Levites or Firstborn or Both?
By MBPSTB
Saturday, 15 July, 2017
Sabbath, 28thD, 4thM
“Behold! I have taken the Levites from among the Children of Israel, in place of every firstborn, the first issue of a womb from among the Children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.”
Through recent years of studying the Torah, the verses whereby YHWH declares the firstborn as His, then shifts that to the Levites has caused some confusion if considered only at the literal level of reading. Just what might be meant by the verses that encompass both firstborns and Levites and is there some connection between the two groups and might it play a role in the days that precede the return of Jesus Christ?
In the book of Numbers we find that YHWH commanded all twelve tribes to allot certain cities within each inheritance for Levites to dwell in. If we consider human behavior we know that some of the Levites within each tribe’s land, most likely would have intermarried with those tribes. In fact, in the scriptures we find proof of these scattered all throughout the Old Testament (herein referred to by its Hebrew title Tanach).
Only the Levites were given charge of all things relating to the Tabernacle. So then, how is that in Revelation chapter 7 the 144 Thousand of the tribes of Israel are serving God in His Temple day and night?
Everything about the Commandments and statutes laid out for Israel by YHWH through Moses His servant are legal and binding Instructions. If YHWH declares that only the Levites will have charge of the Tabernacle, then that ordinance must stand. The only way then, that this select group (12 thousand from each tribe) could be legally allowed within the Temple would be if they also were also of Levite heritage.
So with this in mind, let’s look more closely at the verses surrounding the Firstborn and the Levites. Let’s also drill down the “Word Trails” and use the “Plug and Play” method to extract the (most likely) better choice words which might clarify the context and offer up a more concise understanding.
(Brenton) Behold, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, instead of every male that opens the womb from among the children of Israel: they shall be their ransom, and the Levites shall be mine.
(KJV) And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
Num 3:12 And I,H589 behold,H2009 I have takenH3947 (H853) the LevitesH3881 from amongH4480 H8432 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 instead ofH8478 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 that openethH6363 the matrixH7358 among the childrenH4480 H1121 of Israel:H3478 therefore the LevitesH3881 shall beH1961 mine;
Numbers 3:12 from a certain (more direct) Hebrew translation also supports this theory:
“Behold! I have taken the Levites from among the Children of Israel, in place of every firstborn, the first issue of a womb from among the Children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.”
We find that in most of the common English translations, “therefore” is in place of the “and” conjunction which more clearly points to the inclusion of both Firstborns and Levites.
We also find the “and” conjunction in the Brenton’s:
(Brenton) Behold, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel, instead of every male that opens the womb from among the children of Israel: they shall be their ransom, and the Levites shall be mine.
When we look at the definition for “therefore” we find it is not a very good substitute as a conjunction and infers the two groups as not only being separate but one replaces the other. It means:
“ for that; for this or that reason; consequently; hence”
Using the above four phrases we can plug and play them in place of “therefore” in the verse:
(KJV) And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: for that the Levites shall be mine;
(KJV) And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: for this and that reason the Levites shall be mine;
(KJV) And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: consequently the Levites shall be mine;
(KJV) And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: hence the Levites shall be mine;
As seen above, using the actual meanings given in the dictionary for the word “therefore”, we see something different than the modern implied understanding of what “therefore” means. Today, we tend to use “therefore” to define a separateness to things, ideas or actions spoken about and this certainly is the implied concept in Numbers 3:12 and is “therefore” deliberately left out of Strong’s because the actual truer meaning is to connect both groups? Who knows for certain.
With studying more than one bible version, with using plug and play and following word trails, we can take a verse and find the more appropriate word or phrase that better fits the context and gives clarity to the messages of God through His word.
So now, let’s break down this verse even more, looking at it from the viewpoint that the firstborn and the Levites as considered TOGETHER:
Num 3:12 And I,H589 behold,H2009 I have takenH3947 (H853) the LevitesH3881 from amongH4480 H8432 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 instead ofH8478 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 that openethH6363 the matrixH7358 among the childrenH4480 H1121 of Israel:H3478 therefore the LevitesH3881 shall beH1961 mine;
H3947 I have takenH3947 (H853)
לקח
lâqach
law-kakh'
A primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications): - accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive (-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
Num 3:12 And I,H589 behold,H2009 I have takenH3947 (H853) the LevitesH3881 from amongH4480 H8432 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 instead ofH8478 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 that openethH6363 the matrixH7358 among the childrenH4480 H1121 of Israel:H3478 therefore the LevitesH3881 shall beH1961 mine;
H8432 from amongH4480 H8432
תּוך
tâvek
taw'-vek
From an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, that is, (by implication) the centre: - among (-st), X between, half, X (there-, where-) in (-to), middle, mid [-night], midst (among), X out (of), X through, X with (-in).
Num 3:12 And I, behold, I have mingled the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
Num 3:12 And I,H589 behold,H2009 I have takenH3947 (H853) the LevitesH3881 from amongH4480 H8432 the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 instead ofH8478 allH3605 the firstbornH1060 that openethH6363 the matrixH7358 among the childrenH4480 H1121 of Israel:H3478 therefore the LevitesH3881 shall beH1961 mine;
H8478 instead ofH8478
תּחת
tachath
takh'-ath
From the same as H8430; the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.: - as, beneath, X flat, in (-stead), (same) place (where . . . is), room, for . . . sake, stead of, under, X unto, X when . . . was mine, whereas, [where-] fore, with.
H8430
תּוח
tôach
to'-akh
From an unused root meaning to depress; humble; Toach, an Israelite: - Toah.
Num 3:12 And I, behold, I have mingled the Levites from the midst of the children of Israel For the sake of/ to humble all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine;
What is presented here is only one example, but when we continue further into the book of Numbers, we find many other verses which repeat this message in chapters 3,8 and 18. The insistence by YHWH that the firstborn are redeemed to Him, that the Levites also belong to Him having no inheritance in the Land, is all throughout Numbers. There can be no mistake that YHWH is speaking of both and not replacing one with the other.
There is much more to the concept presented in this study. Aaron is called a saint (Psalm 106); The Hebrew word for “Ark” of the Covenant is (phonetically) “aw-rone”; Aaron himself was a firstborn; The saints are defined as those who keep the Commandments and have the faith of Jesus Christ; Jesus being the descendant ( in the flesh) of King David who also had Aaronite blood (see Exodus 6:23).
Keeping an open mind and always seeking truth is key and paramount to understanding and undoing the misconceptions that have pervaded the Christian and Jewish faith. It is these very misunderstandings that have allowed those who scoff to use this very misinformation to support their arguments and also to cause those who are in the faithwalk of Christianity and Judaism to stumble.
This study in no wise is to claim others wrong. The sole purpose is to get the reader to think, to consider all things, to pray for discernment and to encourage bolder seeking for knowledge and truth, to ask the question: “What if…..?”
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