Levi, son of Jacob and the ancestor of the Levites, had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari (Numbers 3:17). The descendants of these three sons became the three divisions of the Levites: the Gershonites, the Kohathites, and the Merarites. The Merarites were set in charge of all the framework pieces for the Tent of Meeting and its curtains: poles, sockets, crossbars, and so on (3:36-37). The Gershonites were set in charge of the all the cloth for the Tent, its curtains and screens, and all the cordage (3:25-26). The Kohathites were set in charge of all the internal furniture, the Ark of the Covenant, the altars, and so on (3:30-31).

On the day when all of the Tabernacle was completed and consecrated, the leaders of the other tribes made a rich and extensive offering: six wagon loads of offering (7:3). This included gold and silver dishes, very rich and expensive, containing incense and cereal offerings; it also included many animals for burnt offerings, sin offerings, and communion offerings (7:12-83). These offerings would be officially offered up over a period of twelve days, thus forming a great festival of dedication for the tabernacle.

And the wagons also became part of the offering, apportioned to the three divisions of the Levites. Four wagons would go to the Merarites, along with eight oxen to pull them; two wagons would go to the Gershonites, along with four oxen to pull them; and the Kohathites would get none (7:7-9). That’s because all the materials the Kohathites would carry would be carried on poles on their own shoulders, not in wagons (7:9).

That might well seem unfair. Many of these pieces of furniture would be quite hefty; the Ark of the Covenant in particular, with its solid gold cover and statues and gold overlay on the rest of the box, would be particularly weighty. The Merarites could load all their wooden pieces in the wagon, and then it would be up to the oxen to pull the wagon to the next camp; but the Kohathites would be laboring in the hot sun to bear the burden of the Ark and the other furnishings on their shoulders all day long. Apparently God was not concerned to make sure that all of the work was distributed equally; and indeed, in the end it is not always possible to divide all the labor equally. And yet the work still needs to be done.

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It’s hard for us just to do our work, O Lord. We are so quick to compare our assignment to others. We grumble and complain when it seems that our own load is unduly burdensome. When instead we recognize that our load is less strenuous, we assume it’s because we somehow deserve the easier task. But it’s all just work, work that comes from you, God: teach us to do it with grateful hearts.