Numbers 4:13

13 And they shall take away the ashes with the burnt fat from the altar and spread a purple cloth thereon

Numbers 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 4:13

And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread
a purple cloth thereon.
] Having cleared the holy of holies, and the holy place, they were to come forth from thence into the court of the tabernacle, where stood the altar of burnt offering, which is here meant, and on which sacrifices being daily burnt, there were always ashes to be removed; and which at this time was highly necessary to be done, when the tabernacle was taken down, and all belonging to it to be carried away; and though no mention is made of the fire, which was always burning on it, it was doubtless preserved, and care was taken for the carrying it along with the altar, or in a separate vessel from it. Bishop Patrick supposes it might be carried upon the grate.

Numbers 4:13 In-Context

11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins and shall put in the staves thereof;

12 and they shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins and shall put them on a bar.

13 And they shall take away the ashes with the burnt fat from the altar and spread a purple cloth thereon

14 and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof with which they minister about it: the censers, the fleshhooks, the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers’ skins and put in the staves of it.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp is to set forward, after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the testimony.