The Meaning of Numbers 3:32 Explained

Numbers 3:32

KJV: And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

YLT: And to the prince of the princes of the Levites, Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, is the oversight of the keepers of the charge of the sanctuary.

Darby: And the prince of princes of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest: he had the oversight of them that kept the charge of the sanctuary.

ASV: And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Eleazar  the son  of Aaron  the priest  [shall be] chief  over the chief  of the Levites,  [and have] the oversight  of them that keep  the charge  of the sanctuary. 

What does Numbers 3:32 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 3:32 mean?

And [was to be] chief over the leaders of the Levite Eleazar son of Aaron the priest [with] oversight of those who kept charge of the sanctuary
וּנְשִׂיא֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הַלֵּוִ֔י אֶלְעָזָ֖ר בֶּן־ אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן פְּקֻדַּ֕ת שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ

וּנְשִׂיא֙  And  [was  to  be]  chief 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
נְשִׂיאֵ֣י  over  the  leaders 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: נָשִׂיא 
Sense: one lifted up, chief, prince, captain, leader.
הַלֵּוִ֔י  of  the  Levite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
אֶלְעָזָ֖ר  Eleazar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶלְעָזָר  
Sense: Additional Information: Eleazar = “God has helped”.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַהֲרֹ֣ן  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
הַכֹּהֵ֑ן  the  priest 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
פְּקֻדַּ֕ת  [with]  oversight 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: פְּקֻדָּה  
Sense: oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store.
שֹׁמְרֵ֖י  of  those  who  kept 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת  charge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ  of  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.