shalt gather the whole: The words, kol à‚dath, which are rendered "the whole assembly," often signify all the elders, or principal persons in the several tribes (Num 15:4; Num 25:7; Num 35:12). And they cannot well have any other sense here; for it would be impossible for all the children of Israel to put their hands on the Levites, as stated in the next verse. Lev 8:3