Numbers 18:6-7. To you they are given as a gift — We are to value it as a great gift of the divine bounty, to have those joined to us that will be helpful and serviceable to us in the service of God. The altar — Of burnt-offering. Within the veil — This phrase here comprehends both the holy and the most holy place. As a gift — Which I have freely conferred upon you, and upon you alone; and therefore let no man henceforth dare either to charge you with arrogance in appropriating this to yourselves, or to invade your office.

18:1-7 The people complained of their difficulty and peril in drawing near to God. God here gives them to understand, that the priests should come near for them. Aaron would see reason not to be proud of his preferment, when he considered the great care and charge upon him. Be not high-minded, but fear. The greater the trust of work and power that is committed to us, the greater danger there is of betraying that trust. This is a good reason why we should neither envy others' honours, nor desire high places.The Lord instructs here the priests that the office which they fill, and the help which they enjoy, are gifts from Him, and are to be viewed as such. 2-7. thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi—The departments of the sacred office, to be filled respectively by the priests and Levites, are here assigned to each. To the priests was committed the charge of the sanctuary and the altar, while the Levites were to take care of everything else about the tabernacle. The Levites were to attend the priests as servants—bestowed on them as "gifts" to aid in the service of the tabernacle—while the high and dignified office of the priesthood was a "service of gift." "A stranger," that is, one, neither a priest nor a Levite, who should intrude into any departments of the sacred office, should incur the penalty of death. For the Lord, i.e. for the service of the Lord, to assist you therein, in the servile and troublesome parts of it.

And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites, from among the children of Israel,.... See Gill on Numbers 3:12; where the same is said, only they, are here called the brethren of the priests for the reason given, Numbers 18:2,

to you they are given as a gift for the Lord, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; See Gill on Numbers 3:7, Numbers 3:8, and See Gill on Numbers 3:9.

And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.