Numbers 3:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is noteworthy that all the firstborn of Israel, those born since the inception of the law regarding the firstborn (see Ex. 10:42), are now substituted by the Levites, with a ransom being required only for the additional count, specifically 273 newborns. From this point forward, the tribe of Levi, consecrated to the Lord, along with all its descendants, belongs to Jehovah and cannot act as a replacement for the firstborn, who remain governed by the regulations established in the texts of Exodus (Ex. 13:2, 12), Leviticus (Lev. 27:6), and Numbers.