Please Explain Tabernacle Age Regulation

[MattyJames]

Hello all,

Was recently reading through Torah and I came across an apparent discrepency. Well at least I am haveing trouble in explaining it.

My question stems from what seems to be a contradiction between Numbers 4:3,23,30,35,43

"From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation."

and Numbers 8:24 "this is it that belongeth into the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the congergation."

We also read in 1 Chronicles where David numbers the Levites 23:3 "Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward: and their number by their polls, man by man was thirty and eight thousand."

and just to throw more vegies in the mix in Chronicles 23:24 the writer records
"...that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and upward."

...is there someway of reconciling these verses??

Look forward to your replies.

in the Grace of Messiah,

MattyJames

 

[Yahudim]

Shalom MattyJames,

What I see isn't so much a discrepancy as it is a chronology. The incidents you compare are apples and oranges and bananas. One is about the Aaronic priesthood, the second is about the Levitical priesthood, the third and the fourth concerns a poll and a royal decree of David. I am not sure about David's motives in changing the age of service for the Levites. Then again I haven't studied it much.

Be blessed,

 

[MattyJames]

Hmmm...mmmaybe

 

[Sephania]

"From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation."

and Numbers 8:24 "this is it that belongeth into the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the congergation."

and just to throw more vegies in the mix in Chronicles 23:24 the writer records
"...that did the work for the service of the house of the Lord, from the age of twenty years and upward."


What I am seeing is two things:

From 30-50 you are entered ( consecrated) into the service of the temple, this is your enlisted service time

From 25-30, This is your 'boot camp' this is your training or apprenticing, so when you turn 30 you are ready to serve. That is what I think this means:
twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the Tabernacle of the congergation."


I don't think they just let a green horn go in there not knowing anything and start handling the Holy things, or doing the sacrifices, or offering incense, you need to be shown how.

To wait upon, I think is a way of saying to observe how to do things before you come of age to do them.

 

[MattyJames]

Yes I am begining to think the same.
25-30 was sort of going to college before you enter into practice.

thanks for your thoughts Zayit

 

[Sephania]

Yes, it was sort of like Pre-Med, Pre-Law all rolled into one.

 

[MattyJames]

Yes, it was sort of like Pre-Med, Pre-Law all rolled into one.

haha