Numbers 4:5-15

5 When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down ¹the veil of the screen and cover ²the ark of the testimony with it.

6 Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin^[a] and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its ³poles.

7 And over the ⁴table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; ⁵the regular showbread also shall be on it.

8 Then they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet and cover the same with a covering of goatskin, and shall ⁶put in its poles.

9 And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover ⁷the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its tongs, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied.

10 And they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of goatskin and put it on the carrying frame.

11 And over ⁸the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles.

12 And they shall take all ⁹the vessels of the service that are used in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of goatskin and put them on the carrying frame.

13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it.

14 And they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the fire pans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that ¹⁰the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, ¹¹but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.

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Numbers 4:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 4

This chapter relates an order to number the Levites fit for business, and gives an account of the time and age when they should enter into service, and how long they should continue therein, Nu 4:1-3; what their particular service should be; and first of the Kohathites, Nu 4:4-20; next of the Gershonites, Nu 4:21-28; and then of the Merarites, Nu 4:29-33; after which Moses and Aaron, with the chief of the congregation, numbered each of them, even as many as were at the age fit for service, as the Kohathites, Nu 4:34-37; the Gershonites, Nu 4:38-41; the Merarites, Nu 4:42-45; the sum total of which is given, Nu 4:46-49.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 11

1. See Exodus 26:31
2. Exodus 25:10, 16
3. Exodus 25:13
4. Ex. 25:23, 29, 30; Exodus 37:16; Leviticus 24:6, 8
5. 2 Chronicles 2:4
6. [Exodus 25:15, 28]
7. See Exodus 25:31-39
8. Exodus 30:1, 3
9. [1 Chronicles 9:28, 29]
10. Numbers 7:9; Numbers 10:21; Deuteronomy 31:9
11. 2 Samuel 6:6, 7; 1 Chronicles 13:9, 10

Footnotes 1

[a]. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; compare Exodus 25:5

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.