Numbers 3:26

26 They took care of the curtains of the courtyard. They took care of the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. The courtyard was all around the holy tent and altar. They also took care of the ropes. In fact, they had to take care of everything that was connected with the use of all of those things.

Numbers 3:26 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 3:26

And the hangings of the court
Which formed the great open court that encompassed the tabernacle, and was an hundred cubits long and fifty broad; ( Exodus 27:9-13 ) ;

and the curtain for the door of the court:
which was an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, ( Exodus 27:16 ) ;

which [is] by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about:
this refers to the court, the hangings, and curtains of the door of it, which are spoken of; and this court surrounded the tabernacle, and the altar which was without the tabernacle, as Aben Ezra observes, and which was the altar of burnt offering that stood within this court; for the particle (le) sometimes signifies "about" F19, and the word (bybo) , "around", being joined with it, requires this sense:

and the cords of it;
which seem to be the cords of the court, which fastened the hangings and curtains to brass pins, or stakes fixed in the ground to keep them tight, that the wind might not move them to and fro; but Jarchi says, these were the cords of the tabernacle and tent, and not of the court; and indeed the tabernacle had its cords as well as the court, ( Exodus 38:18 ) ; the cords of the court were in the charge of the Merarites, ( Numbers 3:37 ) ;

for all the service thereof:
for that part of the tabernacle and court which the Gershonites had in their care and custody.


FOOTNOTES:

F19 Vid. Nold. Partic. Ebr. Concord. p. 992.

Numbers 3:26 In-Context

24 The leader of the families of Gershon was Eliasaph, the son of Lael.
25 Here are the duties of the families of Gershon at the Tent of Meeting. They were held accountable for taking care of the holy tent and its coverings. They took care of the curtain at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
26 They took care of the curtains of the courtyard. They took care of the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. The courtyard was all around the holy tent and altar. They also took care of the ropes. In fact, they had to take care of everything that was connected with the use of all of those things.
27 The families of Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel belonged to the family of Kohath.
28 All of the males who were a month old or more were counted. There were 8,600 of them. The families of Kohath were held accountable for taking care of the sacred tent.
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