Numbers 4

Living Bible

4 ^1-2Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take a census of the Kohath division of the Levite tribe. ³This census will be of all males from ages thirty to fifty who are able to work in the Tabernacle. ⁴These are their sacred duties:

⁵“When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons will enter the Tabernacle first and take down the veil and cover the Ark with it. ⁶Then they will cover the veil with goatskin leather, cover the goatskins with a blue cloth, and place the carrying poles of the Ark in their rings.

⁷“Next they must spread a blue cloth over the table where the Bread of the Presence is displayed, and place the dishes, spoons, bowls, cups, and the Bread upon the cloth. ⁸They will spread a scarlet cloth over that, and finally a covering of goatskin leather on top of the scarlet cloth. Then they shall insert the carrying poles into the table.

⁹“Next they must cover with a blue cloth the lampstand, the lamps, snuffers, trays, and the reservoir of olive oil. ¹⁰This entire group of objects shall then be covered with goatskin leather, and the bundle shall be placed upon a carrying frame.

¹¹“They must then spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, cover it with a covering of goatskin leather, and insert the carrying poles into the altar. ¹²All of the remaining utensils of the Tabernacle are to be wrapped in a blue cloth, covered with goatskin leather, and placed on the carrying frame.

¹³“The ashes are to be removed from the altar, and the altar shall be covered with a purple cloth. ¹⁴All of the altar utensils are to be placed upon the cloth—the firepans, hooks, shovels, basins, and other containers—and a cover of goatskin leather will be spread over them. Finally, the carrying poles are to be put in place. ¹⁵When Aaron and his sons have finished packing the sanctuary and all the utensils, the clan of Kohath shall come and carry the units to wherever the camp is traveling; but they must not touch the holy items, lest they die. This, then, is the sacred work of the sons of Kohath.

¹⁶“Aaron’s son Eleazar shall be responsible for the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil—in fact, the supervision of the entire Tabernacle and everything in it will be his responsibility.”

^17-19Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Don’t let the families of Kohath destroy themselves! This is what you must do so that they will not die when they carry the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in with them and point out what each is to carry. ²⁰Otherwise they must never enter the sanctuary for even a moment, lest they look at the sacred objects there and die.”

^21-23And the Lord said to Moses, “Take a census of the Gershonite division of the tribe of Levi, all of the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible for the sacred work of the Tabernacle. ²⁴These will be their duties:

²⁵“They will carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with its coverings, the goatskin leather roof, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. ²⁶They are also to carry the drapes covering the courtyard fence, and the curtain across the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the altar and the Tabernacle. They will also carry the altar, the ropes, and all of the accessories. They are fully responsible for the transportation of these items. ²⁷Aaron or any of his sons may assign the Gershonites’ tasks to them, ²⁸but the Gershonites will be directly responsible to Aaron’s son Ithamar.

²⁹“Now take a census of the Merari division of the Levite tribe, all of the men from thirty to fifty who are eligible for the Tabernacle service. ^30-31When the Tabernacle is moved, they are to carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the bars, the bases, ³²the frames for the courtyard fence with their bases, pegs, cords, and everything else connected with their use and repair. Assign duties to each man by name. ³³The Merari division will also report to Aaron’s son Ithamar.”

³⁴So Moses and Aaron and the other leaders took a census of the Kohath division, ³⁵including all of the men thirty to fifty years of age who were eligible for the Tabernacle service, ³⁶and found that the total number was 2,750. ³⁷All this was done to carry out the Lord’s instructions to Moses. ^38-41A similar census of the Gershon division totaled 2,630. ^42-45And of the Merari division, 3,200. ^46-48Thus Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel found that the total of all the Levites who were thirty to fifty years old and who were eligible for the Tabernacle service and transportation was 8,580. ⁴⁹This census was taken in response to the Lord’s instructions to Moses.

Numbers 4

International Standard Version

The Duties of the Descendants of Kohath

4 The Lord told Moses and Aaron, ²“Take a census^[a] of the descendants of Kohath from among the descendants of Levi according to their tribes and ancestral houses ³from 30 years and older through the age of 50 years, from everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.

