In this episode, we cover Numbers 3-4. God is going to command the Levites and give the detail of another layer of protection around the tabernacle, between the tabernacle and the other tribes.
HAYLEY’S BIBLE BENDER:
My takeaway from today’s episode was this explanation of differences between the Levites vs the Priesthood. In essence, all priests are Levites but not all Levites are priests. Susan broke it down this way:
“Jacob had 12 sons, Levi was the third and his descendants became the tribe of Levi. Levi had 3 sons that became the 3 clans of the tribe of Levi: the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites.
- Kohath, Levi’s second son, had sons, the oldest was Amram.
- Amram is the father of Aaron, Miriam and Moses.
- Moses was considered a priest because of his unique relationship to God which included his ability to talk to God and be in God’s presence.
- Moses anoints Aaron as high priest and the priesthood passes to Aaron and will continue through Aaron.
- Therefore, the priests all descend from one Levite family: Aaron’s family.
- Aaron had 4 sons, 2 of which died in Leviticus.
- That leaves 3 priests total: Aaron as High Priest and Eleazar and Ithamar.
- The priesthood is the top of the religious order. Only priests could look at or touch the holy things. Only the High Priests could enter the Most Holy Place. Only priests could offer sacrifices.
- The Levites, the thousands of other members of the tribe who were not priests, were to guard, transport, and erect the Tabernacle.”
What was your Bible bender? Did you learn anything new?
VERSES MENTIONED:
SHOW NOTES:
Camp Diagram by Jan Luyken (Rijksmuseum)
Marching Diagram by Jan Luyken (Rijksmuseum)
The Tabernacle
This article was written by Hayley Mowatt, producer of Bible Book Club.
