American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Numbers 4
1
And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
2
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
3
From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 4:23
4
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
Reference
5
And when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
Reference
6
And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
7
And on the table of show bread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover with: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
8
And they shall spread on them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
9
And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his firepans, and all the oil vessels thereof, with which they minister to it:
10
And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it on a bar.
11
And on the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12
And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:
Reference
Temple
1 Chronicles 9:29
13
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
14
And they shall put on it all the vessels thereof, with which they minister about it, even the censers, the meat hooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.
15
And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Reference
16
And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertains the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
Reference
17
And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying,
18
Cut you not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
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But thus do to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
21
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
22
Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23
From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 4:3
24
This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
25
And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above on it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 26:14
26
And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27
At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and you shall appoint to them in charge all their burdens.
28
This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 4:33
29
As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30
From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shall you number them, every one that enters into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Reference
31
And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
32
And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name you shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 38:21
33
This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 4:28
34
And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
35
From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:
Reference
36
And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37
These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
38
And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
39
From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
40
Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.
41
These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.
42
And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
43
From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
44
Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
45
These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
46
All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
47
From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Reference
Temple
Numbers 4:3
48
Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore,
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 3:39
Summary of Numbers 4
Numbers chapter 4 continues the instructions concerning the Levites and their duties of carrying the tabernacle when the Israelites journeyed from one place to another. The previous chapter had described the different orders of the families of Levi and their duties. In Numbers 4:1-5 , God gives more instructions concerning the duty of the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. The chapter also describes who was eligible for this service and how the holy objects should be carried.
God instructed Moses and Aaron to take a census of the Kohathites, who were a family of the Levites. The men who were chosen for this task belonged to the age group of thirty to fifty years. They were supposed to carry the most sanctified furnishings of the tabernacle when the Israelites moved.
The Kohathites were not allowed to go into the sanctuary and carry the holy objects directly. The Kohathites had to wait until Aaron and his sons went into the sanctuary. First, Aaron and his sons had to put the veil over the ark, and then they had to put all the furnishings of the tabernacle under other coverings. The Kohathites would carry the table of shewbread, the candlestick, the golden altar, and its vessels, the altar of incense, and the holy vessels. But these servants of Israel had to learn that although they had a special duty to carry these objects, they were not priests, and they could not touch the holy place. If the Kohathites came near the holy place, they had to learn that they would incur a fate of death if they looked at these holy objects when they were unveiled. Eleazar, the son of Aaron, had the responsibility of overseeing much of this work and saw to it that the holy furnishings were carried in accordance with the word of God.
The Kohathites were given the duty of transport of these holy things when Israel encamped. These Kohathites were especially consecrated to this task since the Holy Tabernacle was the most important object in Israel. The Ark, the table, the lamps, the altars, etc., were holy things, and they represented Israel's religion. The Kohathites had more responsibilities as compared to any other family of the Levites. All this meant that the Kohathites had a permanent duty of carrying the tabernacle.
The Gershonites were also counted among the men thirty to fifty years of age who could serve in Israel's service. They were given the duty of transportation of the curtains that were used in the sanctuary. The Gershonites were placed under the supervision of Ithamar, the son of Aaron. They were expected to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the coverings of the tabernacle, the covering of badgers' skins that formed part of the protection of the Tent of Congregation, the hanging at the door of the tabernacle, the hangings of the court, and all other associated curtains and cords with them. The Gershonites had the responsibility of knowing where each material had to be assigned so that the tabernacle could be set up accordingly.
The Merarites were the ones who had the duty to carry the boards, the bars, the pillars, the sockets, the pins, and the cords that came together to make up the Tabernacle and its court. Since these items were quite heavy, the Israelites gave the Merarites wagons and oxen to assist them in their duty. The Merarites' work was different from that of the Kohathites in the sense that the Kohathites carried the most holy things, which were first prepared by the priests. But the Merarites had to make sure of the structural framework of the sanctuary. The Israelites gave wagons and oxen to the Merarites so that they could carry these items to their new destination.
Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel were requested to take a census of all the Levites who were eligible to offer service in assisting Israel to journey from one place to another. The chapter gives a record of the number of men who belonged to each family. The Kohathites consisted of 2,750 men who were eligible for service. The Gershonites consisted of 2,630, and the Merarites consisted of 3,200 men. Thus, there were 8,580 Levite men altogether who were considered fit to offer this service to Israel.
The number of Levite men was different from the entire number of Levitical tribe members. The Levitical tribe had a number of men who belonged to the age bracket of one month to adulthood as compared to the 30 to 50 age group of the Levites who were counted above. This census had been taken because it had a different purpose from the one that had been carried out in Numbers 3.
One of the key messages that the people in Israel would have got from reading Numbers chapter 4 was that holy work required holy obedience. Although the Levites had been blessed with the opportunity to serve at the tabernacle, they did not have the liberty of doing this service any way they wanted to do. God had outlined every detail that had to be done and by whom in order to assure that His service was carried out with precision.
Another message that the chapter gives is about various tasks that were necessary in order for the worship of Israel to take place. The Kohathites had the duty of carrying the most holy furnishings of the tabernacle. The Gershonites had the duty of transportation of the coverings, curtains, and materials that had been used in making the tent of the meeting place. The Merarites had the duty of carrying the structural framework of the tabernacle. None of these tasks was unimportant because without them, the Israelites could not worship God. The tabernacle could not move if any one of the families failed to do their duty.
A third message that the Israelites would have drawn from Numbers chapter 4 is the chain of command. Aaron and his sons had the duty of preparing the most holy things of Israel before they were transported by the Kohathites. Eleazar took care of much of the work of the Kohathites. He kept a watchful eye on them. Ithamar took charge of the Gershonites and Merarites and ensured that they fulfilled their duties. The family of Levi had the duty of carrying out these tasks. Since there was a demarcation of duties, confusion was avoided as much as possible. This arrangement helped keep the Israelites and their sanctuary safe as they journeyed through the wilderness.
Numbers chapter 4 provides a detailed account of what the Israelites used to do every time that they broke camp. The Israelites had to dismantle the tabernacle carefully, cover the most holy furnishings, and assign every object to the family that was supposed to carry it when traveling. All this had to be done to assure that the Israelites would be able to worship God when they settled wherever they went. This chapter reminded the Israelites that the tabernacle was not an ordinary tent that could be treated carelessly. There had to be procedures for setting up and taking it down, and the Levites had the special duty of making sure that all of these things were done.
Numbers chapter 4 is about the details of preparing Israel to travel. The nation was large, and they had to make sure that everything was organized. Every family had their duty, every item of the tabernacle had a carrier, and the priests had their responsibility of making sure that the most holy things were handled accordingly.
God instructed Moses and Aaron to take a census of the Kohathites, who were a family of the Levites. The men who were chosen for this task belonged to the age group of thirty to fifty years. They were supposed to carry the most sanctified furnishings of the tabernacle when the Israelites moved.
The Kohathites were not allowed to go into the sanctuary and carry the holy objects directly. The Kohathites had to wait until Aaron and his sons went into the sanctuary. First, Aaron and his sons had to put the veil over the ark, and then they had to put all the furnishings of the tabernacle under other coverings. The Kohathites would carry the table of shewbread, the candlestick, the golden altar, and its vessels, the altar of incense, and the holy vessels. But these servants of Israel had to learn that although they had a special duty to carry these objects, they were not priests, and they could not touch the holy place. If the Kohathites came near the holy place, they had to learn that they would incur a fate of death if they looked at these holy objects when they were unveiled. Eleazar, the son of Aaron, had the responsibility of overseeing much of this work and saw to it that the holy furnishings were carried in accordance with the word of God.
The Kohathites were given the duty of transport of these holy things when Israel encamped. These Kohathites were especially consecrated to this task since the Holy Tabernacle was the most important object in Israel. The Ark, the table, the lamps, the altars, etc., were holy things, and they represented Israel's religion. The Kohathites had more responsibilities as compared to any other family of the Levites. All this meant that the Kohathites had a permanent duty of carrying the tabernacle.
