Numbers 4

Duties of the Kohathites

1 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:

2 "Among the Levites, take a census of the Kohathites^[a] by their clans and their ancestral houses,

3 men from 30 years old to 50 years old-everyone who is qualified^[b] to do work at the tent of meeting.

4 "The service of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting concerns the most holy objects.^[c]

5 Whenever the camp is about to move on, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the screening veil, and cover the ark of the testimony with it.^[d]

6 They are to place over this a covering made of manatee skin,^[e] spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert its poles.^[f]

7 "They are to spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence and place the plates and cups on it, as well as the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread [offering] is to be on it.^[g]

8 They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with a covering made of manatee skin,^[h] and insert the poles [in the table].^[i]

9 "They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand^[j] used for light, with its lamps, snuffers, and firepans,^[k] as well as its jars of oil by which they service it.

10 Then they must place it with all its utensils inside a covering made of manatee skin^[l] and put [them] on the carrying frame.

11 "They are to spread a blue cloth over the gold altar,^[m] cover it with a covering made of manatee skin,^[n] and insert its poles.^[o]

12 They are to take all the serving utensils they use in the sanctuary, place [them] in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering made of manatee skin,^[p] and put [them] on a carrying frame.

13 "They are to remove the ashes from the [bronze] altar, spread a purple cloth over it,

14 and place all the equipment on it that they use in serving: the firepans, meatforks, shovels, and basins-all the equipment of the altar.^[q] They are to spread a covering made of manatee skin^[r] over it and insert its poles.^{[s] [t]}

15 "Aaron and his sons are to finish covering the holy objects and all their equipment whenever the camp is to move on. The Kohathites will come and carry them, but they are not to touch the holy objects or they will die.^[u] These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the tent of meeting.

16 "Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has oversight of the lamp oil, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. [He has] oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, the holy objects and their utensils."^[v]

17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:

18 "Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be wiped out from the Levites.

19 Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy objects:^[w] Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and transportation duty.

20 The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment,^[x] or they will die."

Duties of the Gershonites

21 The Lord spoke to Moses:

22 "Take a census of the Gershonites^[y] also, by their ancestral houses and their clans.

23 Register men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who is qualified to perform service, to do work at the tent of meeting.

24 This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transportation duties:

25 They are to transport the tabernacle curtains,^[z] the tent of meeting with its covering and the covering made of manatee skin^[aa] on top of it, the screen for the entrance to the tent of meeting,

26 the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and the altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. They will carry out everything that needs to be done with these items.

27 "All the service of the Gershonites, all their transportation duties and all their [other] work, is to be [done] at the command of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.

28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting, and their duties will be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Duties of the Merarites

29 "As for the Merarites, you are to register them by their clans^[ab] and their ancestral houses.

30 Register men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who is qualified to do the work of the tent of meeting.

31 This is what they are responsible to carry as the whole of their service at the tent of meeting: the supports of the tabernacle, with its crossbars, posts, and bases,

32 the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and all the work related to them. You are to assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

33 This is the service of the Merarite clans regarding all their work at the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

Census of the Levites

34 So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the community registered the Kohathites by their clans and their ancestral houses,

35 men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.

36 The men registered by their clans numbered 2,750.

37 These were the registered men of the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron registered them at the Lord's command through Moses.

38 The Gershonites were registered by their clans and their ancestral houses,

39 men from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.

40 The men registered by their clans and their ancestral houses numbered 2,630.

41 These were the registered men of the Gershonite clans. At the Lord's command Moses and Aaron registered everyone who could serve at the tent of meeting.

42 The men of the Merarite clans were registered by their clans and their ancestral houses,

43 those from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified for work at the tent of meeting.

44 The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200.

45 These were the registered men of the Merarite clans; Moses and Aaron registered them at the Lord's command through Moses.

46 Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel registered all the Levites by their clans and their ancestral houses,

47 from 30 years old to 50 years old, everyone who was qualified to do the work of serving at the tent of meeting and transporting [it].

48 Their registered men numbered 8,580.

49 At the Lord's command they were registered under the direction of Moses, each one according to his work and transportation duty, and his assignment was as the Lord commanded Moses.

Numbers 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

The Levites' service. (1-3) The duties of the Kohathites. (4-20) The duties of the Gershonites and Merarites. (21-33) The numbers of the serviceable Levites. (34-49)

Verses 1-3 The middle-aged men of the tribe of Levi, all from thirty years old to fifty, were to be employed in the service of the tabernacle. The service of God requires the best of our strength, and the prime portion of our time, which cannot be better spent than to the honour of Him who is the First and Best. And the service of God should be done when we are most lively and active. Those do not consider this who put off repentance to old age, and so leave the best work to be done in the worst time.

Verses 4-20 The Kohathites were to carry the holy things of the tabernacle. All the holy things were to be covered; not only for security and respect, but to keep them from being seen. This not only marked the reverence due to holy things, but the mystery of the things signified by those types, and the darkness of the dispensation. But now, through Christ, the case is altered, and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.

Verses 21-33 We have here the charge of the other two families of the Levites, which, though not so honourable as the first, yet was necessary, and to be done regularly. All the things were delivered them by name. It intimates the care God takes of his church and every member of it. The death of the saints is ( 2 Corinthians. 5:1 ) ( 2 Peter. 1:14 ) great day, when these vile bodies shall be made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ, and so shall be for ever with the Lord.

Verses 34-49 God so ordered it, that though the Merarites were the fewest in number, yet they should have most able men among them; for whatever service God calls men to, he will furnish them for it, give strength in proportion to the work, and grace sufficient. The least of the tribes had many more able men than the Levites: those who engage in the service of this world, are many more than those devoted to the service of God. May our souls be wholly devoted to his service.

Footnotes

• [a]. Nm 3:27-31; Ex 6:16,18; 1 Ch 6:22-28
• [b]. Lit everyone entering the service
• [c]. Nm 3:30-31; 4:15-19
• [d]. Ex 25:10-22; 26:31-33
• [e]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [f]. Ex 25:13-15
• [g]. Ex 25:30; Lv 24:5-9
• [h]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [i]. Ex 25:26-28
• [j]. Ex 25:31-35; 26:35; 37:17-20
• [k]. Nm 4:14; Ex 25:38; 37:23
• [l]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [m]. Ex 30:1-3; 31:8; 39:38; 40:5,26
• [n]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [o]. Ex 30:4; 35:15
• [p]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [q]. Nm 7:13-8:4; Ex 27:3; 38:3
• [r]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [s]. Sam, LXX add They are to take a purple cloth and cover the wash basin and its base. They are to place them in a covering made of manatee skin and put them on the carrying frame.
• [t]. Ex 27:7
• [u]. Nm 1:51; 4:20; 8:19; 18:7
• [v]. Or the sanctuary and its furnishings
• [w]. Nm 3:31; 4:4
• [x]. Or at the covering of the holy objects
• [y]. Nm 3:17,21-26
• [z]. Ex 26:1-13; 36:8-17
• [aa]. Or of dolphin skin, or of fine leather; Hb obscure
• [ab]. Nm 3:17,33-37; Ex 6:16,19

Chapter Summary

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.