Numbers 4:29-49 - List them by their clans

4:29-33

Last up are the sons of Merari, with the same age bracket being selected. Presumably the reason for including even the youngest children in the original census was for the purposes of redeeming them. The Merarites were responsible for carrying the frames of the tabernacle. So each clan had its clearly assigned duty to carry out. All the work was overseen by Ithamar, the son of Aaron, and there was even a list of the specific items they had to carry. Everything was done in order (1 Cor 14:40).

4:34-49

We are then told how many men of serviceable age there were in each clan. The figure of 8580 does match exactly with the sum of the individual numbers in each clan. The text emphasises that everything was done as the Lord commanded, and was carried out through Moses, but it was the Lord at work.