Numbers 4:28-38

28 This is the office of the families of Gershonites, in the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace (This is the service of the Gershonite families in the Tabernacle of the Covenant); and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, [the] priest.

29 Also thou shalt number the sons of Merari, by the families and houses of their fathers,

30 from thirty years and above unto fifty years, all that enter to the office of their service, and to the adorning of the bond of peace of witnessing. (from thirty years of age up to fifty years old, all who enter to serve in the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

31 These be their charges; they shall bear the tables of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, the pillars, and their foundaments (and their foundations, or their bases);

32 also the pillars of the great entry by compass, with their foundaments, and their stakes, and their cords (and the pillars all around the courtyard, with their bases, and their stakes, and their cords); and they shall take all the instruments and the purtenance of the tabernacle, by number, and so they shall bear them.

33 This is the office of the family of Merarites, and the service in the tabernacle of the bond of peace (These be the duties of the Merarite family, in their service in the Tabernacle of the Covenant); and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron, the priest.

34 Therefore Moses and Aaron and the princes of the synagogue, numbered the sons of Kohath, by the kindreds, and houses of their fathers, (And so Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation, listed, or registered, the Kohathites, by the kindreds, and houses of their fathers,)

35 from thirty years and above unto the fiftieth year, all that enter to the service of the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace; (from thirty years of age up to fifty years old, all who entered to serve in the Tabernacle of the Covenant;)

36 and they were found (to be) two thousand (and) seven hundred and fifty.

37 This is the number of the people of Kohath, which entereth into the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace; Moses and Aaron numbered these, by the word of the Lord, by the hand of Moses. (This is the number of the people of Kohath, who served in the Tabernacle of the Covenant; Moses and Aaron listed them, obeying the word of the Lord, spoken by Moses.)

38 And the sons of Gershon were numbered, by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

Numbers 4:28-38 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.