Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service. He gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
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Numbers 7:6-8 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service. He gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the sanctuary belonged to them; they carried it on their shoulders.
Parallel Translations
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Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites.
He gave two wagons and four oxen to the sons of Gershon, according to their service.
He gave four wagons and eight oxen to the sons of Merari, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
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And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service:
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Show all 3 translations
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And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service.
And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Cross-references (4)
- Numbers 3:25-26 (v7) The duty of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting shall be the tabernacle, the tent, its covering, the screen for the door of the Tent…
- Numbers 3:36-37 (v8) The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its…
- Numbers 4:24-28 (v7) “This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens: they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle…
- Numbers 4:28-33 (v8) This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting. Their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v7 For their use to carry with.
For their use to carry with.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On v8 Num 7:8 And four wagons and eight oxen he…
Num 7:8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Ver. 8. And four waggons and eight oxen.] Double the number of what the Gershonites had, because their carriage was heavier; God proportions the burden to the back: none of his shall be oppressed, though "pressed out of measure above strength," {2Co 1:8} as Joseph was, whom the archers hated, and shot at: "But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob," ever reserved for a dead lift. {Gen 49:23-24 Mat 8:17} {See Trapp on "Gen 49:23"} {See Trapp on "Gen 49:24"} {See Trapp on "Mat 8:17"}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On v8 i.e. Under his care and inspection. See Gen 39:22.…
i.e. Under his care and inspection. See Gen 39:22. And it must be noted that these words belong both to the Merarites here, and to the Gershonites, Num 7:7, because both of them were under his hands, as is affirmed, Num 4:28,33.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv6–8 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen,.... Of…
And Moses took the wagons and the oxen,.... Of the princes, as he was directed:
and gave them unto the Levites; the Gershonites and Merarites; for, as for the Kohathites, they had no part of them, for a reason after given, Num 7:9.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv7–8 Verse 7. Two wagons - unto the sons of…
Verse 7. Two wagons - unto the sons of Gershon] The Gershonites carried only the curtains, coverings, and hangings, Nu 4:25. And although this was a cumbersome carriage, and they needed the wagons, yet it was not a heavy one.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v7 To the Gershonites, who had to transport the hangings…
To the Gershonites, who had to transport the hangings and coverings of the tabernacle, two wagons are assigned: to the Merarites, who had the charge of the solid parts of the tabernacle, four wagons. The furniture and vessels the Kohathites were to carry on their own shoulders. Compare Num 3:25-26, Num 3:31, Num 3:36-37.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On v8 Four. The sons of Merari were not very numerous,…
Four. The sons of Merari were not very numerous, (chap. iv. 44,) and they had the heaviest parts of the tabernacle to carry. The metal alone would weigh 274,875 Roman pounds, of 12 ounces each; not to mention the pillars, &c. If 100 waggons carried each 3000 pounds, and every man 50, they would not carry one half; so that the people must have furnished them with many more waggons besides these four of the princes. (Jansenius) (Calmet) --- Abulensis thinks the Merarites carried all that was not laid on the four waggons. (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v6 Moses took the wagons and the oxen--The Hebrew word…
Moses took the wagons and the oxen--The Hebrew word seems to be fairly rendered by the word "wagons." Wheel carriages of some kind are certainly intended; and as they were covered, the best idea we can form of them is, that they bore some resemblance to our covered wagons. That wheel carriages were anciently used in Egypt, and in what is now Asiatic Turkey, is attested, not only by history, but by existing sculptures and paintings. Some of these the Israelites might have brought with them at their departure; and others, the skilful artisans, who did the mechanical work of the tabernacle, could easily have constructed, according to models with which they had been familiar. Each wagon was drawn by two oxen, and a greater number does not seem to have been employed on any of the different occasions mentioned in Scripture. Oxen seem to have been generally used for draught in ancient times among other nations as well as the Hebrews; and they continue still to be employed in dragging the few carts which are in use in some parts of Western Asia [KITTO].
gave them unto the Levites--The principle of distribution was natural and judicious. The Merarites had twice the number of wagons and oxen appropriated to them that the Gershonites had, obviously because, while the latter had charge only of the coverings and hangings (the light but precious and richly-embroidered drapery, [Num 4:24-26]) the former were appointed to transport all the heavy and bulky materials (the boards, bars, pillars, and sockets) in short, all the larger articles of furniture [Num 4:31-32]. Whoever thinks only of the enormous weight of metal, the gold, silver, brass, &c., that were on the bases, chapiters, and pillars, &c., will probably come to the conclusion that four wagons and eight oxen were not nearly sufficient for the conveyance of so vast a load. Besides, the Merarites were not very numerous, as they amounted only to thirty-two hundred men from thirty years and upward [Num 4:44]; and, therefore, there is reason to suppose that a much greater number of wagons would afterwards be found necessary, and be furnished, than were given on this occasion [CALMET]. Others, who consider the full number of wagons and oxen to be stated in the sacred record, suppose that the Merarites may have carried many of the smaller things in their hands--the sockets, for instance, which being each a talent weight, was one man's burden (Kg2 5:23). The Kohathites had neither wheeled vehicles nor beasts of burden assigned them, because, being charged with the transport of the furniture belonging to the holy place, the sacred worth and character of the vessels entrusted to them (see on Num 4:15) demanded a more honorable mode of conveyance. These were carried by those Levites shoulder high. Even in this minute arrangement every reflecting reader will perceive the evidence of divine wisdom and holiness; and a deviation from the prescribed rule of duty led, in one recorded instance, to a manifestation of holy displeasure, calculated to make a salutary and solemn impression (Sa2 6:6-13).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv7–8 7. The sons of Gershon, having the smallest number…
7. The sons of Gershon, having the smallest number competent to serve, and having only the curtains, coverings, and hangings, received only two wagons and four oxen. See census of competent Levites, Num_4:34-49, notes.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On v7 7–9. The transport duties of each of the Levitical…
7–9. The transport duties of each of the Levitical families are laid down in ch. 4.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On v8 Four wagons... he gave unto the sons of Merari.…
Four wagons... he gave unto the sons of Merari. The heavy portions of the fabric, which were intrusted to the Merarites, especially required this means of transport.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v6 Gershon ... Merari
Gershon ... Merari
See how you translated these men's names in Numbers 3:17.
Read full note →
because of what their work needed
"because it was what they needed to do their work"
in the care of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest
"under the supervision of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest" or "Ithamar son of Aaron the priest oversaw their work"
Ithamar
See how you translated this man's name in Numbers 1:2.
He did this because
The word "he" refers to Moses.
because of what their work required
"because it was what they needed to do their work"
translationWords
descend
Aaron
priest
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.