Numbers 4
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
4 And the Lord spoke to Moses, and Aaron, saying:
2 Take the sum of the sons of Caath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families.
3 From thirty years old and upward, to fifty years old, of all that go in to stand and to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
4 This is the service of the sons of Caath:
5 When the camp is to set forward, Aaron and his sons shall go into the tabernacle of the covenant, and the holy of holies, and shall take down the veil that hangeth before the door, and shall wrap up the ark of the testimony in it,
6 And shall cover it again with a cover of violet skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of violet, and shall put in the bars.
7 They shall wrap up also the table of proposition in a cloth of violet, and shall put with it the censers and little mortars, the cups and bowls to pour out the libations: the leaves shall be always on it:
8 And they shall spread over it a cloth of scarlet, which again they shall cover with a covering of violet skins, and shall put in the bars.
9 They shall take also a cloth of violet wherewith they shall cover the candlestick with the lamps and tongs thereof and the snuffers and all the oil vessels, which are necessary for the dressing of the lamps:
10 And over all they shall put a cover of violet skins and put in the bars.
11 And they shall wrap up the golden altar also in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars.
12 All the vessels wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, they shall wrap up in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars.
13 They shall cleanse the altar also from the ashes, and shall wrap it up in a purple cloth,
14 And shall put it with all the vessels that they use in the ministry thereof, that is to say, firepans, fleshhooks and forks, pothooks and shovels. They shall cover all the vessels of the altar together with a covering of violet skins, and shall put in the bars.
15 And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped up the sanctuary and the vessels thereof at the removing of the camp, then shall the sons of Caath enter in to carry the things wrapped up: and they shall not touch the vessels of the sanctuary, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Caath: in the tabernacle of the covenant:
16 And over them shall be Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, to whose charge pertaineth the oil to dress the lamps, and the sweet incense, and the sacrifice, that is always offered, and the oil of unction, and whatsoever pertaineth to the service of the tabernacle, and of all the vessels that are in the sanctuary.
17 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
18 Destroy not the people of Caath from the midst of the Levites:
19 But do this to them, that they may live, and not die, by touching the holies of holies. Aaron and his sons shall go in, and they shall appoint every man his work, and shall divide the burdens that every man is to carry.
20 Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the sanctuary before they be wrapped up, otherwise they shall die.
21 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
22 Take the sum of the soils of Gerson also by their houses and families and kindreds.
23 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old. Number them all that go in and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
24 This is the office of the family of the Gersonites:
25 To carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the roof of the covenant, the other covering, and the violet covering over all, and the hanging that hangeth in the entry of the tabernacle of the covenant,
26 The curtains of the court, and the veil in the entry that is before the tabernacle. All things that pertain to the altar, the cords and the vessels of the ministry,
27 The sons of Gerson shall carry, by the commandment of Aaron and his sons: and each man shall know to what burden he must be assigned.
28 This is the service of the family of the Gersonites in the tabernacle of the covenant, and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
29 Thou shalt reckon up the sons of Merari also by the families and houses of their fathers,
30 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to the office of their ministry, and to the service of the covenant of the testimony.
31 These are their burdens: They shall carry the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof, the pillars and their sockets,
32 The pillars also of the court round about, with their sockets and pins and cords. They shall receive by account all the vessels and furniture, and so shall carry them.
33 This is the office of the family of the Merarites, and their ministry in the tabernacle of the covenant: and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
34 So Moses and Aaron and the princes of the synagogue reckoned up the sons of Caath, by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers,
35 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to the ministry of the tabernacle of the covenant:
36 And they were found two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37 This is the number of the people of Caath that go in to the tabernacle of the covenant: these did Moses and Aaron number according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
38 The sons of Gerson also were numbered by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,
39 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant:
40 And they were found two thousand six hundred and thirty.
41 This is the people of the Gersonites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord.
42 The sons of Merari also were numbered by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,
43 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to fulfill the rites of the tabernacle of the covenant:
44 And they were found three thousand two hundred.
45 This is the number of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron reckoned up according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
46 All that were reckoned up of the Levites, and whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel took by name, by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,
47 From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, that go into the ministry of the tabernacle, and to carry the burdens,
48 Were in all eight thousand five hundred and eighty.
49 Moses reckoned them up according to the word of the Lord, every one according to their office and burdens, as the Lord had commanded him.
