The Clan of Gershom
4: 21-28
The clan of Gershom DIG: What were the duties assigned to the Gershomites? How did they compare to the Kohathites? Given the mobile nature of the Tabernacle, how important would the work of the Gershomites be in the religious life of the Israelites? What does this passage teach us about treating the things of ADONAI with respect?
REFLECT: What are your spiritual gifts? Are you using them? How are believers like a spiritual Tabernacle? Who takes care of the physical aspects of worship in your church or Messianic congregation. Ask God to show you His particular purpose for your life. Ask God to help you know how to work more effectively with other believers for His Kingdom.
Parashah 35: Nasso (Take) 4:21 to 7:89
(See my commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Af – Parashah)
The Key People are Moshe, all the Levites, sons of Gershom, Merari and Kohath, the unclean, jealous husbands and their wives, Nazirites, Aaron, and the leaders of all the tribes.
The Scene is the wilderness of Sinai.
The Main Events include tasks for the Gershomites and Merarites, census totals for Levites, instructions to keep tsara’at (see the commentary on Leviticus to see link click Bv – The Test of Tsara’at) out of the camp, mitzvah of jealousy, Nazirite vows, the Aaronic benediction, altar dedication, offerings of the tribal princes, donations for the Levites, and Moshe entering the Tabernacle to hear ADONAI speak.
The Gershomites were responsible for the cloth, fabric and skins
that covered and enclosed the Tabernacle.
Nasso opens with a continuation of the numbering of the Levitical families. ADONAI said to Moshe, “Take a census of the descendants of Gershom also, by clans and families; count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the Tabernacle (4:21-22). The previous portion began this numbering process with the clan of Kohath (see At – The Clan of Kohath). The main function of the Levites was to guard the Tabernacle from the people and the people from the Tabernacle (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). With the living God in their midst, a step in the wrong direction might prove fatal (see the commentary on Leviticus Bh – The Death of Nadab and Abihu). The Levites camped around the Tabernacle to protect the Israelites from blundering into the Tabernacle and being struck down dead for inadvertent trespassing. Their encampment protected the Tabernacle from defilement and desecration.
Fundamental to their mission of guarding the Tabernacle was making sure that worshipers were in a state of ritual purity before entering. During the Second Temple era (called Herod’s Temple), Levitical guards checked those entering into the inner Temple area to determine if they had passed through the middle wall of separation and were in a state of ritual purity (see the commentary on Acts Cn – Paul’s Advice from Jacob and the Elders at Tziyon). In his vision of the New Jerusalem, John sees a City in which there is no Temple, for the whole City will be declared holy. The entire City is the Temple. Nothing unclean will be allowed to enter it. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. Its gates will never close, they stay open all day because night will not exist there, and the honor and splendor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure may enter it, nor anyone who does shameful things or lies; the only ones who may enter are those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:24-27).67
One of the main themes of this portion is Isra’el’s preparation to travel through the wilderness and enter the Promised Land. Among these preparations was the delegation of the various responsibilities among the Levites. It is important to note that in every case where a particular Levite family’s duties are described, the Bible says that those responsible are called mishmeret. This term comes from the root, shomer, which means to guard or to keep. The idea behind this root is protection. As applied to the work of the Levites, we see that God considered their ministry not to be one of meaningless physical labor, but rather, that of guarding, caring for, and protecting both the precious objects and precious calling. The precious objects were the Tabernacle and everything associated with its service. Not just anyone was entrusted with its care. It was a special family who could devote their entire lives to doing the work that ADONAI called them to do. And as we take joy in serving our Lord in what He has called us to do, I am sure they took great joy in their ministry also.
Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for being such a wonderful Heavenly Father! It is a joy to minister before You, serving You in various ways! Taking care of Your Church is similar to the Gershomites taking care of the cloth, fabric and skins that covered and enclosed the Tabernacle. The physical labor to care for the church building is meaningful and a joy as we seek to provide a clean and orderly place where all may worship You Your holiness and Almighty power. Thank You that all may worship You as their Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10). All who love You are welcomed into Your family, for it is the heart that You look at (First Samuel 16:7). You are an orderly God and so we keep your house in order. But let everything be done decently and in order (First Corinthians 14:40). How amazing that you put the stars in place and the planets in orderly orbits around the sun! You are a God of order in all you do and we delight in worshiping you in an orderly way. In the holy Name of Yeshua and the power of His resurrection. Amen
The Tabernacle was the sacred “home” where YHVH, the Divine Husband, met with His bride, Isra’el. Because of the special functions of the Tabernacle, the Levites were granted a unique privilege. The precious work was, of course, to function as priests in Isra’el. The Levites helped the Israelites come close to God and properly relate to Him. In return, ADONAI used the Levites to reveal some of His heart and mind to Isra’el, as well as to teach Isra’el the Torah.68
The Gershomites were responsible for the cloth, fabric and skins that covered and enclosed the Tabernacle (4:21-28): Although Gershom was Levi’s firstborn, Kohathite received the first job assignment. Gershom was still honored, however, by placement at the head of this new parashah. Gershom’s duties concerned the physical work of dismantling, loading onto wagons, and reassembling the cloth, fabric, and skins that covered and enclosed the Tabernacle. The Kohathites had already removed the holiest items, which they themselves were solely responsible for. Now the Gershomites removed the coverings, exposing the framework. The Merarites entered next (see Av – The Clan of Merari), doing the heaviest work of dismantling, packing, and unpacking the frameworks for the Tabernacle and outer court.69
ADONAI said to Moshe, “Take a census of the descendants of Gershom also, by clans and families; count all those between thirty and fifty years old, all who will enter the corps doing the work of serving in the tent of meeting (4:22-23).
