Numbers 4:13

Numbers 4:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
• New International Version (NIV)“They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they shall take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it.

Context of Numbers 4:13

11They must cover the gold altar with a blue cloth. They must cover the blue cloth with good leather. Then they must fix the poles to the altar, so that they can carry it. 12They must cover all the tools from God's Holy Tent with a blue cloth. They must cover the blue cloth with good leather. They must carry all this on a board. They must remove the ashes from the bronze altar. They must cover the bronze altar with a purple cloth. 14They must put all the tools on top of it. That includes the plates for the fire, the forks for the meat, the spades and the bowls. They must cover all that with good leather. Then they must put the poles through the rings on the altar, so that they can carry it. 15When the camp is ready to move, the men from Kohath's clan must be ready to carry all those things. But they must wait until Aaron and his sons have covered God's Holy Tent and all its holy things. The men from Kohath's clan must not touch the holy things. They will die if they touch the holy things. These are the jobs of Kohath's clan. They must carry the things from the Tent of Meeting when the Israelites travel.

Numbers 4:13 word by word

וְדִשְּׁנ֖וּ אֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וּפָרְשׂ֣וּ עָלָ֔יו בֶּ֖גֶד אַרְגָּמָֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they shall take away the ashesדָּשֵׁןdâshên · to prosperH1878
• from the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• and spreadפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
• a purpleאַרְגָּמָן'argâmân · purpleH713
• clothבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899

Cross-references for Numbers 4:13

• Numbers 4:6Then they must cover the curtain with good leather. On the top of that, they must put a blue cloth. Then, they must put the poles through the rings, so that they can carry the Covenant Box.
• Exodus 27:3Make all the tools for the altar with bronze. Make pots to remove the ashes, spades and bowls. Make forks for the meat. Make dishes to carry the fire.
• Exodus 39:1The workers used blue, purple and red material to make beautiful clothes for the priests. They would wear them when they served God in the Holy Place. They made these special clothes for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
• Leviticus 6:12The fire that is on the altar must never stop burning. Every morning the priest must put wood on it. He must also put on it the gifts and the fat of the friendship offerings.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:13

• 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. 4-20The duties of the Kohathites come first because they handled the most holy objects (see 3:27–32). This might be because Aaron and the priests came from this clan (1 Chronicles 6:2–3). Their tasks included carrying, setting up, and folding up these holy and very important coverings and furnishings. The items entrusted to Kohath's descendants were very valuable. These included: the ark of the Testimony, the table of the Bread of the Presence, the lampstand…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 4:13

• Altar
• Colors
• Levites
• Priest
• Skin
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• David
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• Skin, Coats made of
• Agrapha
• Alexander
• Apocrypha

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