Numbers 4
International Children’s Bible
The Jobs of the Kohath Family
4 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Count the Kohathites among the Levites. Count them by family groups and families. 3 Count the men from 30 to 50 years old. They will serve in the Meeting Tent.
4 “They are responsible for the most holy things in the Meeting Tent. 5 When the Israelites move, Aaron and his sons must go into the Holy Tent. They are to take down the curtain. Then they must cover the Ark of the Covenant with it. 6 Over this they must put a covering made from fine leather. Then they must spread the solid blue cloth over it. And they must put the poles in the rings on the Ark of the Covenant.
7 “Then they must spread a blue cloth over the table. This is the table for the bread that shows we are in God’s presence. They must put the plates, spoons, bowls and the jars for drink offerings on the table. They must leave the bread on the table. 8 Then they must put a red cloth over all of these things. They must cover everything with fine leather. Then they must put the poles in place.
9 “With a blue cloth they must cover the lampstand, its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays. They must cover all the jars for the oil used in the lamps. 10 Then they must wrap everything in fine leather. They must put all these things on a frame for carrying them.
11 “They must spread a blue cloth over the gold altar. Then they must cover it with fine leather. They must put its poles in place.
12 “They must gather everything used for serving in the Holy Place. They must wrap them in a blue cloth. Then they must cover that with fine leather. They must put these things on a frame for carrying them.
13 “They must clean the ashes off the bronze altar. Then they must spread a purple cloth over it. 14 They must gather all the things used for serving at the altar. These are the pans for carrying the fire, meat forks, shovels and bowls. They must put them on the bronze altar. Then they must spread a covering of fine leather over it. They must put the carrying poles in the rings on the altar.
15 “When the camp is ready to move, have Aaron and his sons cover all the holy things. Then the Kohathites may go in and carry away those things. This way they won’t touch the holy things and die. It is the Kohathites’ job to carry the things that are in the Meeting Tent.
16 “Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, will be responsible for the Holy Tent. And he is responsible for everything in it: the oil for the lamp, the sweet-smelling incense, the continual grain offering and the oil used to appoint priests and things to the Lord’s service.”
17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “Don’t let the Kohathites be destroyed from the Levites. 19 Do this for the Kohathites. Then they may go near the Most Holy Place and not die. Aaron and his sons must go in and show each Kohathite what to do. And they must show each man what to carry. 20 The Kohathites must not enter and look at the holy things, even for a second. If they do, they will die.”
The Jobs of the Gershon Family
21 The Lord said to Moses, 22 “Count the Gershonites by families and family groups. 23 Count the men from 30 to 50 years old. Everyone has a job to do in the Meeting Tent.
24 “This is what the Gershonite family groups must do and what they must carry. 25 They must carry the pieces of cloth of the Holy Tent and Meeting Tent. They must also carry its covering and the covering made from fine leather. And they must carry the curtains for the entrance to the Meeting Tent. 26 They must carry the curtains of the courtyard that goes around the Holy Tent and the altar. They must carry the curtain for the entry to the courtyard and the ropes and all the things used with the curtains. They must do everything connected with these things. 27 Aaron and his sons are in charge of what the Gershonites do or carry. You tell them what they are responsible for carrying. 28 This is the work of the Gershonite family group at the Meeting Tent. Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest, will direct their work.
The Jobs of the Merari Family
29 “Count the Merarite families and family groups. 30 Count the men from 30 to 50 years old. They will work at the Meeting Tent. 31 It is their job to carry the frame of the Meeting Tent, the crossbars, the posts and bases. 32 They must also carry the posts that go around the courtyard. They must carry the bases, tent pegs and ropes. And they must carry everything that is used with the poles around the courtyard. Tell each man exactly what to carry. 33 This is the work the Merarites will do for the Meeting Tent. Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest, will direct their work.”
The Levite Families
34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted the Kohathites by families and family groups. 35 The men from 30 to 50 years old were to work at the Meeting Tent. 36 The family group had 2,750 men. 37 This was the total of the Kohath family group who worked at the Meeting Tent. Moses and Aaron counted them as the Lord had commanded Moses.
38 Also, the Gershon family group was counted by families and family groups. 39 The men from 30 to 50 years old were given work at the Meeting Tent. 40 The families and family groups had 2,630 men. 41 This was the total of the Gershon family group who worked at the Meeting Tent. Moses and Aaron counted them as the Lord had commanded.
42 Also, the men in the families and family groups of the Merari family were counted. 43 The men from 30 to 50 years old were to work at the Meeting Tent. 44 The family group had 3,200 men. 45 This was the total of the Merari family group. Moses and Aaron counted them as the Lord had commanded Moses.
