Numbers 4:15

Numbers 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
• New International Version (NIV)“After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. “These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

Context of Numbers 4:15

13And they shall cleanse the altar of the ashes, and spread a purple cloth thereon; 14and they shall put upon it all the utensils thereof, wherewith they perform service about it: the firepans, the forks, and the shovels, and the bowls, — all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skin, and put its staves [to it]. And when Aaron and his sons have ended covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp setteth forward, then afterwards the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. This is what the sons of Kohath have to carry in the tent of meeting. 16And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have the oversight of the oil for the light, and the fragrant incense, and the continual oblation, and the anointing oil, — the oversight of the whole tabernacle, and of all that is therein, over the sanctuary, and over its furniture. 17And Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Numbers 4:15 word by word

וְכִלָּ֣ה אַֽהֲרֹן־וּ֠בָנָיו לְכַסֹּ֨ת אֶת־הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י הַקֹּדֶשׁ֮ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן יָבֹ֤אוּ בְנֵי־קְהָת֙ לָשֵׂ֔את וְלֹֽא־יִגְּע֥וּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵ֑תוּ אֵ֛לֶּה מַשָּׂ֥א בְנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear

• Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• endedכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
• coveringכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• utensilsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• Kohathקְהָתqehâth · KohathH6955
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• carryנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• thingsאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• carryנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• meetingמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150

Cross-references for Numbers 4:15

• Numbers 7:9But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, for the service of the sanctuary was upon them: they bore [what they carried] upon the shoulder.
• Numbers 10:21And the Kohathites set forward bearing the sanctuary: and [the others] set up the tabernacle whilst they came.
• Deuteronomy 31:9And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who bore the ark of the covenant of Jehovah, and to all the elders of Israel.
• Joshua 4:10And the priests who bore the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan, until everything was finished that Jehovah had commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hasted and passed over.
• 2 Samuel 6:13And it was so, that when they that bore the ark of Jehovah had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatted beast.
• 1 Chronicles 15:2Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites, for them has Jehovah chosen to carry the ark of God, and to serve him for ever.
• Numbers 3:38And those who encamped before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrising, were Moses, and Aaron and his sons, who kept the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh near shall be put to death.
• Exodus 19:12And set bounds round about the people, saying, Take heed to yourselves, [not] to go up unto the mountain nor touch the border of it: whatever toucheth the mountain shall certainly be put to death:
• 1 Samuel 6:19And he smote among the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Jehovah, and smote of the people seventy men; and the people lamented, because Jehovah had smitten the people with a great slaughter.
• 2 Samuel 6:6And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah reached after the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen had stumbled.
• 1 Chronicles 13:9And when they came to the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen had stumbled.
• Hebrews 12:18For ye have not come to [the mount] that might be touched and was all on fire, and to obscurity, and darkness, and tempest,
• Numbers 3:30And the prince of the father's house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:15

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-20Verses 4-20 The Kohathites were to carry the holy things of the tabernacle. All the holy things were to be covered; not only for security and respect, but to keep them from being seen. This not only marked the reverence due to holy things, but the mystery of the things signified by those types, and the darkness of the dispensation. But now, through Christ, the case is altered, and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Aaron and his sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, had to fully cover the sanctuary and all holy items before the camp could move. Non-Levitical tribes marched in front and behind the Levites, who carried the Tent of Meeting. The colors of the coverings showed the royalty of the objects. They were so holy that even the Kohathites, whom God chose to handle them, could not touch the holy items, or they would die. This respect showed the holiness of Israel's Lord…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-154-15. This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath, &c.--They are mentioned first, from their close connection with Aaron; and the special department of duty assigned to them during the journeyings of Israel accorded with the charge they had received of the precious contents of the tabernacle. But these were to be previously covered by the common priests, who, as well as the high priest, were admitted on such necessary occasions into the holy place…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 4:15

• Altar
• Ark
• Candlestick
• Levites
• Priest
• Shewbread (Showbread)
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Appoint
• David
• Eleazar
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• Uzzah
• Agrapha

Commentaries on Numbers 4

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings