Merarites

The Gershonites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan thirteen cities.

The Merarites, according to their clans, received from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the tribe of Zebulun twelve cities.

These cities and their pasturelands the people of Israel gave by lot to the Levites, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Out of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of the people of Simeon they gave the following cities mentioned by name, which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the clans of the Kohathites who belonged to the people of Levi.

God was the enduring inheritance.

And notice the allocation to the descendants of, you know, how it's dispersed everywhere.

The allocation to the sons of Aaron is verse 9 to 20, the Kohathites 20-26, the Gershomites 27-30, the Merarites 34 to 20.

Ah, I messed that one up.

Evidently these hangings, and not the boards, constituted the tabernacle, or rather the dwelling, the tent, outside the framework, consisting of the eleven curtains of goat's hair and the covering of the whole being twofold, one of ram skins dyed red and another of badger skins.

While the Gershonites had charge of the dwelling, the tent, and the hangings of the outer court, the care of the boards of the dwelling, with all that belonged thereto, and of the pillars of the court round about, in short, of all the outer solid framework of the tabernacle and of the court, devolved upon the Merarites, under their chief, Zoriel, my rock is God.

Finally, the most important charge, that of the contents and vessels of the sanctuary, was committed to the Kohathites, under their chief, Elizaphan, my God watcheth round about.

Viewed as a whole, the camp of Israel thus formed a threefold square, a symbolical design, further developed in the temple of Solomon, still more fully in that of Ezekiel, and finally shown in all its completeness in the city that lieth foursquare.

The innermost square, as yet elongated and therefore not perfect in its width or comprehension, nor yet having the perfect form of a cube, except so far as the most holy place itself was concerned, which was a cube, was occupied by the dwelling, covered by the tent, and surrounded by its court.

Around this inner was another square, occupied by the ministers of the tabernacle, in the east, or at the entrance to the court, by Moses, Aaron, and his sons, in the south by the Kohathites, who had the most important Levitical charge, in the west by the Gershonites, and in the north by the Merarites.

Finally, there was a third and outermost square, which formed the camp of Israel.

The eastern, or most important place here, was occupied by Judah, bearing the standard of the division.

The Gershonites, they cared for the curtains and the covering of the tabernacle.

The Merarites cared for the frames, the crossbars, the posts, and the bases.

And the Kohathites cared for the holiest objects.

Things like the ark, the lampstand, the altars, the sacred articles.

The men were doing the work with integrity.

Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshulam from the Kohathites as supervisors.

The Levites were all skilled with musical instruments.

They were also over the porters and were supervising all those doing the work task by task.

Evidently these hangings, and not the boards, constituted the tabernacle, or rather the dwelling, the tent, outside the framework, consisting of the eleven curtains of goat's hair and the covering of the whole being twofold, one of ram skins dyed red and another of badger skins.

While the Gershonites had charge of the dwelling, the tent, and the hangings of the outer court, the care of the boards of the dwelling, with all that belonged thereto, and of the pillars of the court round about, in short, of all the outer solid framework of the tabernacle and of the court, devolved upon the Merarites under their chief, Zoriel, my rock is God.

Finally, the most important charge, that of the contents and vessels of the sanctuary, was committed to the Kohathites under their chief, Elizaphan, my God watcheth round about.

Viewed as a whole, the camp of Israel thus formed a threefold square, a symbolical design, further developed in the temple of Solomon, still more fully in that of Ezekiel, and finally shown in all its completeness in the city that lieth foursquare.

The innermost square, as yet elongated and therefore not perfect in its width or comprehension, nor yet having the perfect form of a cube, except so far as the most holy place itself was concerned, which was a cube, was occupied by the dwelling, covered by the tent, and surrounded by its court.

Around this inner was another square, occupied by the ministers of the tabernacle, in the east, or at the entrance to the court, by Moses, Aaron, and his sons, in the south by the Kohathites, who had the most important Levitical charge, in the west by the Gershonites, and in the north by the Merarites.

Finally, there was a third and outermost square, which formed the camp of Israel.

The eastern, or most important place here, was occupied by Judah, bearing the standard of the division.

Evidently these hangings, and not the boards, constituted the tabernacle, or rather the dwelling, the tent, outside the framework, consisting of the eleven curtains of goat's hair and the covering of the whole being twofold, one of ram skins dyed red and another of badger skins.

While the Gershonites had charge of the dwelling, the tent, and the hangings of the outer court, the care of the boards of the dwelling, with all that belonged thereto, and of the pillars of the court round about, in short, of all the outer solid framework of the tabernacle and of the court, devolved upon the Merarites under their chief, Zoriel, my rock is God.

Finally, the most important charge, that of the contents and vessels of the sanctuary, was committed to the Kohathites under their chief, Elizaphan, my God watcheth round about.

Viewed as a whole, the camp of Israel thus formed a threefold square, a symbolical design, further developed in the temple of Solomon, still more fully in that of Ezekiel, and finally shown in all its completeness in the city that lieth foursquare.

The innermost square, as yet elongated and therefore not perfect in its width or comprehension, nor yet having the perfect form of a cube, except so far as the most holy place itself was concerned, which was a cube, was occupied by the dwelling, covered by the tent, and surrounded by its court.

Around this inner was another square, occupied by the ministers of the tabernacle, in the east or at the entrance to the court, by Moses, Aaron, and his sons, in the south by the Kohathites, who had the most important Levitical charge, in the west by the Gershonites, and in the north by the Merarites.

Finally, there was a third and outermost square which formed the camp of Israel.

The eastern or most important place here was occupied by Judah, bearing the standard of the division.