31 Now these are the records of the generations of Aaron and Moses at the time when the Lord spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai . 2 These then are the names of the sons of Aaron : Nadab the firstborn , and Abihu , Eleazar and Ithamar . 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron , the anointed priests , whom he ordained e to serve as priests . 4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord when they offered strange fire before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai ; and they had no children . So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron . 5 Then the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 6 " Bring the tribe of Levi near and set them before Aaron the priest , that they may serve him. 7 "They shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting , to do the service of the tabernacle . 8 "They shall also keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting , along with the duties of the sons of Israel , to do the service of the tabernacle . 9 "You shall thus give the Levites to Aaron and to his sons ; they are wholly given to him from among the sons of Israel . 10 "So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood , but the layman who comes near shall be put to death ." 11 Again the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 12 "Now, behold , I have taken the Levites from among the sons of Israel instead of every firstborn , the first issue of the womb among the sons of Israel . So the Levites shall be Mine. 13 "For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt , I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel , from man to beast . They shall be Mine; I am the Lord ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 3:1-13
Commentary on Numbers 3:1-13
(Read Numbers 3:1-13)
There was much work belonging to the priests' office, and there were now only Aaron and his two sons to do it; God appoints the Levites to attend them. Those whom God finds work for, he will find help for. The Levites were taken instead of the first-born. When He that made us, saves us, as the first-born of Israel were saved, we are laid under further obligations to serve him faithfully. God's right to us by redemption, confirms the right he has to us by creation.