacle conducted by Moses and Aaron in accordance with the instructions of Jehovah.

They also recorded by their families and clans the Merarite branch.  The list comprising men from the age of 30 to 50 and able to serve in the Tabernacle numbered 3,200.  This was the result of the census of Merarites able to serve in the Tabernacle conducted by Moses and Aaron in accordance with the instructions of Jehovah.

Moses, Aaron, and the tribal leaders completed their census of the tribe of Levi by their families and clans, of those from 30 to 50 years of age and able to serve in the Tabernacle and work in its transportation.  Their number totaled 8,580.  After their names were recorded, as Jehovah had instructed Moses, each was given a specific task to carry out and told what he was to carry.  And so the count was performed in accordance with the instructions Jehovah had given Moses.

Notes
1.  While Aaron and his descendants have the privilege of being priests, the rest of the Levite tribe, as has been said before, are reduced to being holy roustabouts, beasts of burden.  The work force is highly supervised; tasks are those a moron can perform.  Aaron and his sons have all the authority and those who work for them in the Tabernacle are decidedly just menials.

2. The objects to be carried when camp is broken and the portable Tabernacle is disassembled would require the labor of dozens or scores of men, not thousands.  There are only so many objects to carry.  How could the Tabernacle find work for 8,580 men?  It seems that consistently the numbers in Numbers are inflated by about a hundred times.

3.  Ordinary objects become sacred when touching or even looking at them causes death.  Jehovah is apparently so proprietary he will kill anyone that even breaths upon what he regards as his property.  But it is not clear what happens to the violator.  Is he suddenly burned up, struck by a lightning bolt, or does he merely drop dead.  Or, is the person arrested, charged with a crime, and executed?