“And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.”
In order to understand the context of this verse, it is important to explore the preceding verses. Numbers 3:44-51 describes the redemption of the firstborn sons among the Israelites. According to the Law given to Moses by God, every firstborn male, both of humans and animals, belonged to the Lord. However, instead of requiring the Israelites to offer their firstborn sons as sacrifices, God accepted the Levites as a substitute for the firstborns from the other tribes (Numbers 3:12-13).
In Numbers 3:44-51, the Levites were counted and assessed at a redemption price. The redemption money was a symbolic way of acknowledging that the firstborns belonged to God, and it was given to the priests, specifically Aaron and his sons, as representatives of the priestly tribe of Levi.
Moses, acting as God’s intermediary, collected the redemption money from the Israelites and presented it to Aaron and his sons according to the Lord’s command. The passage highlights Moses’ obedience to God’s instructions regarding the distribution of the redemption money.
This passage serves as a reminder of God’s ownership and sovereignty over the Israelites and their possessions. It also emphasizes the importance of obedience to God’s commandments, as demonstrated by Moses’ faithful execution of the Lord’s instructions.
Overall, Numbers 3:51 showcases the process of redeeming the firstborns and the faithful obedience of Moses in carrying out God’s command to deliver the redemption money to Aaron and his sons. It serves as a testament to the Israelites’ commitment to honoring God’s laws and the role of the Levites in their service to God.