46 So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites. They counted them by families and family groups. 47 The men from 30 to 50 were given work at the Meeting Tent. They also carried the Tent. 48 The total number of these men was 8,580. 49 Each man was counted as the Lord had commanded Moses. Each man was given his work and told what to carry. This was as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Numbers 4
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 4
Duties Further Defined. 1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 Take a census among the Levites of the Kohathites, by clans and ancestral houses, 3 all between thirty[a] and fifty years of age, who will join the personnel for doing tasks in the tent of meeting.(A)
4 This is the task of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting: the most sacred objects. 5 In breaking camp, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain[b] and cover the ark of the covenant with it. 6 Over these they shall put a cover of yellow-orange skin, and on top of this spread an all-violet cloth and put the poles in place. 7 On the table of the Presence they shall spread a violet cloth and put on it the plates and cups, as well as the bowls and pitchers for libations; the established bread offering shall remain on the table. 8 Over these they shall spread a scarlet cloth and cover it with a covering of yellow-orange skin, and put the poles in place. 9 They shall use a violet cloth to cover the menorah of the light with its lamps, tongs, and trays, as well as the various containers of oil from which it is supplied. 10 The menorah with all its utensils they shall then put in a covering of yellow-orange skin, and place on a litter. 11 Over the golden altar[c] they shall spread a violet cloth, and cover this also with a covering of yellow-orange skin, and put the poles in place. 12 Taking the utensils of the sanctuary service, they shall put them all in violet cloth and cover them with a covering of yellow-orange skin. They shall then place them on a litter. 13 After cleansing the altar[d] of its ashes, they shall spread a purple cloth over it. 14 On this they shall put all the utensils with which it is served: the fire pans, forks,[e] shovels, basins, and all the utensils of the altar. They shall then spread a covering of yellow-orange skin over this, and put the poles in place.
15 Only after Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sacred objects and all their utensils on breaking camp, can the Kohathites enter to carry them. But they shall not touch the sacred objects; if they do they will die.(B) These, then, are the objects in the tent of meeting that the Kohathites shall carry.
16 Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, shall be in charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the established grain offering, and the anointing oil. He shall be in charge of the whole tabernacle with all the sacred objects and utensils that are in it.
17 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 18 Do not let the group of Kohathite clans perish from among the Levites. 19 That they may live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects, this is what you shall do for them: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign to each of them his task and what he must carry; 20 but the Kohathites shall not go in to look upon the sacred objects even for an instant, or they will die.(C)
21 The Lord said to Moses: 22 Take a census of the Gershonites also, by ancestral houses and clans, 23 enrolling all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to do the work in the tent of meeting. 24 This is the task of the clans of the Gershonites, what they must do and what they must carry: 25 they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting with its covering and the outer wrapping of yellow-orange skin, the curtain at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 26 the hangings of the court, the curtain at the entrance to the gate of the court that encloses both the tabernacle and the altar, together with their ropes and all other objects necessary for their use. Whatever is to be done to maintain these things, they shall do. 27 The service of the Gershonites shall be entirely under the direction of Aaron and his sons, with regard to what they must carry and what they must do; you shall list for them by name what they are to carry. 28 This, then, is the task of the clans of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting; and they shall be under the supervision of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
29 The Merarites, too, you shall enroll by clans and ancestral houses, 30 enrolling all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to maintain the tent of meeting. 31 (D)This is what they shall be responsible for carrying, with respect to all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle with its bars, columns and pedestals, 32 and the columns of the surrounding court with their pedestals, pegs and ropes, including all their accessories and everything for their maintenance. You shall list by name the objects they shall be responsible for carrying. 33 This, then, is the task of the clans of the Merarites with respect to all their service in the tent of meeting under the supervision of Ithamar, son of Aaron the priest.
Number of Adult Levites. 34 So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community enrolled the Kohathites, by clans and ancestral houses, 35 all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to work in the tent of meeting; 36 their enrollment by clans was two thousand seven hundred and fifty. 37 Such was the enrollment of the clans of the Kohathites, everyone who was to serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses enrolled, together with Aaron, as the Lord directed through Moses.
38 As for the enrollment of the Gershonites, by clans and ancestral houses, 39 all between thirty and fifty years of age who will join the personnel to work in the tent of meeting— 40 their enrollment by clans and ancestral houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty. 41 Such was the enrollment of the clans of the Gershonites, everyone who was to serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses enrolled, together with Aaron, as the Lord directed.
42 As for the enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, by clans and ancestral houses, 43 all from thirty up to fifty years of age who will join the personnel to work in the tent of meeting— 44 their enrollment by clans was three thousand two hundred. 45 Such was the enrollment of the clans of the Merarites, whom Moses enrolled, together with Aaron, as the Lord directed through Moses.
46 As for the total enrollment of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron and the Israelite leaders had made, by clans and ancestral houses, 47 all between thirty and fifty years of age who were to undertake tasks of service or transport for the tent of meeting— 48 their total enrollment was eight thousand five hundred and eighty. 49 As the Lord directed through Moses, they gave each of them their assignments for service and for transport; just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Footnotes
- 4:3 Thirty: according to other passages the Levites began to serve when they were twenty-five (8:24) or even only twenty years old (1 Chr 23:24, 27; 2 Chr 31:17; Ezr 3:8; but cf. 1 Chr 23:3).
- 4:5 The screening curtain: the veil between the inner and the outer rooms of the sanctuary. Cf. Ex 26:31–33.
- 4:11 The golden altar: the altar of incense. Cf. Ex 30:1–6.
- 4:13 The altar: the bronze altar for animal sacrifices. Cf. Ex 27:1–8.
- 4:14 Forks: used in turning over the sacrificed animal on the fire of the altar. Basins: to receive the sacrificial blood; cf. Zec 9:15.
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