Numbers 4:5

5 When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony.

Numbers 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 4:5

And when the camp setteth forward
Upon the cloud's removing and the trumpets blowing:

Aaron shall come, and his sons;
into the holy place:

and they shall take down the covering vail:
the vail that divided between the holy and the most holy place, which covered all in the holy of holies out of sight:

and cover the ark of testimony with it;
together with the mercy seat and cherubim on it, that they might not be seen nor touched by the Levites when they carried them. Now though the high priest himself might not go into the most holy place but once a year, on the day of atonement, yet on this occasion, when the tabernacle was to be taken down, and the things in it to be removed, both he and his sons might enter without danger; since, as Bishop Patrick observes, the divine Majesty was gone from thence in the cloud which gave the signal for the motion of the camp, and the taking down of the tabernacle.

Numbers 4:5 In-Context

3 from {thirty years old} and above, up to {fifty years old}, everyone who comes to the service to do the work in the tent of assembly.

4 This [is] the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary:

5 When setting out the camp, Aaron and his sons will go and lower the curtain of the covering and cover with it the ark of the testimony.

6 They will put on it a covering of {fine leather}, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles.

7 And over the table of the presence they will spread [out] a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes, and libation bowls, and the pitchers of the libation; and the bread of continuity will be on it.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "the ark of the covenant"