Numbers 4:30-40

30 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the labour, to perform the service of the tent of meeting.
31 And this shall be the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and bases thereof,
32 and the pillars of the court round about, and their bases, and their pegs, and their cords, all their instruments, according to all their service; and by name ye shall number to them the materials which are their charge to carry.
33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
34 And Moses and Aaron and the princes of the assembly numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and according to their fathers' houses,
35 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that entered into the labour, for service in the tent of meeting.
36 And those that were numbered of them according to their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37 These are they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, every one that served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of Jehovah through Moses.
38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, after their families, and according to their fathers' houses,
39 from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that entered into the labour, for service in the tent of meeting,
40 even those that were numbered of them, after their families, according to their fathers' houses, were two thousand six hundred and thirty.

Numbers 4:30-40 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.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. As 'instruments' above.
  • [b]. Lit. 'by the hand of,' here and often elsewhere.
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.