Numbers — Chapter 3

itha- Priefts that were anointed , and whofe hands were filed aid confecra- ted, to doe the function of priefthood. 4. For Nadab and Abiu died, when they offered the {trange fire in the light of our Lord, in the defere of Sinai without children:and Eleazat and Ithamar did the function of priefthood in the prefence of Aaron their father. j And our Lord fpake to Moyfes, faying:o Bring the tribe of Leu1,& make them ftand in the fight of Aaron the Prieft to minifter ynto him , and let them watch, 7, and obferue whatfoeuer pertaineth to the feruice of the multicude be- fore the tabernacle of teftimonie, 8. and let them keep the veflel of the tabernacle , feruing in the minifterie therof, 9. And thou thale giue the Leuites fora guift so, to Aaron andto his fonnes, to whom they are deliered of the children of Irael. But Aaron and his fonnes thou fhalt appoint ouer the feruice of priefthood. (4 ) The ftranger, that approa- cheth to mivifter, fhal die. 1. And our Lord fpake to Moyfes , faying:

the children of Ifrael, and the Leuives fhalbe mine. 13. For the firftborne is mine : fince I ftrucke the firit borne in the Land of Agypt : I haue fanctitied to me what foe- uer is firft borne in [frael from man vnto beaft, they are mine:I the Lord. 14. And our Lord fpake to Moyfes inthe defert of Sinai,faying: 15.’ Nuinber the fonnes of Leui by the houfes of their fathers and their families,cuerie male trom one month & vpward.16.Mcyfes numbred, as our Lord had comanded, 17.& there were tound theionnes of Leui by their names, Gerfon & Caath and Merari.18.The fonnes of Gerfon: Lebni & Semei.1g. The fonnes of Caath:Amram,and lefaar, Hebron,& Ozicl.zo. The foues of Merari: Moholi & Mufi.21.Of Gerfon were two families,the Lebnitical ,& Semcitical:22.of who were numbred the pee- ple of male fexe fr6 one month & vpward,feuen thoufand fie hundred. 23. Thefe thal pitch behind the tabernacle on the Welt , 24. vnder their Prince Heliafaph,the fonne of Lael. 25, And their charge inal be in the tabernacle of couenant, 26.the tabernacle it-felfe and the couer therct, thie mar, 3. Thefe are the names of the fonnes of Aaron the: (a) As none but Leuites mighe fertile in the tabernacle: fo none but off Aarons ftock might doe the office of Prieft- heod, 1b) One chiefe Monarchin _[the Church to whom al other Suveriors are fubcrdinare, . [fe] Moyfes is” ftel counted, & hath chiefe place and of- fice amon the Priefts, which were abfurd, faith S. Anguftin. in Pfal. 92. if he werenot a Prieft, i( a) The fonnes ot Moyfes were with him fo long ashe liued,but after iferued the ther Leuites did,and were Bumbred with

Vader their cuftodie fhal be the bords of the tabernacle, and the barres,and the pillers and their feete, and al things that pertaine tohis kind of feruice: 37 and the pillers of the court round about with: their teete , and the pinaes with the cords. 38. Before the tabernacle of. couenant, that is to fay ,.on the eaft fide ,ihal (¢) Moyfes.and Aaron campe, with (d) their fonnes, hauing the cuftodie ot the Sanctuatie , in: the middes of the childrenof Ifrael, What ftranger foener commeth. therta, fhaldie. 39. Al the Leuites, that Moyfes and Aaron numbred, according to the precept of our Lord by their tamilics inthe male kind. ‘trom one month and vpward , were twentie two thoufand. go. And. our Lord faid. to Moyfes ; Number the firft-borne of the male fex of the children of Ifrael , from one month. and vpward , and thou thalt. haue the fumme ofthem.41..Aad thou thalc take the Leuitesynto me a tel for akthe frft-borne of the cattel of the childrenoft Iftael,.42.Moyfes. reckned , asour Lord had commanded, the fhirit-berne of the children. of Lfrael..3.And the males by their namcs,trom one month & vpward,, were twentie two thoufand two hundred feuentie three. 4.4. And our Lord fpaketo Moyfesfaying : 45. Take the Leuitestor the firft-borne ot the children of Ifrael, and the cattel of the Lenites for their cattel, & the Leuites fhalbe mine.J am the Lord.46 Bur tor the price ot two hun- dred feuentie three of the firft-borne of the children ot Lael, ( ¢ ) thar exceed the number of the Leuites,47.thou thalt take flue ficles tor eue- r cie head after the meafure ot the Sanctuarie.A ficle hath wentie oboles, 4.And thoudhair giue the money to Aaron and to his fonnes the price of them that are aboue, 49. Moyies therfore tooke their money , that were aboue,& whom he redeemed of the Leuites,5o. tor the frit borne of among the Leuites. NVMERE 3x5 of the children of Hrael, a choufand three hundred {ixtie Hue licles » ae cording to the weight of the San@uatie,5 t.and gaue it to Aaron & his fonaes,according to the word that our Lord had commanded him,

