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The Formal Charge
v. 1. These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in Mount Sinai, that is, this is their further history at this point. Aaron is here named first, because his sons were the heirs of the priesthood.
v. 2. And these are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab, the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Exo_6:23.
v. 3. These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, for this, form of induction into office was ordered for them as well as for the high priest, Exo_28:41, although it is expressly related of Aaron only. Lev_8:12; Cf v. 30, whom he (Moses) consecrated to minister in the priest's office, to perform all the functions which pertained to that office.
v. 4. And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the Wilderness of Sinai, Lev_10:1; and they had no children. And Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron, their father, that is, during his lifetime. The two men whom the wrath of God had struck down had no children, and therefore the two youngest sons of Aaron alone performed the work of the priests' ministry.
v. 5. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
v. 6. Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron, the priest, like servants receiving the orders of their master, that they may minister unto him.
v. 7. And they shall keep his charge and the charge of the whole congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to do the service of the Tabernacle; they were to have charge of the entire ministry which had been entrusted to Aaron and the entire congregation with reference to the dwelling of God in the midst of His people.
v. 8. And they shall keep all the instruments of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, be responsible for their care, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the Tabernacle, in the name of all the people.
v. 9. And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons; they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel; their entire life-service was to be devoted to this ministry.
v. 10. And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death, for that was the punishment for every one not a priest that presumed even to approach the holy vessels.
v. 11. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
v. 12. And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel, as the substitutes for the oldest sons of all the people, who really should have had charge of this ministry, Exo_13:2; therefore the Levites shall be Mine,
v. 13. because all the first-born are Mine; for on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto Me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast. Mine shall they be; I am the Lord. Cf Exo_13:12-15. By virtue of this arrangement, which placed the ministry of the Tabernacle entirely into the hands of one tribe, the Lord secured their undivided interest, while at the same time He openly rewarded the members of the tribe of Levi for their quick determination in the defense of His honor, Exo_32:26 ff.