Numbers 4:21-31

21 The Lord told Moses

22 to take a census of the Levite clan of Gershon by subclans and families,

23 and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the Lord's presence.

24 They shall be responsible for carrying the following objects:

25 the Tent, its inner cover, its outer cover, the fine leather cover on top of it, the curtain for the entrance,

26 the curtains and ropes for the court that is around the Tent and the altar, the curtains for the entrance of the court, and all the fittings used in setting up these objects. They shall perform all the tasks required for these things.

27 Moses and Aaron shall see to it that the Gershonites perform all the duties and carry everything that Aaron and his sons assign to them.

28 These are the responsibilities of the Gershon clan in the Tent; they shall carry them out under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

29 The Lord told Moses to take a census of the Levite clan of Merari by subclans and families,

30 and to register all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who were qualified to work in the Tent of the Lord's presence.

31 They shall be responsible for carrying the frames, bars, posts, and bases of the Tent,

Numbers 4:21-31 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.