Carts and Oxen for the Levites
7: 1-9
Throughout these early chapters of Numbers there is a topical presentation rather than a chronological arrangement of the material. They have been telling us the story of the Israelite’s preparations to leave Mount Sinai. In the first four chapters of Numbers, they took a census (to see link click An – The Levitical Census) and assigned the Levites to their various tasks (see Ar – The Four Camps of Levites). Numbers 7-10 is a flashback and now returns to the theme of preparation, telling us how the Levites came to be in possession of six fine carts and twelve head of oxen to pull them. In order to relate this story, we are returned to the first day of the first month, the day the Tabernacle was set up (see the commentary on Exodus Hg – The Tabernacle was Set Up on the First Day of the Month), that the Sh’khinah glory of God filled the Most Holy Place (see the commentary on Exodus Hh – The Glory of the LORD Filled the Tabernacle), and that YHVH called Moses from within the Tabernacle, and that Aaron and his sons began their seven-day orientation (see the commentary on Leviticus Ba – The Meal and Seven Days of Training).
On the day Moshe finished putting up the Tabernacle, he anointed and consecrated it, all its furnishings, and the altar with its utensils. On that day, the leaders of Isra’el, who were heads of their father’s clans, began to bring a series of offerings (see Be – Gifts of the Twelve Tribes). These were the tribal leaders in charge of those counted in the census. They brought their offering before ADONAI, six covered carts and twelve oxen for transporting the Tabernacle through the wilderness – a cart for every two leaders and for each an ox (7:3-5a). The carts were given to the Levitical house of Gershon (see Au – The Clan of Gershon) and Merari (see Av – The Clan of Merari).
ADONAI told Moses to give them to the Levites, to each as needed for his duties. Therefore, Moshe took the wagons and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the descendants of Gershon, in keeping with the needs of their duties. Four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the descendants of Merari, in keeping with the needs of their duties, directed by Itamar the son of Aaron the high priest. But to the descendants of Kohath he gave none (see At – The Clan of Kohath), because their duties involved the holy objects, which they carried on their own shoulders. The Kohathites did not get any carts because they were responsible for carrying the furniture of the Tabernacle. Those furnishings were equipped with poles and meant to be carried upon the shoulders. Riding a cart was deemed a far less noble means of transportation than being borne on the shoulders of one’s servants.117
Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for your Awesome Holiness and purity! Isaiah heard the Seraphim calling out, “Holy, holy, holy, is ADONAI-Tzva’ot! He saw an awesome vision of your holiness: I saw ADONAI sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Seraphim were standing above Him. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. One called out to another, and said: “Holy, holy, holy, is ADONAI-Tzva’ot! The whole earth is full of His glory” (Isaiah 6:2-3). Father, we want to love You with all our heart and to keep in mind that You are a holy and Sovereign God. It is such a wonderful privilege to be given the right to be Your child (John 1:12) because of our faith in You (Romans 4:3-5, Ephesians 2:8-9); but it is a right that we must hold in high regard and remember to always approach You very respectfully. Great as it is to be a child of the King, we need to remember to worship You with awe and come into Your presence in a loving and respectful way. You are both our Heavenly Father whom we love to please You by our attitudes; however, You are also the holy and Sovereign King of the World whom we worship in reverence and awe. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen
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