Numbers 4:29-33

Numbers 4:29-33

 

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

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.

And this [is] the charge of their burden, 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,

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.

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.

 

a. Originally the LORD ordained that the Gershonites would physically carry the materials of the Tabernacle assigned to them by the LORD, but due to the apparent generosity of the princes of Israel an offering was given that provided 6 wagons that would be used to carry the materials of the Tabernacle except the most holy items that the Kohathites would carry, everthing else would be put on wagons.

 

1). Numbers 7:1-9 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;

That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered:

 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.

 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.

But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.