Commentaria in Numeros
Verse 1. AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED THE TABERNACLE, AND SET IT UP—not by himself, but by Beseleel and his companions: whence it is plain that here is a hysteron proteron. For the oblation of the princes, which is narrated in this chapter, was made before the census of the people, which is described in chapter 1. For the setting up and consecration of the tabernacle was completed on the first day of the first month of the second year, as is plain from Exodus 40:18. And on the same day was made the consecration of Aaron the pontiff, and of his sons the priests, as is plain from the same chapter of Exodus. On the same day also (1) began the oblation of the princes, made in the tabernacle now erected, as is said here. According to the order of the history, therefore, this chapter should have been joined immediately to Exodus. Wherefore here the order not so much of the history as of the subject matter is regarded: for when Moses had described the tabernacle and altars in Exodus, he added in Leviticus the description of the sacrifices, the consecrations of the priests, and their functions to be performed in the tabernacle and at its altars; then in Numbers he added the census of the people and of the Levites, to distinguish their ministries, and presently the rite and oblation of the Nazarites: for the Nazarites were consecrated to God, as the priests and Levites; and finally, on the occasion of the oblations prescribed to the Nazarites, he fittingly passes, or rather goes back, to the oblation of the princes, although it had been made long before. A like hysteron proteron we shall see in the two following chapters. Lyranus and some others distinguish a twofold setting up of the tabernacle: one daily, which was done daily during the first seven days of the consecration of the priests; the other stable and permanent, which was done on the eighth day from the first setting up of the tabernacle, on which the consecration of the priests was finished: and that from this stable one, namely from the eighth day, this oblation of the twelve princes was to be begun: this, I say, seems a fiction, and contrary to Sacred Scripture in this place. For that daily setting up of the tabernacle would have been fruitless and very troublesome, indeed almost impossible with so many boards, pillars and curtains, as Abulensis rightly shows.
Lyranus objects: Before the eighth day the consecration of Aaron and of his sons the priests was not yet finished; therefore in the first seven days the victims of the princes Moses must have sacrificed, not Aaron, nor his sons, since their consecration was not yet completed: but Moses alone could not do it; for each prince every day offered twenty-one victims to be sacrificed.
I answer: In the first seven days Moses alone sacrificed, that is slew and killed the victims, which he alone could easily do: but Aaron and his sons, after the sacrifice of the victim, flayed it, cut it up, washed it, and put it on the fire. These things the Levites also could do then, when the priests were not sufficient for them, as is plain from 2 Paralipomenon 29:34.
Note: Since there were twelve princes of the twelve tribes, their oblation lasted for as many days; for each day one prince offered his gifts. In the first seven days, therefore, when the consecration of Aaron and his sons was not yet perfected, Moses himself offered the sacrifices of seven princes: but on the eighth day, when the prince of the sons of Manasses, namely Gamaliel, offered, then Aaron, now a consecrated pontiff, offered the sacrifices both of his and of the four remaining following princes. So Abulensis.
Verse 2. THE PRINCES OF ISRAEL OFFERED, etc., AND THE RULERS OF THEM THAT HAD BEEN NUMBERED (as if to say, the 12 princes offered, who were the rulers of the twelve tribes, that is, of all the Israelites who had been counted and numbered, not here in chapter 1, for that numbering was later than this offering of the princes, as I have already said, but earlier, namely in the former census of the people, which was made in Exodus 38:25. These 12 princes, then, or rulers, offered together on the first day) TO THE LORD (for carrying the vessels of the tabernacle through the desert) SIX COVERED WAGONS.—“Covered,” namely that these sacred vessels might not be seen by the people, nor be hurt by rain, hail, etc.
Verse 3. WITH TWELVE OXEN.—Each wagon was drawn by two oxen. For the Jews used oxen and asses rather than horses, as I said on Exodus 13:13.
TWO OF THE PRINCES OFFERED ONE WAGON—two princes: for since six wagons were offered by twelve princes, it follows that every two princes offered one wagon. But the oxen, being twelve, were offered one by each prince.
Verse 8. FOUR OTHER WAGONS AND EIGHT OXEN HE GAVE TO THE SONS OF MERARI—because these had the heavier burdens, namely of all the pillars, besides the other burdens of boards, sockets, etc., so that Abulensis thinks that all their burdens could not be placed on these four wagons, but that some had to be carried by them. See what was said on Exodus 36, at the end.
Service—that is, ministry; for this is UNDER THE HAND (under the care, power and charge) OF ITHAMAR—as if to say: Ithamar presided over the Gersonites and Merarites and their vessels.
Verse 9. BUT TO THE SONS OF CAATH HE GAVE NO WAGONS NOR OXEN, BECAUSE THEY SERVE IN THE SANCTUARY.—“In the Sanctuary,” that is in the Holy and in the Holy of Holies; as if to say: The Caathites serve the Holy and the Holy of Holies, by guarding the vessels, which I will not have carried on wagons but on their shoulders, and that on account of the holiness of the vessels and for reverence.