Numbers 4
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 4
Delineation of Duties. 1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 “Count the number of the Kohathites from among the sons of Levi by their clans and their families. 3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years old who go in to minister in the tent of meeting.[a]
4 “This is the ministry of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting: tending to the most holy things. 5 When the camp is being moved, Aaron and his sons will take down the veil and cover the Ark of Testimony with it. 6 They are then to put on the sheep skins, cover it with a blue cloth, and put the poles in place.[b] 7 They will spread a blue cloth over the table for the shewbread. On it they will place the dishes and spoons and bowls and jars for the drink offerings. The bread of offering will remain on it. 8 Over these they will spread a scarlet cloth and cover it with sheep skins. You will then put the poles in it. 9 They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for the light, its lamps, its tongs, its snuffers, and all of its oil dishes, all the things used in its ministry. 10 They will put it and all of its vessels within a hide of sheep skin and they will put it upon a litter. 11 They will spread a blue cloth upon the golden altar and cover it with a covering of sheep skins and put its poles in it.[c] 12 Then they are to take all the implements with which they minister in the sanctuary, and they are to cover them with a blue cloth and with a covering of sheep skin and put them on a litter. 13 They are to empty all the ashes[d] out from the altar and spread a purple cloth on it. 14 They are to put all the utensils with which they minister upon it, the censers, the forks, the shovels, and the basins. They are to take all of the utensils with which they minister and spread a sheep skin upon them. They will also put in its poles.
15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all of the vessels of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to set out, the Kohathites will come forward to carry it, but they will not touch anything that is holy, lest they die. These things in the tent of meeting are the responsibility of the Kohathites.
16 “Eleazar, the son of Aaron, has the responsibility for the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily meat offering, and the oil for anointing. He shall also oversee care for the tabernacle and everything in it, the sanctuary and its vessels.”
17 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 18 “Do not let the clan of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. 19 Do these things for them so that they may live. Otherwise they will die when they come near to the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint each one of them to their ministry and their responsibilities, 20 only they are not to go in and watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”
21 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 22 “Count the number of the sons of Gershon by their clans and their families. 23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years old who go in to minister in the tent of meeting. 24 This is the ministry of the clan of the Gershonites, their service and responsibility. 25 They will carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering, the covering of sheep skin that is over it, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26 the curtains for the courtyard, the screen for the entrance to the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, their cords, and all of their accessories. They will do all that needs to be done with these things. 27 All the service of the Gershonites, what they are to carry and what they are to do, will be under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You are to assign them responsibility for what they are to carry. 28 These things in the tent of meeting are the responsibility of the families of the Gershonites. Their service will be under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
29 “Count the number of the Merarites by their clans and their families. 30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years old who go in to minister in the tent of meeting. 31 This is their responsibility and service for the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle with their bars, their pillars, their sockets, 32 the pillars surrounding the courtyard, their sockets, their pins, their cords, and all their accessories. You will assign the things that they are charged to carry by name. 33 This is the service of the clan of the Merarites. All of their service in the tent of meeting will be under the direction of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, the priest.”
34 Counting the Adult Levites. Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the assembly counted the Kohathites by family and by clan, 35 those who were from thirty to fifty years old and who went in to minister in the service of the tent of meeting. 36 By families there were two thousand, seven hundred and fifty. 37 This was the number of those in the families of the Kohathites who ministered in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted, fulfilling the commandment of the Lord given to Moses.
38 The sons of Gershon were counted by families and clan 39 counting those who were from thirty years old to fifty years old and who went in to minister in the service of the tent of meeting. 40 Counted by family and clan, there were two thousand, six hundred and thirty of them. 41 This was the number of the families of the sons of Gershon, all of whom served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted, fulfilling the commandment of the Lord.
42 The Merarites were counted by families and clan, 43 those who were from thirty years old to fifty years old and who went in to minister in the service of the tent of meeting. 44 Counted by families, there were three thousand, two hundred of them. 45 This was the number of the families of the Merarites whom Moses and Aaron counted, fulfilling the commandment of the Lord given to Moses.
46 Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all of the Levites according to families and clans 47 who were from thirty years old to fifty years old, everyone who could enter to do the work of ministry and who served carrying the tent of meeting. 48 There were eight thousand, five hundred and eighty of them. 49 They were counted as the Lord had commanded Moses, counting all of those dedicated for service and carrying, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Footnotes
- Numbers 4:3 This was the period during which the Levites served God in the temple of King David (see 1 Chr 23:3). The length of the period varies in different passages (see Num 8:24-25; Ezr 3:8). The institution certainly evolved.
- Numbers 4:6 For these objects used in worship, see Ex 35–38.
- Numbers 4:11 The gold altar is the altar of incense (Ex 30:1-10).
- Numbers 4:13 Empty all the ashes: the altar of holocausts. See Ex 27:1-8.
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