The family of Merari, though smaller than either of the other families of Levi, yet had a greater number of able men than any of them; for out of 6,200 males of a month old and upwards, we find 3,200 who were neither too young nor too old for the service of the sanctuary; which was more than one-half of their whole number. In this the wisdom and providence of God appear most conspicuously; for the Merarites were charged with the heaviest part of the sanctuary, as the boards, bars, sockets, etc; and though waggons were afterwards provided for them, yet the loading and unloading of the sockets, and other things of great weight, would require much strength, both bodily and numerical. (Compare "And those that were numberedª° of them by their familiesª were¹ two thousandª sevenª hundredª and fifty.ª" {Num 4:36} and "Even those that were numberedª° of them, throughout their families,ª by the houseª of their fathers,ª were¹ two thousandª and sixª hundredª and thirty.ª" {Num 4:40}, with "Those that were numberedª° of them, according to the numberª of all¹ the males,ª from a monthª oldª¹ and upward,ª [even] those that were numberedª° of them [were] sevenª thousandª and fiveª hundred.ª" {Num 3:22} + "In the numberª of all¹ the males,ª from a monthª oldª¹ and upward,ª [were] eightª thousandª and sixª hundred,ª keepingª° the chargeª of the sanctuary.ª" {Num 3:28} + "And the chiefª of the houseª of the fatherª of the Gershonitesª [shall be] Eliasaphª the sonª of Lael.ª" {Num 3:24}.) Thus God ever manifests his wisdom, in fitting men for the work to which they are appointed, whether with respect to number or gifts: "For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues, but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." "And those that were numberedª° of them, according to the numberª of all¹ the males,ª from a monthª oldª¹ and upward,ª [were] sixª thousandª and two hundred.ª" {Num 3:34} + "Thy shoesª [shall be] ironª and brass;ª and as thy days,ª [so shall] thy strengthª [be]." {Deu 33:25} + "There hath²° noª temptationª takenª° youª butª such as is common to man:ª butª Godª [is] faithful,ª whoª will²° notª sufferª° youª to be temptedª° aboveª thatª ye are able;ª° butª will²° withª the¹ temptationª alsoª makeª° a way to escape,ª that yeª may be ableª° to bearª° [it]." {1Co 10:13} + "Forª to oneªª is givenª° byª the¹ Spiritª the wordª of wisdom;ª² to¹ anotherª the wordª of knowledgeª byª the¹ sameª Spirit;ª ... Forª asª the¹ bodyª isª° one,ª andª hathª° manyª members,ª andª allª the¹ membersª of that oneª body,ª beingª° many,ª areª° oneª body:ª soª alsoª [is] Christ.ª" {1Co 12:8-12} + "Andª he saidª° unto me,ª Myª graceª is sufficientª° for thee:ª forª myª strengthª is made perfectª° inª weakness.² Most gladly²¹ thereforeª will I²° ratherª gloryª° inª myª infirmities,ª thatª the¹ powerª of Christª may restª° uponª me.ª ... Thereforeª I take pleasureª° inª infirmities,ª inª reproaches,ª inª necessities,ª inª persecutions,ª inª distressesª for²° Christ's² sake:ª¹ forª whenª I am weak,ª° thenª amª° I strong.ª" {2Co 12:9-10}