God’s Word Translation
Numbers 18:5
5“You must be in charge of the work done at the holy place and at the altar. Then I won’t show my anger against the Israelites again.
Numbers 18:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)“You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel.
Context of Numbers 18:5
3They will work for you, doing whatever work is necessary for the whole tent. But they must not come near the altar or the furnishings in the holy place, or they will die, and you will die, too. 4They will join you and do whatever work is necessary for the tent of meeting, including all the maintenance work for the tent. But no one else may come near you. “You must be in charge of the work done at the holy place and at the altar. Then I won’t show my anger against the Israelites again. 6I have chosen the other Levites from among the Israelites to help you. They are a gift given to the Lord to do whatever work is necessary at the tent of meeting. 7Only you and your sons may do the work of priests—everything done at the altar and under the canopy. This is my gift to you: You may serve me as priests. Anyone else who comes near ⌞the holy place to do this work⌟ must die.”
Read all of Numbers 18Numbers 18:5 word by word
וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֗ם אֵ֚ת מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ וְאֵ֖ת מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֥ה ע֛וֹד קֶ֖צֶף עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And ye shall keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- the chargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
- of the sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
- of the altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
- that there be no wrathקֶ֫צֶףqetseph · wrathH7110
- any more upon the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Numbers 18:5
- Numbers 8:2“Speak to Aaron and tell him: When you set up the seven lamps on the lamp stand, they should light up the area in front of it.”
- Exodus 27:21In the tent of meeting outside the canopy where the words of my promise are, Aaron and his descendants must keep the lamps lit in the Lord’s presence from evening until morning. This is a permanent law among the Israelites for generations to come.”
- Exodus 30:7“Aaron must burn sweet-smelling incense on this altar every morning when he takes care of the lamps.
- Leviticus 24:3In the tent of meeting, outside the canopy where the words of my promise are, Aaron must keep the lamps lit in the Lord’s presence from evening until morning. It is a permanent law for generations to come.
- 1 Chronicles 9:19Shallum (son of Kore, grandson of Ebiasaph, great-grandson of Korah) and the members of his family (Korah’s descendants) were responsible for serving as watchmen at the entrances to the tent, as their ancestors had been in charge of guarding the entrances to the Lord’s camp.
- 1 Chronicles 24:5Both groups were divided impartially by drawing lots so that there were officers for the holy place and officers for God among both Eleazar’s and Ithamar’s descendants.
- 1 Timothy 1:18Timothy, my child, I’m giving you this order about the prophecies that are still coming to you: Use these prophecies in faith and with a clear conscience to fight this noble war.
- 1 Timothy 3:15in case I’m delayed. I want you to know how people who are members of God’s family must live. God’s family is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.
- 1 Timothy 5:21I solemnly call on you in the sight of God, Christ Jesus, and the chosen angels to be impartial when you follow what I’ve told you. Never play favorites.
- 1 Timothy 6:20Timothy, guard the Good News which has been entrusted to you. Turn away from pointless discussions and the claims of false knowledge that people use to oppose ⌞the Christian faith⌟.
- Numbers 8:19The Levites will be the only Israelites I give to Aaron and his sons. They will work for the Israelites at the tent of meeting. They will make peace with the Lord for the Israelites. Then no plague will strike the Israelites when they come near the holy place.”
- Numbers 16:46Moses said to Aaron, “Take your incense burner, put burning coals from the altar and incense in it, and go quickly into the community to make peace with the Lord for the people. The Lord is showing his anger; a plague has started.”
- Jeremiah 23:15This is what the Lord of Armies says about the prophets: I will give them wormwood to eat and poison to drink. The prophets of Jerusalem have spread godlessness throughout the land.
- Zechariah 10:3“My burning anger is directed against the shepherds. I will punish the male goats. The Lord of Armies takes care of his flock, the people of Judah. He makes them like his splendid war horse.”
Commentaries on Numbers 18:5
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Aaron and the priests represented the people in the presence of the Lord. Their actions affected all of Israel (see 16:18–21).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-72-7. thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi--The departments of the sacred office, to be filled respectively by the priests and Levites, are here assigned to each. To the priests was committed the charge of the sanctuary and the altar, while the Levites were to take care of everything else about the tabernacle. The Levites were to attend the priests as servants--bestowed on them as "gifts" to aid in the service of the tabernacle--while the high and…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 18:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 18
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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