ואתה הפקד את הלוים. באר למה לא התפקדו כי פקודת המשכן עליהם על כן לא יצאו בצבא: BUT APPOINT THOU THE LEVITES OVER THE TABERNACLE. Scripture explains here why the Levites were not counted. They were not counted because the charge of the tabernacle was upon them. Therefore they did not serve in the army.74I.E. believes that those who were counted were counted for military purposes. This is also the view of Rashbam. See Rashbam on verse 2.
משכן העדת. הוא אהל מועד והמשכן לארון ששם העדות: THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY. The reference is to the tent of meeting and the tabernacle of the ark, which contains the testimony.75The tent of meeting was called the tabernacle of testimony because it served as a tabernacle for the ark, which contained the tables of testimony (luchot ha-edut) (Weiser). Vat. Ebr. 38 reads: The tabernacle of testimony refers to the ark wherein the testimonies are (that is, the tablets on which the ten commandments were written).
ועל כל כליו. כמנורה והשלחן והמזבחות: AND OVER ALL THE FURNITURE76The Hebrew reads kelim, which means articles, utensils, or vessels. This is the way I.E. interprets the term. THEREOF. Such as the menorah, the table, and the altars.
ועל כל אשר לו. הם כלי הכלים: AND OVER ALL THAT BELONGETH TO IT. The reference is the utensils which serve the furniture.77Such as the utensils which served the menorah and the table of showbread.
המה ישאו. הם הם הנושאים בנסוע המחנה והם המשרתים בחנותם וסביב המשכן יחנו: AND THEY SHALL BEAR THE TABERNACLE. They are the very ones who carry the tabernacle when the camp journeys, and they are the ones who shall minister unto the tabernacle when they camp. They shall camp around the tabernacle.