Numbers 3:40-43 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

The Numbers of the First-born Males in Israel above one Month. The figure (22,273) is out of proportion to the total population given in 146; for if it is doubled (for an equal number of females), the result is only 44,546, so that for every first-born person there were approximately 44 who were not first-born, which implies that the average family numbered 45. It has been sought to evade this conclusion by assuming that account is taken of only those first-born who were not themselves heads of families; but there is no hint of this restriction in the text.

Numbers 3:41. and the earth, etc. Since the firstlings of clean cattle could not be redeemed (Numbers 18:15; Numbers 18:17), read, and the cattle of the Levites instead of the cattle of all the first-born among the children of Israel.

Related Commentaries of Numbers 3:40

Numbers 3:40-43

40 And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.

41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.

42 And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.