translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NUM

label: NET study note

text: This chapter and the next may have been inserted here to explain how the priests are to function because in the preceding chapter Aaron’s position was affirmed. The chapter seems to fall into four units: responsibilities of priests (vv. 1-7 ), their portions (vv. 8-19 ), responsibilities of Levites (vv. 20-24 ), and instructions for Levites (vv. 25-32 ).


text: The responsibility for the sanctuary included obligations relating to any violation of the sanctuary. This was stated to forestall any further violations of the sanctuary. The priests were to pay for any ritual errors, primarily if any came too near. Since the priests and Levites come near all the time, they risk violating ritual laws more than any. So, with the great privileges come great responsibilities. The bottom line is that they were responsible for the sanctuary.


text: The verb forms a wordplay on the name Levi, and makes an allusion to the naming of the tribe Levi by Leah in the book of Genesis. There Leah hoped that with the birth of Levi her husband would be attached to her. Here, with the selection of the tribe to serve in the sanctuary, there is the wordplay again showing that the Levites will be attached to Aaron and the priests. The verb is יִלָּווּ ( yillavu ), which forms a nice wordplay with Levi ( לֵוִי ). The tribe will now be attached to the sanctuary. The verb is the imperfect with a vav ( ו ) that shows volitive sequence after the imperative, here indicating a purpose clause.


text: Salt was used in all the offerings; its importance as a preservative made it a natural symbol for the covenant which was established by sacrifice. Even general agreements were attested by sacrifice, and the phrase “covenant of salt” speaks of such agreements as binding and irrevocable. Note the expression in Ezra 4:14 , “we have been salted with the salt of the palace.” See further J. F. Ross, IDB 4:167.


text: The Levites have the care of the tent of meeting, and so they are responsible for any transgressions against it.