Monday, September 27, 2021

Numbers 4:49 and "By the Hand of" Not To Be Taken at Face Value

In Num 4:49, we read:

 

According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses (בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁ֔ה), every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

 

While not impossible, I doubt that Moses alone numbered the 8,580 men from v. 48. This shows us that "by the hand of 'x'" does not mean literally, but it has also the sense of doing an action on behalf of someone (in this case, Moses) (cf. "by the hand of Abraham").