Berean BlueApp preview

John Calvin on Numbers 3:45-51

Commentaries. Browse this work.

Numbers3:45-51

45. Take the Levites instead of all the first-born The compensation of which I have spoken follows; for, since the complete portion of God was not found in the tribe of Levi, it must needs be supplied from elsewhere. Since, then, the Levites, infants as well as men, were less by two hundred and seventy-three than the first-born of the twelve tribes of Israel, God required that five shekels of the sanctuary should be paid for every head. We have elsewhere seen that the shekel of the sanctuary was double, amounting to two ordinary ones.

Numbers 4

Numbers 4:1-3, 21-23, 29, 30, 34-49

1. And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

1. Loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen et Aharon, dicendo:

2. Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,

2. Tolle summam filiorum Cehath e medio filiorum Levi, per familias suas, per domos patrum suorum.

3. From thirty years old and upward, even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

3. Ab eo qui natus est triginta annos et supra, usque ad eum qui natus est quinquaginta annos, quotquot ingrediuntur congregationem, ut faciant opus in tabernaculo conventionis.

21. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

21. Loquutus est Jehova ad Mosen, et Aharon dicendo:

22. Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families:

22. Tolle summam filiorum Gerson, ipsos quoque per domos patrum suormn, et per familias suas:

23. From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

23. Ab eo qui natus est triginta annos et supra, usque ad eum qui est quinquaginta annorum, numerabis eos: quotquot ingrediuntur congregationem, ut faciant opus in tabernaculo conventionis.

29. As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers:

29. Filios Merari, per familias suas, per domos patrum suorum nu merabis:

30. From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old, shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.

30. Ab eo qui natus est triginta annos et supra, usque ad eum qui natus est quinquaginta annos, numerabis eos: quotquot ingrediuntur congregationem, ut faciant opus in tabernaculo conventionis.

34. And Moses and Aaron, and the chief of the congregation, numbered the sons of the Kohathites, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,

34. Numeravit ergo Moses et Aharon et princeps congregationis filios Cehath, per familias suas, domos patrum suorum.

35. From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:

35. Ab eo qui natus erat triginta annos, et supra, usque ad eum qui natus erat quinquaginta annos: quotquot ingrediuntur in congregationem illam ad ministerium peragendum in tabernaculo conventionis.

36. And those that were numbered of them, by their families, were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.

36. Fueruntque numerati eorum per familias, duo millia septingenti quinquaginta.

37. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number, according to the commandment of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.

37. Isti sunt numerati familiarum Cehath, omnes ministrantes in tabernaculo conventionis, quos numeravit Moses et Aharon juxta imperium Jehovae per manum Mosis.

38. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,

38. Numerati filiorum Gerson per familias suas, et per domum patrum suorum.

39. From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation;

39. Ab eo qui natus erat triginta annos et supra, usque ad eum qui natus erat quinquaginta annos: quotquot ingrediuntur in congregationem illam ad ministerium peragendum in tabernaculo conventionis.

40. Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families,by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.

40. Numerati inquam eorum per familias suas, per domum patrum suorum, duo millia et sexcenti triginta.

41. These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number, according to the commandment of the Lord.

41. Isti sunt numerati familiarum filiorum Gerson, omnes ministrantes in tabernaculo conventionis: quos numeravit Moses et Aharon juxta sermonem Jehovae.

42. And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their fanlilies, by the house of their fathers,

42. Numerati autem familiarum filiorum Merari per familias suas, per domos patrunt suorum.

43. From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation;

43. Ab co qui natus erat triginta annos et supra, usque ad eum qui natus erat quinquaginta annos: quotquot ingrediebantur in congregationem illam ad ministerium peragendum in tabernaculo conventionis.

44. Even those that were numbered of them, after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.

44. Numerati inquam eorum per familias suas, tria millia et ducenti.

45. These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered, according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

45. Isti aunt numerati familiarum filiorum Merari, quos numeravit Moses et Aharon juxta sermonem Jehovae per manum Mosis.

46. All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron, and the chief of Israel, numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,

46. Omnes numerati quos numeravit Moses et Aharon, et principes Israel, de Levitis per familias suas, et per domos patrunt suorum:

47. From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation;

47. Ab eo qui natus erat triginta annos et supra, usque ad eum qui natus erat quinquaginta annos: quotquot ingrediebantur ad peragendum ministerium cultus, et ad peragendum oneris in tabernaculo conventionis.

48. Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.

48.: Numerati, inquam, erarum ruerunt otto nilIlia et quingenti octoginta.

49. According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

49. Juxta sermonem Jehovae numeravit cos per manum Mosis, singulos secundum ministerium suum, et secundum onus suum: numerati autem ejus fuerunt hi quos ipsi praeceperat.

John Calvin, Commentaries, Numbers 3:45-51. Public domain.

Permanent link. Source edition.

Read Numbers 3. Compare commentaries on this chapter.

Source and publication rights

Public domain. Public Domain. Source edition.

Berean Blue opens December 1, 2026. Explore this passage in the app preview.