Numbers 18:3

3 "And they shall thus attend to your obligation and the obligation of all the tent, but 1they shall not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary and 2the altar, or both they and you will die.

Numbers 18:3 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 18:3

And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the
tabernacle
That is, the Levites, whatever Aaron and his sons, the priests, should charge them to do, or commit to their care and charge, that they should observe; as to watch and keep out all unfit persons, to take down and set up the tabernacle when needful only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary;
as the ark and mercy seat in the holy of holies, the shewbread table, and candlestick in the holy place; wherefore when these were removed from place to place in journeying, they were covered, that they might not touch them as they carried them: and the altar;
both of incense and burnt offering, on neither of which might they offer: that neither they nor you also die:
the priests for suffering them to meddle with things that did not belong to them, and the Levites for intruding themselves.

Numbers 18:3 In-Context

1 So the LORD said to Aaron, "You and your sons and your father's household with you shall bear the guilt in connection with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the guilt in connection with your priesthood.
2 "But bring with you also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you, while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.
3 "And they shall thus attend to your obligation and the obligation of all the tent, but they shall not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.
4 "They shall be joined with you and attend to the obligations of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; but an outsider may not come near you.
5 "So you shall attend to the obligations of the sanctuary and the obligations of the altar, so that there will no longer be wrath on the sons of Israel.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Numbers 4:15-20
  • 2. Numbers 1:51; Numbers 18:7
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.