Numbers 16:39Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Then Eleazar the priest took the brazen censers, wherein they had offered, whom the burning fire had devoured, and beat them into plates, fastening them to the altar:
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The Church Fathers on this verse

3 Church Fathers comment on this verse

Cyrill of Alexandria
Theodoret of Cyrus
Caesarius of Arles

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

God spoke to St. Moses and also to Eleazar, the priest and son of Aaron, instructing him to gather the censers of those who had perished and dispose of the fire. The censers belonging to these sinners had been consecrated by their demise, and they were to be shattered and made into sheets for the altar, for they had been offered to the Lord and rendered holy. These would serve as a sign for the children of Israel. This was the word of the Lord at that time. In Exodus, it is recorded that Bezaleel, the son of Uriah from the tribe of Dan, oversaw all the preparations, stating, “This man made the altar of brass from the brass censers, which were constructed by the ones who had prayed alongside the followers of Korah” (Ex. 38:1). Hence, what can be understood from this?

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It is of great significance to recognize that the altar, which symbolizes Christ, along with the candlestick, the laver, and the showbread, were all made from offerings brought by the people, each dedicated to God from what they possessed. It brings great joy to God the Father when they produce fruit for Christ and offer spiritual gifts, which foreshadowed these very things. The altar of the law's service metaphorically serves as a reminder and a prefiguration of the strife, opposition, and, as it may seem, the conspiracy against the great High Priest. Do you perceive the image clearly? For Aaron serves as a type of Christ. However, the Jews contested the glory of Christ, and their contention arose from the lawful altar; for the ministry has ceased as a shadow, and in Christ, we offer our prayers to the Father with spiritual fragrance. He has illustrated this for us as a representation, stating, “And thou shalt make an altar of incense, of shittim-wood shalt thou make it: the length thereof shall be a cubit, and the breadth thereof a cubit; it shall be four-sided, and the height thereof two cubits; and the horns thereof shall come out of it: and thou shalt cover it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about” (Ex. 30:1-3).

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

For what reason did God instruct that the censers used in sacrifices be employed to overlay the altar? This command served as a reprimand for those who boldly opposed the priesthood, while also affirming the role of those set apart for service in the holy office. He further declared, "For a memorial to the children of Israel, that no foreigner shall come, who is not of the seed of Aaron, to lay incense before the Lord." Additionally, God commanded that the dried rod be placed in the tabernacle, reaffirming that the priests should minister while the Levites should serve, without drawing near to the altar or the sacred vessels. He instructed what the priests were to partake of, commanding them to consume the offerings of wine, wheat, oil, and bread.

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He stipulated that the sacred offerings and the firstborn should be preserved, establishing the redemption cost for unclean animals. He stated, "The redemption thereof from one month, the valuation of five shekels, according to the holy shekel: there are twenty coppers." For the firstborn that are pure, He required that their blood be poured at the base of the altar, that the fat be offered as an offering, and that the meat be given to the priests, just as they receive the breast and thigh portions from other sacrifices. This communion was termed a covenant of salt, as the Apostle teaches, "those who serve the altar share with the altar." Others interpret this as relating to the command that sacrifices be seasoned with salt, thereby designating the offerings consecrated to the leaders as a covenant of salt. God made it clear to the priests and Levites that He did not desire them to receive a distinct inheritance like the other tribes; instead, He directed the Levites to accept a tithe from the contributions of the land, the increase from both small and large livestock, as well as from trade or any other endeavor, requiring them to offer a tithe of what they received to the priests. He established that this would be applied universally, while what is set apart from the sacrifices would remain in the temple itself. Thus, He designated tithes as a reward for the benefit of the people, affirming, whether you cultivate the land or engage in trade or dwell at home, the Levites minister before Me for you all, which He articulated in saying, "This is your recompense for your service, which is in the tabernacle of the vision."

Caesarius of Arles

6th centuryChurch Father

Recently, dear brethren, as the holy Scriptures were being read, we heard the Lord instructing Moses to break the censers used by the proud and rebellious individuals who presented incense before Him, transforming them into plates for the altar—so that they may serve as a lasting reminder of their arrogance and defiance. The Lord has declared that the censers belonging to these sinners were consecrated through their death; therefore, let them be transformed into plates that will cover the altar, for they were presented before the Lord and made holy (Num. 16:37-38). This indicates that these censers, referred to as brass in Scripture, reflect the essence of the divine Word.