Christian Standard Bible
Numbers 3:38
38Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death.
Numbers 3:38 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
- New International Version (NIV)Moses and Aaron and his sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, in front of the tent of meeting. They were responsible for the care of the sanctuary on behalf of the Israelites. Anyone else who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, guarding the sanctuary itself, to protect the people of Israel. And any outsider who came near was to be put to death.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover those who were to camp before the tabernacle on the east, before the tabernacle of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, and his sons, keeping charge of the sanctuary, to meet the needs of the children of Israel; but the outsider who came near was to be put to death.
Context of Numbers 3:38
36The assigned duties of Merari’s descendants involved the tabernacle’s supports, crossbars, pillars, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these, 37in addition to the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes. Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death. 39The total number of all the Levite males one month old or more that Moses and Aaron registered by their clans at the Lord’s command was 22,000. 40The Lord told Moses, “Register every firstborn male of the Israelites one month old or more, and list their names.
Read all of Numbers 3Numbers 3:38 word by word
וְהַחֹנִ֣ים לִפְנֵ֣י הַמִּשְׁכָּ֡ן קֵ֣דְמָה לִפְנֵי֩ אֹֽהֶל־מוֹעֵ֨ד׀ מִזְרָ֜חָה מֹשֶׁ֣ה׀ וְאַהֲרֹ֣ן וּבָנָ֗יו שֹֽׁמְרִים֙ מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַמִּקְדָּ֔שׁ לְמִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהַזָּ֥ר הַקָּרֵ֖ב יוּמָֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But those that encampחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the tabernacleמִשְׁכָּןmishkân · tabernacleH4908
- toward the eastקֵ֫דֶםqedem qêdmâh · eastH6924
- the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
- eastwardמִזְרָחmizrâch · eastH4217
- Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- and Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- keepingשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- the chargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
- of the sanctuaryמִקְדָּשׁmiqdâsh miqqedâsh · sanctuaryH4720
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and the strangerזוּרzûr · be a strangerH2114
- that cometh nighקָרֵבqârêb · approachingH7131
- shall be put to deathמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for Numbers 3:38
- Numbers 3:23The Gershonite clans camped behind the tabernacle on the west side,
- Numbers 1:53The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.”
- Numbers 2:3Judah’s military divisions will camp on the east side toward the sunrise under their banner. The leader of the descendants of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab.
- Numbers 1:10from the sons of Joseph: Elishama son of Ammihud from Ephraim, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur from Manasseh;
- Numbers 18:1The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons, and your ancestral family will be responsible for iniquity against the sanctuary. You and your sons will be responsible for iniquity involving your priesthood.
- 1 Chronicles 6:48Their relatives, the Levites, were assigned to all the service of the tabernacle, God’s temple.
- Numbers 3:7They are to perform duties for him and the entire community before the tent of meeting by attending to the service of the tabernacle.
Commentaries on Numbers 3:38
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-39Verses 14-39 The Levites were in three classes, according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and these were subdivided into families. The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites; thus it was plain, that Moses did not seek the advancement of his own family, or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God's chosen are but a little…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38The best campsite east of the tabernacle was for Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3838. those that encamp, &c.--That being the entrance side, it was the post of honor, and consequently reserved to Moses and the priestly family. But the sons of Moses had no station here.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 3:38
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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