And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.
they shall
Numbers 18:7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
1 Chronicles 6:32 And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.
Ezekiel 44:8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.
and the stranger
Numbers 3:38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Numbers 1:51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Numbers 16:35,40 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense…
but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
This severe warning underscores the holiness of the tabernacle and the sanctity of the priestly office. The term "outsider" refers to anyone not of Aaron's lineage, emphasizing the exclusivity of the priesthood. This reflects the broader biblical theme of holiness and separation, as seen in Leviticus 10:1-2, where Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, are struck down for offering unauthorized fire. The death penalty for unauthorized access to the tabernacle underscores the seriousness of approaching God without proper mediation, pointing to the necessity of Christ's atoning work for access to God (Hebrews 10:19-22).
• God Himself chooses the mediators. The appointment is not democratic or hereditary beyond His command; it is divine delegation (Exodus 28:1; Exodus 29:9).
• Aaron’s line is singled out from among all Levites, underscoring that even service-oriented tribes need God-ordained leadership (Numbers 18:1).
• This safeguards right worship by rooting it in God’s revealed will, not human preference.
• Daily tasks—offering sacrifices, tending the lampstand, burning incense—maintain Israel’s fellowship with a holy God (Leviticus 9:7; Deuteronomy 10:8).
• Priests picture the coming Mediator; their work foreshadows Christ, the “great high priest” (Hebrews 5:1).
• Their service reminds the whole nation that access to God is a gift, not an entitlement (1 Peter 2:9).
• “Outsider” means anyone not of Aaron’s priestly line, including well-meaning Levites or kings (Numbers 16:40; 2 Chronicles 26:18).
• The restriction protects people: unchecked nearness to God’s blazing holiness would destroy them (Exodus 19:12-13).
• Boundaries teach reverence, cultivating a healthy fear of the LORD that guards against casual worship (Numbers 1:51).
• The penalty is severe because the offense is severe—treating God’s holiness as common (Numbers 18:7).
• Historical examples—Uzzah touching the ark (2 Samuel 6:7), Korah’s rebellion (Numbers 16)—show the verse enforced.
• Ultimately the death sentence points forward to Christ’s substitution: He bore the penalty for our unauthorized approach so believers may now “draw near” through His blood (Hebrews 10:19-22).
Numbers 3:10 establishes divinely appointed mediators, defines their sacred tasks, warns non-priests against unauthorized approach, and prescribes death for violations. The verse magnifies God’s holiness, underlines His right to set the terms of worship, and anticipates the perfect High Priest who alone grants safe access to the Father.
(10) Thou shalt appoint.--Or, number. The word is the same as that which is used for the numbering of the Israelites generally (Numbers 1:19) and for the numbering of the Levites (Numbers 3:15).Verse 10. - The stranger that cometh nigh. This constantly recurring formula has not always quite the same meaning: in Numbers 1:51 it signified any one not of the tribe of Levi; here it includes even the Levite who was not also a priest. The separation of the Levites for the ministry of the tabernacle was not to infringe in the least upon the exclusive rights of Aaron and his sons.