The Meaning of Numbers 3:15 Explained

Numbers 3:15

KJV: Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

YLT: 'Number the sons of Levi by the house of their fathers, by their families; every male from a son of a month and upward thou dost number them.'

Darby: Number the sons of Levi according to their fathers' houses, after their families; every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

ASV: Number the children of Levi by their fathers houses, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Number  the children  of Levi  after the house  of their fathers,  by their families:  every male  from a month  old  and upward  shalt thou number  them. 

What does Numbers 3:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 3

1  The sons of Aaron
5  The Levites are given to the priests instead of the firstborn
14  Are numbered by their families
21  The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites
27  Of the Kohathites
33  Of the Merarites
38  The place and charge of Moses and Aaron
40  The firstborn are freed by the Levites
44  The balances are refunded

What do the individual words in Numbers 3:15 mean?

Number - the sons of Levi by houses their fathers' by their families every male from old a month and above you shall number
פְּקֹד֙ אֶת־ בְּנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָ֖ם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם כָּל־ זָכָ֛ר מִבֶּן־ חֹ֥דֶשׁ וָמַ֖עְלָה תִּפְקְדֵֽם

פְּקֹד֙  Number 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לֵוִ֔י  Levi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
לְבֵ֥ית  by  houses 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אֲבֹתָ֖ם  their  fathers' 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֑ם  by  their  families 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זָכָ֛ר  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
מִבֶּן־  from  old 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
חֹ֥דֶשׁ  a  month 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
וָמַ֖עְלָה  and  above 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: מַעַל 
Sense: higher part, upper part adv.
תִּפְקְדֵֽם  you  shall  number 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.