Numbers 4:16

And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) The oil for the light.—Or, for the candlestick (Exodus 25:6).

The sweet incense.—Or, the incense of spices (Exodus 25:6).

The daily meat offering.—Better, the continual meat offering—i.e., the morning and evening minchah (Exodus 29:38-42).

The anointing oil.—i.e., “the oil of holy ointment” with which the tent of meeting, the vessels of the Sanctuary, and the priests were to be anointed (Exodus 30:23-31).

Benson Commentary

Numbers 4:16. Eleazar — He himself is to carry these things, and not to commit them to the sons of Kohath. The oversight — The care that all the things above mentioned be carried by the persons and in the manner expressed.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:4-20 The Kohathites were to carry the holy things of the tabernacle. All the holy things were to be covered; not only for security and respect, but to keep them from being seen. This not only marked the reverence due to holy things, but the mystery of the things signified by those types, and the darkness of the dispensation. But now, through Christ, the case is altered, and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

wholly of blue - Compare Exodus 25:4 note. The third and external covering of the ark only was to be of this color. The table of showbread had Numbers 4:8 an outer wrapping of scarlet; the altar Numbers 4:13 one of purple.

Put in the staves - Probably, "put the staves in order." These were never taken out of the golden rings by which the ark was to be borne (see Exodus 25:14-15), but would need adjustment.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. to the office of Eleazar … pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, &c.—He was charged with the special duty of superintending the squadron who were employed in the carrying of the sacred furniture; besides, to his personal care were committed the materials requisite for the daily service, and which it was necessary he should have easily at his command (Ex 29:38).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

i.e. He himself is to carry these things, and not to commit them to the sons of Kohath. The daily meat-offering of fine flour, which was to be offered every morning and evening with the daily burnt-offering. See Exodus 29:38,39.

The oversight of all the tabernacle, i.e. the care that all the things above mentioned be carried by the persons and in the manner expressed.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And to the office of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest,

pertaineth the oil for the light,.... The following things, to bear them, according to some Jewish writers; but rather it was to give the oil for the light, that is, the vessels, and so the vessels of the oil to the sons of the Kohathites; agreeably to which are the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, who paraphrase the words,"and that which was delivered to Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, the oil for the light, &c.''And indeed the words, as they are in the Hebrew text, may be rendered,"and the oversight of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, shall be, or "let it be", the oil for the light, &c. (z);''the same word being so rendered in a latter clause of this same text: he had the inspection of these, and on him lay to see to it, that these were carried by the Kohathites, the oil for the light of the lamps in the candlestick; of which see Exodus 27:20,

and the sweet incense: to burn on the altar of incense, Exodus 30:34,

and the daily meat offering; offered with the lambs morning and evening, Exodus 29:40,

and the anointing oil; with which Aaron and his sons were anointed, the tabernacle and all its vessels, Exodus 30:23,

and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is,

in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof: the former, the oil for the light, &c. were his immediate oversight and care; but the oversight of these by his brother Ithamar, according to the Jewish writers.

(z) So Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator.

Geneva Study Bible

And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the {k} daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.

(k) Which was offered at morning and evening.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. Eleazar superintends the Kohathites, and has personal charge of the oil for the light (Exodus 27:20), the ‘incense of sweet spices’ (Exodus 25:6; Exodus 30:34-38), the ‘continual meal-offering,’ and the anointing oil (Exodus 30:22-33).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - To the office of Eleazar,... oversight. Septuagint, ἐπίσκοπος Αλεάζαρ... :ἡ ἑπισκοπὴ. On him was laid the oversight of and the responsibility for all the material appliances of Divine worship, and in especial it devolved upon him to see to the oil, the incense, and the chrism, and the materials for the daily meat offering. No doubt it is intended, although not precisely expressed, that the Kohathites were specially under his orders. Numbers 4:16

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The oversight of the oil for the candlestick (Exodus 27:20), the incense (Exodus 30:34), the continual meat-offering (Exodus 29:40), and the anointing oil (Exodus 30:23), belonged to Eleazar as the head of all the Levites (Numbers 3:32). He had also the oversight of the dwelling and all the holy things and furniture belonging to it; and, as a comparison of Numbers 4:28 and Numbers 4:33 clearly shows, of the services of the Kohathites also.