⁴“Here’s what the descendants of Kohath are to do regarding the Tent of Meeting and what’s inside the Most Holy Place: ⁵When the camp is about to travel, Aaron and his sons are to come and take down the veil of the curtain and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it. ⁶They are to set a leather-dyed^[b] skin covering over it, cover it with a pure blue cloth, and then insert its poles.

⁷“They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and on top of it the dishes, pans, bowls, pitchers for drink offerings,^[c] and the bread of presence are to be on it continually. ⁸They are to spread over them a scarlet cloth and a leather-dyed^[d] skin covering and then insert its poles.

⁹“They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand for the light with its lamp, lamp-snuffers, censer, and all the utensils for its oil with which they minister. ¹⁰Then they are to put them with all the other^[e] utensils on the leather-dyed^[f] skin covering and set them on the beams for transport.^[g]

¹¹“On the golden altar, they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with a leather-dyed^[h] skin covering, and then insert its poles. ¹²Then they are to take all the utensils for service with which they minister at the sanctuary, set them on the blue cloth, cover them with the leather-dyed^[i] skin covering, and then set them on the beams for transport. ¹³They are also to remove the ashes on the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴Then they are to put all the instruments with which they minister there—trays, forks, shovels, bowls, and all the utensils of the altar. They are to spread over it a leather-dyed^[j] skin covering and then insert its poles.

¹⁵“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the utensils of the sanctuary, and the camp is about to travel, then the descendants of Kohath are to come and carry them, but they are not to touch the most sacred objects, so they won’t die. These are the duties of the descendants of Kohath at the Tent of Meeting.”

¹⁶“Now the duty of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest is to maintain the oil for the light, the spiced incense, the daily offerings, andthe oil for anointing, to carry out all the duties of the tent and the sanctuary, and to maintain^[k] its utensils.”

Protecting the Descendants of Kohath

¹⁷Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸“You are not to eliminate the tribe of the families of the descendants of Kohath from the descendants of Levi. ¹⁹But do this for them so that they may live and not die when they approach the Most Holy Place: Aaron and his sons are to go in and set specific responsibilities for each of them to carry out.^[l] ²⁰But they are not to go in to see the sanctuary as it is being covered,^[m] so they won’t die.”

Eleazar’s Duties

²¹Then the Lord told Moses, ²²“Take a census^[n] of the descendants of Gershon according to their ancestral house and tribes. ²³Count their number from between 30 to 50 years old, including everyone who can enter the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting.”

Gershonite Responsibilities

²⁴“These are the responsibilities that the descendants of Gershon are to have: ²⁵They are to carry the curtain of the tent, the covering of the Tent of Meeting, the dyed leather covering that goes over it, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, ²⁶the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance to the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tent, the altar, the ropes, all the service utensils, and everything made for them. This is to be their service area. ²⁷The descendants of Gershon are to carry out the instructions of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign them their responsibilities to carry out. ²⁸This is the work of the tribes of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting—their duties under the supervision of^[o] Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.

Merarite Responsibilities

²⁹“For the descendants of Merari, number them according to their tribes and ancestral houses ³⁰from 30 to 50 years old as you count them, including everyone who can enter service and perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ³¹This is to be their area of responsibility to carry out with respect to their service at the Tent of Meeting: the board of the tent, its bars, its crossbars, its sockets, ³²the pillars around the courtyard, their sockets, their pegs, their ropes, and all the utensils for all their services. Assign the utensils by name to each person whose responsibility it will be to carry them. ³³This is the work of the tribes of the descendants of Merari with reference to their service at the Tent of Meeting under the supervision of Aaron the priest’s son Ithamar.”

Responsibilities are Assigned

³⁴Moses, Aaron, and the congregational leaders numbered the descendants of Kohath according to their tribes and ancestral houses ³⁵from 30 to 50 years old—that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ³⁶The total according to their tribe numbered 2,750 ³⁷from the tribe of the descendants of Kohath, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the Lord had said, under the supervision of Moses.

³⁸The tribes and the ancestral houses of the descendants of Gershon were numbered ³⁹from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁰The total according to their tribes and ancestral house numbered 2,630 ⁴¹from the tribes of the descendants of Gershon, everyone who would be serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the Lord had said.

