Numbers 3 in the early church

38 passages quote, allude to, or echo Numbers 3, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.

Verses: 4 · 5 · 6 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 17 · 23 · 31 · 38 · 39 · 40 · 43 · 46 · 47

Numbers 3:4

Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:4	Demonstration 14.33 · Aphrahat	allusion, high confidence	337-345
Num 3:4	Oration 12.1 · Gregory of Nazianzus	allusion, high confidence	ca. 362–383
Num 3:4	Letters 44.5 · Paulinus of Nola	allusion, high confidence	ca. 394–413

Numbers 3:5

Then the LORD said to Moses,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:5	Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.86 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)

Numbers 3:6

“Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:6	Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.86 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410)
Num 3:6	Question 101, section 2 · Ambrosiaster	quotation, high confidence	ca. 370–384

Numbers 3:10

So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:10	Question 46, section 2 · Ambrosiaster	allusion, high confidence	ca. 370–384

Numbers 3:11

Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:11	Homilies on Numbers 3.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 3:12

“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:12	Homilies on Numbers 3.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:12	Homilies on Numbers 3.4 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:12–13	On Cain and Abel 2.7 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 375-378
Num 3:12	On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386–390
Num 3:12	Exposition of Psalm 118 8.4.3 · Ambrose	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 386-397
Num 3:12	Homilies on Matthew 58.1 · John Chrysostom	allusion, high confidence	ca. 390
Num 3:12	On the Blessings of the Patriarchs 55 · Ambrose	allusion, high confidence	ca. 387-392

Numbers 3:13

for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:13	Homilies on Numbers 3.2 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:13	Homilies on Numbers 3.4 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:13	On Cain and Abel 2.16 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 375-378
Num 3:13	On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose	quotation, high confidence	ca. 386–390

Numbers 3:14

Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai, saying,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:14–34	Numbers, lines 1–24 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Numbers 3:15

“Number the Levites by their families and clans. You are to count every male a month old or more.”
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:15	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XV (on Num 3.4) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)

Numbers 3:17

These were the sons of Levi by name: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:17	Homilies on Joshua 25.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:17	Homilies on Numbers 4.1 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 3:23

The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:23	Homilies on Numbers 3.3 · Origen	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:23	Oration 32.17 · Gregory of Nazianzus	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 362–383

Numbers 3:31

Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:31	Apostolic Constitutions 8.21.3 · Anonymous	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 380

Numbers 3:38

Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:38	Arabic Pentateuch fragment XV (on Num 3.4) · Hippolytus of Rome	allusion, high confidence	unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena)
Num 3:38	Homilies on Joshua 25.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:38	Homilies on Numbers 3.3 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:38–51	Numbers, lines 25–50 · Cyprianus Gallus	allusion, high confidence	early 5th cent.

Numbers 3:39

The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:39	Miscellanies 3.11.72 · Clement of Alexandria	allusion, low confidence	ca. 198–203
Num 3:39	Homilies on Numbers 4.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)
Num 3:39	Homilies on Matthew 85.4 · John Chrysostom	allusion, low confidence	ca. 390

Numbers 3:40

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Number every firstborn male of the Israelites a month old or more, and list their names.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:40	Homilies on Numbers 4.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 3:43

The total number of the firstborn males a month old or more, listed by name, was 22,273.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:43	Homilies on Numbers 4.1 · Origen	allusion, high confidence	ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410)

Numbers 3:46

To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who outnumber the Levites,
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:46–51	On Cain and Abel 2.11 · Ambrose	allusion, medium confidence	ca. 375-378
Num 3:46	Homilies on Matthew 58.1 · John Chrysostom	allusion, high confidence	ca. 390

Numbers 3:47

you are to collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel of twenty gerahs.
BSB

Reference	Passage	Kind	Date
Num 3:47	Commentary on Matthew 13.13 · Origen	quotation, high confidence	ca. 246–248