Numbers 4:29

Service of the Merarites. - Num 4:29 and Num 4:30, like Num 4:22 and Num 4:23. פּקד, to muster, i.e., to number, equivalent to ראשׁ נשׁא, to take the number.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

4:29-33 Even this assignment to the Merarite clan, which focused on items of lesser priority than those handled by the Kohathites and Gershonites, had to be done in a specific way, and the various loads were assigned to each man by name (4:32; cp. 1 Cor 14:40). While the Gershonites and Merarites lacked the status of Kohath’s family, each group contributed to the process of moving and erecting the Tabernacle.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

As for the sons of Merari--They carried the coarser and heavier appurtenances, which, however, were so important and necessary, that an inventory was kept of them--not only on account of their number and variety, but of their comparative commonness and smallness, which might have led to their being lost or missing through carelessness, inadvertency, or neglect. It was a useful lesson, showing that God disregards nothing pertaining to His service, and that even in the least and most trivial matters, He requires the duty of faithful obedience.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

29–33. The Merarites and their duties.

They carry (in wagons Num_7:8) the wooden framework of the Dwelling, and everything else of wood—bars, pillars and pins (or rather pegs)—the silver bases (R.V. ‘sockets’) of the framework and the bronze bases of the pillars of the court.

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.

And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets,

and their pins, and their cords,.... These belonged to the court of the tabernacle; the pillars were what the hangings were hung upon, and the sockets, into which the pillars were set, and the and cords, with which the hangings were fastened; see Exo 27:9,

with all their instruments, and with all their service; whatever else were used in, and served for the support of this part of the tabernacle:

and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden; everything, even the least that were committed to their charge, and they were to bear and carry, either they themselves, or in wagons, were to be mentioned by name; and not only every board, pillar, and socket, were to be told out to them, and particularly named, how many they were, to what they belonged, from whence they were taken, and where to be replaced; but every pin, and cord, and the use of them, that so when they came to set up the tabernacle again, there might be nothing wanting in its place to secure it, and make it as firm as at first: such particular notice and care does God take of all his people, and Christ of all committed to him, and so should ministers of the word of all that are their charge, who must one day give an account to God, Heb 13:17.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Work of the Merarites

v. 29. As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, muster them, take their census, by the house of their fathers;

v. 30. from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, as enrolled in the ranks of the Lord’s soldiers, to do the work of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

v. 31. And this is the charge of their burden, the appointments whose carrying was placed upon them as their ministry, according to all their service in the Tabernacle of the Congregation: the boards of the Tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,

v. 32. and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service; and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden, count them off very carefully, lest one be overlooked. Cf Num 3:36-37.

v. 33. This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, the priest, who was superintendent of this part of the work. The work of the Gospel ministry is also a good work, 1Ti 3:1, and those that are engaged in preaching should comport themselves as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, in the spiritual warfare against the enemies of their faith, 1Ti 1:18; Eph 6:10-18.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

the descendants of Merari

This refers only to men. AT: "the male descendants of Merari" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Merari

See how you translated this man's name in Numbers 3:17.

order them

"list them"

thirty years old ... fifty years old

"30 years old ... 50 years old" (See: Numbers)

join the company and serve in the tent of meeting

The word "company" refers to the rest of the people working in the tent of meeting. See how you translated this phrase in Numbers 4:3.

translationWords

family

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.