⁴²The tribes and ancestral house of Merari were numbered ⁴³from 30 to 50 years old; that is, everyone who entered the service to perform work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴⁴The total according to their tribes numbered 3,200 ⁴⁵from the tribes of the descendants of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to what the Lord had said, under the supervision of Moses.

⁴⁶The total of those who were numbered from the descendants of Levi by Moses and Aaron; that is, from the leaders of Israel counted according to their tribes and ancestral houses ⁴⁷from 30 to 50 years old, who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting ⁴⁸was 8,580. ⁴⁹They were numbered under the supervision of Moses according to what the Lord had said. Each person was assigned a responsibility to carry out, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Footnotes

Numbers 4:2 Lit. Lift the head
Numbers 4:6 Or porpoise; or fine leather
Numbers 4:7 Or libation
Numbers 4:8 Or porpoise; or fine leather
Numbers 4:10 The Heb. lacks other
Numbers 4:10 Or porpoise; or fine leather
Numbers 4:10 Or poles for carrying stuff
Numbers 4:11 Or porpoise; or fine leather
Numbers 4:12 Or porpoise; or fine leather
Numbers 4:14 Or porpoise; or fine leather
Numbers 4:16 The Heb. lacks to maintain
Numbers 4:19 Lit. responsibilities according to his service and to his burden
Numbers 4:20 I.e. in preparation for travel
Numbers 4:22 Lit. Lift the head
Numbers 4:28 Lit. the hand of

Numbers 4

New International Version

The Kohathites

4 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²“Take a census^(A) of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. ³Count^(B) all the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(C) who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

⁴“This is the work^(D) of the Kohathites^(E) at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things.^(F) ⁵When the camp is to move,^(G) Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain^(H) and put it over the ark of the covenant law.^(I) ⁶Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather,^[a]^(J) spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles^(K) in place.

⁷“Over the table of the Presence^(L) they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings;^(M) the bread that is continually there^(N) is to remain on it. ⁸They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles^(O) in place.

⁹“They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays,^(P) and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. ¹⁰Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.^(Q)

¹¹“Over the gold altar^(R) they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles^(S) in place.

¹²“They are to take all the articles^(T) used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.^(U)

¹³“They are to remove the ashes^(V) from the bronze altar^(W) and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴Then they are to place on it all the utensils^(X) used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans,^(Y) meat forks,^(Z) shovels^(AA) and sprinkling bowls.^(AB) Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles^(AC) in place.

¹⁵“After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move,^(AD) only then are the Kohathites^(AE) to come and do the carrying.^(AF) But they must not touch the holy things^(AG) or they will die.^(AH) The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

¹⁶“Eleazar^(AI) son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light,^(AJ) the fragrant incense,^(AK) the regular grain offering^(AL) and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.”

¹⁷The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ¹⁸“See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. ¹⁹So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things,^(AM) do this for them: Aaron and his sons^(AN) are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.^(AO) ²⁰But the Kohathites must not go in to look^(AP) at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

The Gershonites

²¹The Lord said to Moses, ²²“Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. ²³Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(AQ) who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

²⁴“This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: ²⁵They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle,^(AR) that is, the tent of meeting,^(AS) its covering^(AT) and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, ²⁶the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar,^(AU) the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard,^(AV) the ropes and all the equipment^(AW) used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. ²⁷All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons.^(AX) You shall assign to them as their responsibility^(AY) all they are to carry. ²⁸This is the service of the Gershonite clans^(AZ) at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar^(BA) son of Aaron, the priest.

The Merarites

²⁹“Count^(BB) the Merarites by their clans and families.^(BC) ³⁰Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. ³¹As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases,^(BD) ³²as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes,^(BE) all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. ³³This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar^(BF) son of Aaron, the priest.”

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

³⁴Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites^(BG) by their clans and families. ³⁵All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(BH) who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ³⁶counted by clans, were 2,750. ³⁷This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans^(BI) who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

³⁸The Gershonites^(BJ) were counted by their clans and families. ³⁹All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁰counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. ⁴¹This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

⁴²The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. ⁴³All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(BK) who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴counted by their clans, were 3,200. ⁴⁵This was the total of those in the Merarite clans.^(BL) Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

⁴⁶So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted^(BM) all the Levites by their clans and families. ⁴⁷All the men from thirty to fifty years of age^(BN) who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting ⁴⁸numbered 8,580.^(BO) ⁴⁹At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

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

Footnotes

Numbers 4:6 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals; also in verses 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 25

Numbers 4

New King James Version

Duties of the Sons of Kohath

4 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ²“Take a census of the sons of ^(A)Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house, ³^(B)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.

