Numbers 4:47-49

New English Translation

⁴⁷from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered to do the work of service and the work of carrying^[a] relating to the tent of meeting— ⁴⁸those of them numbered were 8,580. ⁴⁹According to the word of the Lord they were numbered,^[b] by the authority of Moses, each according to his service and according to what he was to carry.^[c] Thus were they numbered by him,^[d] as the Lord had commanded Moses.

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Footnotes

Numbers 4:47 tn The text multiplies the vocabulary of service here in the summary. In the Hebrew text the line reads literally: “everyone who came to serve the service of serving, and the service of burden.” The Levites came into service in the shrine, and that involved working in the sanctuary as well as carrying it from one place to the next.
Numbers 4:49 tn The verb is the simple perfect tense—“he numbered them.” There is no expressed subject; therefore, the verb can be rendered as a passive.
Numbers 4:49 tn Or “his burden.”
Numbers 4:49 tn The passive form simply reads “those numbered by him.” Because of the cryptic nature of the word, some suggest reading a preterite, “and they were numbered.” This is supported by the Greek, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate. It would follow in the emendation that the relative pronoun be changed to “just as” (כַּאֲשֶׁר, kaʾasher). The MT is impossible the way it stands; it can only be rendered into smooth English by adding something that is missing.

Numbers 4:47-49

King James Version

⁴⁷From thirty years old and upward even unto 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.

⁴⁸Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore,

⁴⁹According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.

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Numbers 4:47-49

New International Version

⁴⁷All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(A) who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting ⁴⁸numbered 8,580.^(B) ⁴⁹At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

Thus they were counted,^(C) as the Lord commanded Moses.

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Numbers 4:47-49

New King James Version

⁴⁷^(A)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who came to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the tabernacle of meeting— ⁴⁸those who were numbered were eight thousand five hundred and eighty.

⁴⁹According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, ^(B)each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, ^(C)as the Lord commanded Moses.

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Numbers 4:47-49

English Standard Version

⁴⁷^(A)from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come to do the service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, ⁴⁸those listed were 8,580. ⁴⁹According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, ^(B)each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, ^(C)as the Lord commanded Moses.