Althe veffels and implements they thal receiue by account, ' and fo fhal carie them, 33. This is the office of the tamilic of the Mera~ rites, and their minifterre in the tabernacle of couenant : and they thal be vader the hand of Ithamar the fonne of Aaron the Priett.3.4,.Moyfes therfore and Aaron and the Princes of the fynagogue reckned the fon- r nes of Caath,by-theirkinreds and houfes of their fathers, 35.trom thir- tie yearesand vpward, vnto the fiftith yeare, al that enter in to the mi- niiterie of the tabernacle of conuenant : 36.and they were found two thoufard feuen hundred fittic, 37. This is the number of the people of Caath that enter into the tabernzcle of couenant : thefe did Moyfes and Aaron number according to the word of-our Lord by the hand of Moy- fes, 38, The fonnes of Gerfon alfo were numbred by the kinreds and ‘ houfes of their fathers , 39. from thirtie yeares and vpward , vnto the fittich yeare , al that encer into minilter in the tabernacle of couenant: 40.and they were found two thoufand tix hundred thirtie, 41. This is the people of the Gerfonites , whom Moyfes and Aaron numbred ac- cording tothe the word of our Lord. 42. The fonnes of Merari alfo were numbred by the kiareds & houfes ot their tathers, 43. tro thirtie yeares and vpward,vnto the fittich yeare , al that enter in to accomplilh the rites of the tabernacle of coucnant: 44. and they were found three thoufand two hundred. 45.this is the number of the fennes ot Merari, Whom Moyfes and Aaron reckned according to the commandment of our Lord by the haid of Moyles. 46. Althat were reckned of the Leui- tes, and whom Moyles and Aaron and the Princes of Ifrael tooke by name,by the kinreds and houfes of their fathers, 47.from thirtie yea- res and vpward, vnto the fitich yeare, entring into the mintiterie of the tabernacie,and to carie the burdens, 43, were in al eight thoufand fue hundred cightie. 4g. According to the word of our Lord did Moyfes recken them, cuerie one according to their othce and burdens , as our Lord had commanded him. Rr 2 CHAP. 7 (a) Stil by the leffe faith Theodoret) God inftru- th in the [recat 4. in Nw. If ther- \fore lepers ‘were caft out of the campe, how much more iuftly are hgretikes caft out ef the Church? '&) God ordai- med this law and miracu- loufly concur- red therin, to auoid wiue- flaughter,vpon vehement ie- lofie.Theed. 9,_ ro. in Nuns, °¢) Water fan- &ified by fpe- cial rites is called holie Twater, and fer- tteth to holie vies. chap. $.v.1 TC LG, Ue De 318° N-v MERI Purging of finne.

Twentie two thousand.] Immediately before were numbered of Gersonites 7500, of Caathites 8600, and of Merarites 6400, which make in al 22100. Why then are 300 left out of the total summe? Some suppose that the first borne of the Leuites were iust 300, and therfore so manie supplying only their owne places, there remained iust twentie two thousand to supplie the places of the first borne of other Israelites. Howfoeuer this doubt be solued, sure it is, by S. Hieroms iudgement, that these numbers are mysticall. And the iust number of 22 thousand Leuites may signifie (faith Origen homil. 4. in Num.) perfection, required in those that are designed to the particular seruice of God.