Why were the priests carrying the Ark?

[Resurrection Priest]

I've been trying to make sense of the commands to Joshua, concerning "the priests" who were to "bear the Ark of the Covenant" across the Jordan, and around Jericho 7 days.

 

Joshua 3:6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, "Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.
 (NAS)

 

Joshua 3:8 "You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'" (NAS)

 

Joshua 3:13 "And it shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above shall stand in one heap." (NAS)

 

v. 15 and v.17 and 4:10 & 16 &18 all say "priests who bore the Ark".

 

Problem is:  Another clan of the Kohathites were to "carry the Ark" - NOT the sons of Aaron.  

 

Were those other Kohathites regarded as an extension of the "Sons of Aaron" priests? 

Were "the sons of Aaron" directed to do the carrying for this special miracle occasion?

 

It happens again at Jericho.

Joshua 6:4 "Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets." (Jos 6:4 NAS)

 

Joshua 6:12" Now Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 And the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew the trumpets; and the armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while they continued to blow the trumpets." (NAS)

 

I don't remember how many men it took to "carry" the Ark with its "poles".  Minimum 4, I would think.  Possibly 6.

6 to carry, plus the 7 to blow trumpets would be 13 priests. 

 

That's a good many sons for Eleazar and Ithamar, to reach the minimum age of 30, by the time of this event.

Nadab and Abihu died without children. 

 

It would also mean those "priests" were serving without first being circumcised, unless they were very young at the time of the Exodus from Egypt, and had already been circumcised before the Sinai calf rebellion.

That's an interesting thought.  That being uncircumcised did not bar them from serving as priests. 

 

I do know the word translated as "priest" can also mean "chief minister".

That's why Moses usually wrote "sons of Aaron" when he wanted to be specific.

 

Any of you OT scholars have some insight on this?

[Tzephanyahu]

Very interesting @Resurrection Priest

I'm looking forward to see if anyone has some insight into this. 

Love & Shalom 

[Justin Adams]

1 Chronicles 15:2,26,27
Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them has the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister to him forever.

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day.

Exodus 28:1
And take you to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

1 Kings 2:26
26 Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.” 27 So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.…

[branchesofHim]

On 6/25/2020 at 9:31 AM, Resurrection Priest said:

I've been trying to make sense of the commands to Joshua, concerning "the priests" who were to "bear the Ark of the Covenant" across the Jordan, and around Jericho 7 days.

We are the priests unto God carrying the ark (His very presence which subsequently has His commands attached). The Jordan and Jericho were natural examples of the spiritual reality of today's natural world we live in. Shalom.

[Resurrection Priest]

Let me explain better, why I asked the question.

Levi had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. (Gen 46:11)

The "tribe of Levi - "The Levites",  consisted of Gershonites, Kohathites and Merarites. 

Kohath had 4 sons: Amram, Isehar, Hebron, and Uzziel. 

Amram had sons: Aaron and Moses.

ALL the Levites were specially chosen to serve at the Tabernacle, but only Aaron and his sons were to serve AS PRIESTS.

All the priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests.

The other Kohathites (not of Aaron's family), the Merarites, and the Gershonites had other duties. 

When the Tabernacle was moved in their journey of 40 years, the Gershonites were to carry all of the woven articles and hangings and coverings.

The Merarites were to carry the boards, bars, pillars, sockets, pegs, cords, and "utensils" for use in the courtyard.

The Kohathites  were to carry the Ark, and the Table of Shewbread, the Table of Incense (by their poles, and after they were "covered" by the priests).  Also the golden Lampstand/Menorah with it's "lamps".  Also all the "utensils" and bowls used inside the Tabernacle. 

The other Kohathites (not of Aaron's family) were NOT PRIESTS. 

SIDENOTE:  That was part of the rebellion under Korah.  He was a son of Kohath.  He was "seeking the priesthood". 

If the priests themselves did not "carry the Ark", then why were "the priests" commanded to carry the Ark ahead of Israel into the waters of the Jordon at the crossing, and to carry the Ark around Jericho? 

I'm wondering if those were special circumstances, so God commanded "the priests" themselves to do the carrying,

OR if maybe the Kohathites were actually carrying the Ark - in their role of serving the priests.   They were acting as an extension of the priests.   Joshua could write that "the priests" carried the Ark. 

 

 

[Ray12614]

Take a look at Numbers chapter 4, where it explains exactly 'what' the Kohathites were to carry. I read that they carried the furniture of the tabernacle after the sons of Levi covered and prepared them for transport. I am unclear if only the Levite priests carried the Ark, or, whether it was considered part of the furniture of the sanctuary. Because the Ark was the whole purpose of the tabernacle, and very important, I suspect it was only carried by the sons of Levi, namely the priests. Especially since Numbers 4:18 says that the Kohathites were NOT to be cut off from among the Levites.

Really interesting post!!! Wonder if George knows for sure ????

Grace and Peace . . . Ray . . .

 

[Jedi4Yahweh]

Yes the Kohathites as some already explained. The Kohathites were sons of Levi and were in charge of the Ark.

...and the leader of the fathers' households of the Kohathite families was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel. Now their duties [involved] the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they minister, and the screen, and all the service concerning them; - Num 3:30-31 NASB