The Gershom families are to be responsible for serving and for carrying the curtains of the Tabernacle, its covering, the fine yellow-orange leather covering (Exodus 26:14) above it, the outer veil (see the commentary on Exodus Fj – The Outer Veil of the Sanctuary), the curtains for the courtyard, and the curtains for the gateway to the courtyard (see Exodus Ez – The Gate of the Tabernacle: Christ, The Way to God), along with the ropes and all the utensils they need for their service; and they are to do the work connected with these things. Aaron and his sons are to supervise all the work of the Gershom clan in carrying loads and serving, and to assign them who is to carry what. This is how the Gershom clans are to serve in the Tabernacle. However, they were not to do their work alone. Even as they worked, Aaron was still responsible to see that their work was done properly. Hence, he delegated some of that responsibility to his fourth son Ithamar (4:24-28).70
Three words are used in connection with their tasks. The first is abode, which, in this case, describes the physical work of dismantling the curtains, etc., loading them on wagons, and reassembling them in due course. In the story, one month earlier the Gershomies had been given two wagons and four oxen to carry the curtains, etc. (see Bd – Carts and Oxen for the Levites). The second word, here translated carrying (Hebrew: massa), is literally “a burden.” The third word is mismeret, which means guard duty, and indicated that the Gershomites were responsible for watching over the curtains, etc., as the coverings, exposing the framework of the Tabernacle traveled on the carts.71
The Spiritual Tabernacle: One of the best examples of this organization is found in the teaching of First Corinthians (see the commentary on First Corinthians Ch – Unwrapping Your Spiritual Gifts), Romans (see the commentary on Romans Dc – Responding to the Mercies of ADONAI: Spiritual gifts), and Ephesians (see the commentary on Ephesians Bf – The Gifts of Messiah to His Church) concerning spiritual gifts. There are many parallels between spiritual gifts and the organization of the Levites. To begin with, both have been given because ADONAI’s people are called to accomplish God’s work on planet earth. In the case of the Levites, it was to administer over the Tabernacle and the sacrifices (see Leviticus An – The Offerings from the Priests Perspective). However, the Body of Messiah is also a “Tabernacle” – we are a place where the glory of God reveals itself on earth. It is also a place where sacrifices are offered daily. Unlike the ancient Tabernacle, however, the Body of Messiah does not offer animals in order to become close to God by atonement or fellowship. Instead, we are to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice, set apart for God, continually presenting our bodies to Messiah in order to worship and serve Him.
As far as the maintenance of this spiritual “Tabernacle,” the Body of Messiah, is concerned, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh gave very specific abilities to every believer in Yeshua . . . their task is to equip God’s people for the work of service that builds the body of Messiah (Ephesians 4:12). He did not give all of the gifts to one person. Instead, He so crafted His body that each and every person would have an extremely vital part to play – just like He divided the work of the Tabernacle among all of the Levites, each having a very specific part to do for the whole. As a result, we are told that YHVH gave certain supernatural spiritual abilities to His Body (see above) in order for His Body to function properly. The result is that each of us does exactly what the LORD assigned to us in the way He designed it to be done. Thus, God’s work is carried on effectively – just like the ancient Levites worked to have a smooth and effective Tabernacle service for Isra’el.
In addition, just as Sh’khinah glory of God filled the Most Holy Place when the Tabernacle was functioning (see Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle), so also does a bit of that same glory fill us when we are functioning correctly for the Lord. We are meant to be a physical expression of Messiah here on earth so that instead of people physically looking at Yeshua (Ephesians 1:22-23), they would instead look upon His Body – us. The idea is that they would see the same beauty, glory, and honor, and love, and justice, and truth they would have seen if our Lord was present among us today.72
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