And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
Numbers 3 lays out the written order for arranging the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God at Jerusalem, including the provision made for Aaron and his sons, and that same order was followed when the service of the rebuilt temple was appointed at its dedication. The verse belongs to the instructions for redeeming Israel's firstborn and deals with the extra firstborn Israelites who were left over in excess of the number of Levites counted in their place. Their redemption money was to be given to Aaron and to his sons.
Every firstborn male child belongs to the Lord, like the first-fruits of the farm, and is consecrated to God in grateful recognition that the firstborn of Israel were preserved from the destroyer when the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain. The consecrated son is then redeemed back to the family by payment of redemption money to Aaron and his sons. The price is five shekels, about $2.75, nearly three dollars.
The payment recognizes that God chose the whole tribe of Levi to be the priests and religious teachers of the people instead of the firstborn sons, who would naturally have become priests and religious teachers. The redemption of the firstborn, commonly called presentation in the temple, is the second ceremony required when a child is presented, alongside the purification of the mother with two offerings, though the ceremony did not have to be in the temple. That law was kept for the child Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem forty days after birth. It teaches that parents ought to consecrate every child to God and ever keep him before the Lord with earnest prayer.
The verse belongs to the law that established the Aaronic priesthood for Israel's dispensation, when priestly service was assigned to Aaron's line, and that priesthood lasted until the type met its antitype.
Numbers 3 lays out the written order for arranging the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God at Jerusalem, including the provision made for Aaron and his sons, and that same order was followed when the service of the rebuilt temple was appointed at its dedication. The verse belongs to the instructions for redeeming Israel's firstborn and deals with the extra firstborn Israelites who were left over in excess of the number of Levites counted in their place. Their redemption money was to be given to Aaron and to his sons.
Every firstborn male child belongs to the Lord, like the first-fruits of the farm, and is consecrated to God in grateful recognition that the firstborn of Israel were preserved from the destroyer when the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain. The consecrated son is then redeemed back to the family by payment of redemption money to Aaron and his sons. The price is five shekels, about $2.75, nearly three dollars.
The payment recognizes that God chose the whole tribe of Levi to be the priests and religious teachers of the people instead of the firstborn sons, who would naturally have become priests and religious teachers. The redemption of the firstborn, commonly called presentation in the temple, is the second ceremony required when a child is presented, alongside the purification of the mother with two offerings, though the ceremony did not have to be in the temple. That law was kept for the child Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem forty days after birth. It teaches that parents ought to consecrate every child to God and ever keep him before the Lord with earnest prayer.
The verse belongs to the law that established the Aaronic priesthood for Israel's dispensation, when priestly service was assigned to Aaron's line, and that priesthood lasted until the type met its antitype.