God’s Word Translation
Numbers 4:18
18“Don’t let the Kohathite families from Levi’s tribe be destroyed.
Numbers 4:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
- New International Version (NIV)“See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;
Context of Numbers 4:18
16“Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron, will be in charge of the oil for the lamps, the sweet-smelling incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He is in charge of the whole tent and everything in it, the holy place and its contents.” 17The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Don’t let the Kohathite families from Levi’s tribe be destroyed. 19This is what you must do so that they won’t die when they come near the most holy things: Aaron and his sons will go into the holy place and tell each man what he will do and what he will carry. 20But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”
Read all of Numbers 4Numbers 4:18 word by word
אַל־תַּכְרִ֕יתוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֖בֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י מִתּ֖וֹךְ הַלְוִיִּֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 4:18
- Numbers 16:32and the earth opened up to swallow them, their families, the followers of Korah, and all their property.
- Numbers 17:10The Lord said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the words of my promise, and keep it there as a sign to warn any other rebels. Then you will stop their complaints about me, and they won’t die.”
- Numbers 18:5“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.
- Exodus 19:21The Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to force their way through ⌞the boundary⌟ to see the Lord, or many of them will die.
- Leviticus 10:1Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took an incense burner and put burning coals and incense in it. Then in the Lord’s presence they offered this unauthorized fire.
- 1 Samuel 6:19God struck down some of the people from Beth Shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the Lord. He struck down 70 people. The people mourned because the Lord struck them with such a great blow.
- 2 Samuel 6:6But when they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, the oxen stumbled. So Uzzah reached out for the ark of God and grabbed it.
- Jeremiah 38:23“All your wives and children will be brought to the Babylonians. You will not escape from them. You will be captured by the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned down.”
Commentaries on Numbers 4:18
- 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. 17-2017-20. Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, &c.--a solemn admonition to Moses and Aaron to beware, lest, by any negligence on their part, disorder and improprieties should creep in, and to take the greatest care that all the parts of this important service be apportioned to the proper parties, lest the Kohathites should be disqualified for their high and honorable duties. The guilt of their death would be…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 4:18
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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