44 And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, 45 'Take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites have been Mine; I 'am' Jehovah. 46 'And 'from' those ransomed of the two hundred and seventy and three (who are more than the Levites) of the first-born of the sons of Israel, 47 thou hast even taken five shekels a-piece by the poll—by the shekel of the sanctuary thou takest; twenty gerahs the shekel 'is'; 48 and thou hast given the money to Aaron, and to his sons, whereby those over and above are ransomed.' 49 And Moses taketh the ransom money from those over and above those ransomed by the Levites; 50 from the first-born of the sons of Israel he hath taken the money, a thousand and three hundred and sixty and five—by the shekel of the sanctuary; 51 and Moses giveth the money of those ransomed to Aaron, and to his sons, according to the command of Jehovah, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 3:44-51
Commentary on Numbers 3:40-51
(Read Numbers 3:40-51)
The number of the first-born, and that of the Levites, came near to each other. Known unto God are all his works beforehand; there is an exact proportion between them, and so it will appear, when they are compared together. The small number of first-born, over and above the number of the Levites, were to be redeemed, and the redemption-money given to Aaron. The church is called the church of the first-born, which is redeemed, not as they were, with silver and gold; but, being devoted by sin to the justice of God, is ransomed with the precious blood of the Son of God. All men are the Lord's by creation, and all true christians are his by redemption. Each should know his own post and duty; nor can any service required by such a Master be rightly accounted mean or hard.