Contradiction with Numbers 8:16
This verse positions the Levites as a total substitute for the firstborn among the Israelites, whereas Numbers 3:45 specifies the exchange explicitly tied to ownership by God.
Numbers 8:16: For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, [even instead of] the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Paradox #1
Numbers 3:45 could raise questions about fairness and the idea of substitution. The verse discusses the replacement of the firstborn Israelites with Levites in God's service. This might seem inconsistent with the concept of individual responsibility and equality, as it assigns one group's religious duties to another based solely on lineage, rather than choice or merit. Such arrangements might appear unequal by modern ethical standards.
Paradox #2
The moral conflict in this verse could be seen in the idea of substituting people for animals. It raises questions about the value of human life compared to animals and whether it's ethical to consider one as a replacement for the other in religious rituals. This might conflict with the belief that human life is uniquely valuable.