Numbers 4:1-20
Modern English Version
Duties of the Kohathites
4 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 older, even to fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
4 This will be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the holiest things. 5 And when the camp sets out, Aaron will come, and his sons, and they will take down the covering curtain, and cover the ark of the testimony with it, 6 and will put on it the covering of porpoise skins, and will spread over it a cloth completely of blue, and will put in its poles.
7 Upon the table of showbread they will spread a cloth of blue, and put the dishes on it, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover it, and the showbread will be on it. 8 And they will spread on them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of porpoise skins, and will put in its poles.
9 They will take a cloth of blue, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it. 10 And they will put it and all its vessels within a covering of porpoise skins and will put it on a carrying pole.
11 Upon the golden altar they will spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of porpoise skins, and will put in its poles.
12 And they will 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 porpoise skins, and will put them on a carrying pole.
13 And they will take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth on it. 14 They shall put on it all the instruments with which they minister there, the censers, the flesh hooks, the shovels, the basins, all the utensils of the altar. And they will spread on it a covering of porpoise skins and insert its poles.
15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary, and all the instruments of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set out, after that, the sons of Kohath will come to carry it. But they will not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
16 To the office of Eleazar, Aaron the priest’s son, pertains the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, in the sanctuary, and in the instruments thereof.
17 The Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: 18 Do not cut the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites. 19 But do this to them, that they may live and not die, when they approach the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go in, and appoint each one to his service and to his burden. 20 But they will not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
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Numbers 4:1-20
American Standard Version
4 And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, 3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the [a]service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. 4 This is the [b]service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things: 5 when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it, 6 and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. 7 And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls and the cups wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall be thereon: 8 and they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in the staves thereof. 9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 10 and they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it upon [c]the frame. 11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in the staves thereof: 12 and they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame. 13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 14 and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, the firepans, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of sealskin, and put in the staves thereof. 15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp is set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch the [d]sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting. 16 And the charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the continual meal-offering, and the anointing oil, the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, the sanctuary, and the furniture thereof.
17 And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 18 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites; 19 but thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden; 20 but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 4:3 Hebrew warfare, or host (and so in verses 35, 39, 43).
- Numbers 4:4 Or, work
- Numbers 4:10 Or, a bar
- Numbers 4:15 Or, holy things
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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