Numbers 4
07 Sep 2026 - Theology
Gershon, Kohath, and Merari
Levi had three sons: Gershon (Gershom), Kohath, and Merari. In this chapter, each family is given a specific role regarding the Tabernacle and their service unto the Lord.
Some things in the Tabernacle were called “most holy”: the Ark of the Covenant, the Menorah and its lamps and oil vessels, the gold altar, the copper altar, and the tools used in sacrifice. Only the High Priests could touch these things.
Numbers 4:2-3 - “Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.”
A special family of Levites, the Kohathites, were given the task of carrying the “most holy” things of the Tabernacle. The High Priests themselves would make the most holy things ready for travel, covering them with skins and putting them on poles.
Numbers 4:15 - “And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.”
Only then, when they could not be touched even by accident, would the Kohathites lift these things to carry them. The most holy things were thought to be very dangerous even to the Levites. So the Lord told Moses and Aaron:
Numbers 4:18-20 - “Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: But they [the Kohathites] shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.”
The Lord then commands Moses to take a census of the sons of Gershon (22), and then of the sons of Merari (29). This census was only for males between 30 and 50 years old, to see who is fit for work on the Tabernacle.
Gershon - 2630
Merari - 3200
Numbers 4:34-35 - “And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers, From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:”
Kohath - 2750
This means there were 8580 male Levites, between the ages of 30 and 50, who were fit for the work of the Tabernacle (48).
Numbers 4:49 - “According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.”
References
- The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
- The Torah Portion-by-Portion by Rabbi Seymour Rossel (2007)