民數記4:21-49

4:21 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
4:22 「你要將革順子孫的總數，照著宗族、家室，
4:23 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，全都數點。
4:24 革順人各族所辦的事、所抬的物乃是這樣：
4:25 他們要抬帳幕的幔子和會幕，並會幕的蓋與其上的海狗皮，和會幕的門簾，
4:26 院子的帷子和門簾（院子是圍帳幕和壇的）、繩子，並所用的器具，不論是做甚麼用的，他們都要經理。
4:27 革順的子孫在一切抬物辦事之上都要憑亞倫和他兒子的吩咐；他們所當抬的，要派他們看守。
4:28 這是革順子孫的各族在會幕裡所辦的事；他們所看守的，必在祭司亞倫兒子以他瑪的手下。」
4:29 「至於米拉利的子孫，你要照著家室、宗族把他們數點。
4:30 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，你都要數點。
4:31 他們辦理會幕的事，就是抬帳幕的板、閂、柱子，和帶卯的座，
4:32 院子四圍的柱子和其上帶卯的座、橛子、繩子，並一切使用的器具。他們所抬的器具，你們要按名指定。
4:33 這是米拉利子孫各族在會幕裡所辦的事，都在祭司亞倫兒子以他瑪的手下。」
4:34 摩西、亞倫與會眾的諸首領將哥轄的子孫，照著家室、宗族，
4:35 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，都數點了。
4:36 被數的共有二千七百五十名。
4:37 這是哥轄各族中被數的，是在會幕裡辦事的，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐數點的。
4:38 革順子孫被數的，照著家室、宗族，
4:39 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，共有二千六百三十名。
4:40 【併於上節】
4:41 這是革順子孫各族中被數的，是在會幕裡辦事的，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐數點的。
4:42 米拉利子孫中各族被數的，照著家室、宗族，
4:43 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡辦事的，共有三千二百名。
4:44 【併於上節】
4:45 這是米拉利子孫各族中被數的，就是摩西、亞倫照耶和華藉摩西所吩咐數點的。
4:46 凡被數的利未人，就是摩西、亞倫並以色列眾首領，照著家室、宗族所數點的，
4:47 從三十歲直到五十歲，凡前來任職、在會幕裡做抬物之工的，共有八千五百八十名。
4:48 【併於上節】
4:49 摩西按他們所辦的事、所抬的物，憑耶和華的吩咐數點他們；他們這樣被摩西數點，正如耶和華所吩咐他的。

²¹ The Lord said to Moses, ²² “Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. ²³ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

²⁴ “This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: ²⁵ They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, ²⁶ the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. ²⁷ All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. ²⁸ This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

²⁹ “Count the Merarites by their clans and families. ³⁰ Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. ³¹ As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, ³² as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. ³³ This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”

³⁴ Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families. ³⁵ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ³⁶ counted by clans, were 2,750. ³⁷ This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

³⁸ The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. ³⁹ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁰ counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. ⁴¹ This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

⁴² The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. ⁴³ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴ counted by their clans, were 3,200. ⁴⁵ This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶ So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. ⁴⁷ All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting ⁴⁸ numbered 8,580. ⁴⁹ At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.

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    從利未支派的分支與工作分配中可以看見會幕的事務是有所分別的，然而這一切都是為了支持亞倫家族可以侍立在上帝面前，在上帝和人的中間，成為上帝和人的中保。

    然而耶穌基督成為中保，並不需要一個龐大的組織來支持，正如教會是被基督拯救的人，不是支持基督人的人，與利未支派是支持亞倫家族不同！正如希伯來書7章所說:「那些成為祭司的，數目本來多，是因為有死阻隔，不能長久。這位既是永遠常存的，他祭司的職任就長久不更換。凡靠著他進到上帝面前的人，他都能拯救到底；因為他是長遠活著，替他們祈求。」（23-25）

    也因為這樣，所以保羅宣告：「因為只有一位上帝，在上帝和人中間，只有一位中保，乃是降世為人的基督耶穌；他捨自己作萬人的贖價，到了時候，這事必證明出來。」（提摩太前書:2:5-6）

    今日教會也是祭司的團體，是因為基督的救贖大功所支持，是代表基督在這個世代，呼召人來歸向基督，不是歸向一個人為的組織，這個組織雖是人的集合，不是要宣揚自己，而是要宣揚基督，完成耶穌基督的大使命:「所以，你們要去，使萬民作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗（或譯：給他們施洗，歸於父、子、聖靈的名）。」（馬太福音28:19）