Numbers 4:17-27

17 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

18 Ye shall not cut off the tribe of the families of Kohath from among the Levites,

19 but thus do unto them that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the holy of holies: Aaron and his sons shall come and place each one of them in his ministry and to his burden.

20 They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

21 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

22 Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;

23 from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them, all that enter in to the host to do work in the tabernacle of the testimony.

24 This shall be the service of the families of Gershon, to minister and to bear burdens:

25 They shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of the testimony, its covering, and the covering of badgers’ skins that is over it above and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the testimony

26 and the hangings of the court and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords and all the instruments of their service and all that is made for them; so shall they serve.

27 According to the word of Aaron and his sons shall be all the ministry of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens and in all their service; and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.

Numbers 4:17-27 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.