The Relations of the Levites to the Priests. The Levites (i.e. the non-Aaronite descendants of Levi), who are here regarded as given (Numbers 3:9) by Israel to the priests to be their servants, are to have no share in the priesthood itself, which is limited to the descendants of Aaron (Numbers 3:10; Numbers 18:7). This limitation seems to have been of late origin. In early times there was no restriction to a particular family or tribe, for, according to Exodus 24:5, sacrifice was offered by young men of the children of Israel (without any mention of their belonging to a special priestly tribe); and in the time of David, his sons (of the tribe of Judah) and Ira (probably a Manassite) were priests (2 Samuel 8:18 *, 2 Samuel 20:26 *). But after the promulgation of Dt. the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi; and after the time of Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 44:10-16 *) it was confined to the sons of Zadok, a descendant of Aaron (1 Chronicles 6:3-8).
Numbers 3:10. priesthood: LXX adds, and everything about the altar and within the veil (cf. Numbers 18:7). stranger: i.e. everyone (including Levites, contrast Numbers 15:1) who is not a descendant of Aaron.