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The total number of the firstborn males of all Israel amounted to 22,273
(Numb. 3: 43), whereas the total number of the Levites, who were the substitutes for
these firstborn, only amounted to 22,000. This left 273 unaccounted for, and these had
to be redeemed at the price of five shekels a head. The numbering of Israel had the
following objects in view:--
(1) To discover how many of an age of twenty years and upward were able to go forth to
war (Numb. 1: 45).
(2) To set apart the tribe of Levi for the service of the tabernacle (Numb. 1: 50).
(3) To ensure order when Israel encamped or marched (Numb. 2: 1-34).
(4) To settle the particular service of the three sections of the Levites (Numb. 3: 21-37).
The tribe of Levi was sub-divided according to the sons of Levi--Gershon, Kohath
and Merari. These had their allotted places: the Gershonites west of the tabernacle
(Numb. 3: 23), the Kohathites south of the tabernacle (Numb. 3: 29), the Merarites
north of the tabernacle (Numb. 3: 35), leaving Moses and Aaron and his sons the east
side of the tabernacle. Each section of Levites, moreover, had its special charge. The
Gershonites had the care of the tabernacle, the hangings, the door, the court and the cords
of the tabernacle. The Kohathites had charge of the ark and all the furniture and vessels
of the tabernacle. The Merarites took charge of the boards, bars, pillars and sockets, and
pins and cords of the court (Numb. 3: 21-37).
The Lord not only regulated the position and service of each son of Levi, but every
tribe had its allotted place for encampment:--
"Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign
of their father's house; over against about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they
pitch" (Numb. 2: 2).
The ensigns of the twelve tribes are not described in the Scriptures. Judah's ensign,
the lion, is fairly familiar to all Scripture students, but for the rest we must accept the
voice of tradition for what it may be worth. The targum of Jonathan, a paraphrase in
Chaldee, gives to each tribes one of the signs of the Zodiac:--
Tribe.
Sign.
Constellation.
Leo.
The Lion
JUDAH.--East.
Cancer.
The Crab.
ISSACHAR.
Virgo.
The Virgin.
ZABULUN.
Aquarius.
A Man.
REUBEN.--South.
Pisces.
Fishes.
SIMEON.
Aries.
The Ram.
GAD.
The two horns of the
The Ox.
EPHRAIM.--West. \
bull Taurus.
MANASSEH.
/
Gemini.
The Twins.
BENJAMIN.
Scorpio.
The Eagle.
DAN.--North.
Sagittarius.
The Archer.
ASHER.
Capricornus.
The Goat.
NAPHTALI.
Libra. Ancient name
/ The Scales.
LEVI.--In the midst.
Tulka, the Sacred Mound.
\ Earlier, possibly the Altar.