⁴^(C)“This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to ^(D)the most holy things: ⁵When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down ^(E)the covering veil and cover the ^(F)ark of the Testimony with it. ⁶Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of ^(G)blue; and they shall insert ^(H)its poles.

⁷“On the ^(I)table of showbread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the ^[a]pitchers for pouring; and the ^(J)showbread^[b] shall be on it. ⁸They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. ⁹And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the ^(K)lampstand of the light, ^(L)with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it. ¹⁰Then they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of badger skins, and put it on a carrying beam.

¹¹“Over ^(M)the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles. ¹²Then they shall take all the ^(N)utensils of service with which they minister in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of badger skins, and put them on a carrying beam. ¹³Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. ¹⁴They shall put on it all its implements with which they minister there—the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the ^[c]basins, and all the utensils of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of badger skins, and insert its poles. ¹⁵And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then ^(O)the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; ^(P)but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.

“^(Q)These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

¹⁶“The appointed duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is ^(R)the oil for the light, the ^(S)sweet incense, ^(T)the daily grain offering, the ^(U)anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.”

¹⁷Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ¹⁸“Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; ¹⁹but do this in regard to them, that they may live and not die when they approach ^(V)the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and ^[d]appoint each of them to his service and his task. ²⁰^(W)But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”

Duties of the Sons of Gershon

²¹Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²²“Also take a census of the sons of ^(X)Gershon, by their fathers’ house, by their families. ²³^(Y)From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who enter to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting. ²⁴This is the ^(Z)service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and carrying: ²⁵^(AA)They shall carry the ^(AB)curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of meeting with its covering, the covering of ^(AC)badger skins that is on it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of meeting, ²⁶the screen for the door of the gate of the court, the hangings of the court which are around the tabernacle and altar, and their cords, all the furnishings for their service and all that is made for these things: so shall they serve.

²⁷“Aaron and his sons shall ^[e]assign all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, all their tasks and all their service. And you shall ^[f]appoint to them all their tasks as their duty. ²⁸This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of meeting. And their duties shall be ^(AD)under the ^[g]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Sons of Merari

²⁹“As for the sons of ^(AE)Merari, you shall number them by their families and by their fathers’ house. ³⁰^(AF)From thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting. ³¹And ^(AG)this is ^(AH)what they must carry as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting: ^(AI)the boards of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, ³²and the pillars around the court with their sockets, pegs, and cords, with all their furnishings and all their service; and you shall ^(AJ)assign to each man by name the items he must carry. ³³This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, as all their service for the tabernacle of meeting, under the ^[h]authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

Census of the Levites

³⁴^(AK)And Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families and by their fathers’ house, ³⁵from thirty ^(AL)years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting; ³⁶and those who were numbered by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. ³⁷These were the ones who were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

³⁸And those who were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families and by their fathers’ house, ³⁹from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting— ⁴⁰those who were numbered by their families, by their fathers’ house, were two thousand six hundred and thirty. ⁴¹^(AM)These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all who might serve in the tabernacle of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord.

⁴²Those of the families of the sons of Merari who were numbered, by their families, by their fathers’ ^[i]house, ⁴³from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work in the tabernacle of meeting— ⁴⁴those who were numbered by their families were three thousand two hundred. ⁴⁵These are the ones who were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered ^(AN)according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

⁴⁶All who were ^(AO)numbered of the Levites, whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered, by their families and by their fathers’ houses, ⁴⁷^(AP)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, ^(AQ)each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, ^(AR)as the Lord commanded Moses.

Footnotes

Numbers 4:7 jars for the drink offering
Numbers 4:7 Lit. continual bread
Numbers 4:14 bowls
Numbers 4:19 assign
Numbers 4:27 command
Numbers 4:27 assign
Numbers 4:28 Lit. hand
Numbers 4:33 Lit. hand
Numbers 4:42 household

Living Bible (TLB)

International Standard Version (ISV)

New International Version (NIV)

Numbers 4

Living Bible