The Gershonites were also counted among the men thirty to fifty years of age who could serve in Israel's service. They were given the duty of transportation of the curtains that were used in the sanctuary. The Gershonites were placed under the supervision of Ithamar, the son of Aaron. They were expected to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the coverings of the tabernacle, the covering of badgers' skins that formed part of the protection of the Tent of Congregation, the hanging at the door of the tabernacle, the hangings of the court, and all other associated curtains and cords with them. The Gershonites had the responsibility of knowing where each material had to be assigned so that the tabernacle could be set up accordingly.
The Merarites were the ones who had the duty to carry the boards, the bars, the pillars, the sockets, the pins, and the cords that came together to make up the Tabernacle and its court. Since these items were quite heavy, the Israelites gave the Merarites wagons and oxen to assist them in their duty. The Merarites' work was different from that of the Kohathites in the sense that the Kohathites carried the most holy things, which were first prepared by the priests. But the Merarites had to make sure of the structural framework of the sanctuary. The Israelites gave wagons and oxen to the Merarites so that they could carry these items to their new destination.
Moses, Aaron, and the elders of Israel were requested to take a census of all the Levites who were eligible to offer service in assisting Israel to journey from one place to another. The chapter gives a record of the number of men who belonged to each family. The Kohathites consisted of 2,750 men who were eligible for service. The Gershonites consisted of 2,630, and the Merarites consisted of 3,200 men. Thus, there were 8,580 Levite men altogether who were considered fit to offer this service to Israel.
The number of Levite men was different from the entire number of Levitical tribe members. The Levitical tribe had a number of men who belonged to the age bracket of one month to adulthood as compared to the 30 to 50 age group of the Levites who were counted above. This census had been taken because it had a different purpose from the one that had been carried out in Numbers 3.
One of the key messages that the people in Israel would have got from reading Numbers chapter 4 was that holy work required holy obedience. Although the Levites had been blessed with the opportunity to serve at the tabernacle, they did not have the liberty of doing this service any way they wanted to do. God had outlined every detail that had to be done and by whom in order to assure that His service was carried out with precision.
Another message that the chapter gives is about various tasks that were necessary in order for the worship of Israel to take place. The Kohathites had the duty of carrying the most holy furnishings of the tabernacle. The Gershonites had the duty of transportation of the coverings, curtains, and materials that had been used in making the tent of the meeting place. The Merarites had the duty of carrying the structural framework of the tabernacle. None of these tasks was unimportant because without them, the Israelites could not worship God. The tabernacle could not move if any one of the families failed to do their duty.
A third message that the Israelites would have drawn from Numbers chapter 4 is the chain of command. Aaron and his sons had the duty of preparing the most holy things of Israel before they were transported by the Kohathites. Eleazar took care of much of the work of the Kohathites. He kept a watchful eye on them. Ithamar took charge of the Gershonites and Merarites and ensured that they fulfilled their duties. The family of Levi had the duty of carrying out these tasks. Since there was a demarcation of duties, confusion was avoided as much as possible. This arrangement helped keep the Israelites and their sanctuary safe as they journeyed through the wilderness.
Numbers chapter 4 provides a detailed account of what the Israelites used to do every time that they broke camp. The Israelites had to dismantle the tabernacle carefully, cover the most holy furnishings, and assign every object to the family that was supposed to carry it when traveling. All this had to be done to assure that the Israelites would be able to worship God when they settled wherever they went. This chapter reminded the Israelites that the tabernacle was not an ordinary tent that could be treated carelessly. There had to be procedures for setting up and taking it down, and the Levites had the special duty of making sure that all of these things were done.
Numbers chapter 4 is about the details of preparing Israel to travel. The nation was large, and they had to make sure that everything was organized. Every family had their duty, every item of the tabernacle had a carrier, and the priests had their responsibility of making sure that the most holy things were handled accordingly.