Numbers 4:1-20

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.”