47 And the Levites, for the tribe of their fathers, have not numbered themselves in their midst, 48 seeing Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 49 'Only, the tribe of Levi thou dost not number, and their sum thou dost not take up in the midst of the sons of Israel; 50 and thou, appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its vessels, and over all that it hath; they bear the tabernacle, and all its vessels, and they serve it; and round about the tabernacle they encamp. 51 'And in the journeying of the tabernacle, the Levites take it down, and in the encamping of the tabernacle, the Levites raise it up; and the stranger who is coming near is put to death.' 52 And the sons of Israel have encamped, each by his camp, and each by his standard, by their hosts; 53 and the Levites encamp round about the tabernacle of the testimony; and there is no wrath on the company of the sons of Israel, and the Levites have kept the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony. 54 And the sons of Israel do according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses; so they have done.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 1:47-54
Commentary on Numbers 1:47-54
(Read Numbers 1:47-54)
Care is here taken to distinguish the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the golden calf, had distinguished itself. Singular services shall be recompensed by singular honours. It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was committed the care of the tabernacle and its treasures, in their camps and in their marches. It was for the honour of the holy things that none should see them, or touch them, but those who were called of God to the service. We all are unfit and unworthy to have fellowship with God, till called by his grace into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and so, being the spiritual seed of that great High Priest, we are made priests to our God. Great care must be taken to prevent sin, for preventing sin is preventing wrath. Being a holy tribe, they were not reckoned among other Israelites. They that minister about holy things, should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in worldly affairs. And let every believer seek to do what the Lord has commanded.