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

13Then they shall clean away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it. 14They shall also put on it all its utensils by which they serve in connection with it: the firepans, the forks, shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread a cover of fine leather over it and insert its carrying poles. When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them by the poles, so that they will not touch the holy objects and die. These are the things in the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry. 16“Now the responsibility of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the continual grain offering, and the anointing oil--the responsibility of all the tabernacle and everything that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.” 17Then the Lord 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

• When Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• have finishedכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
• coveringכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• the holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• and allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the furnishingsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• when the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• is to setנָסַעnâsa‛ · to set outH5265
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• of Kohathקְהָתqehâth · KohathH6955
• shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to carryנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• so that they will not touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• and dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• Theseאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
• thingsמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · burdenH4853
• in the tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of meetingמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150

Cross-references for Numbers 4:15

• Numbers 7:9But he did not give any to the sons of Kohath, because theirs was the service of the holy objects, which they carried on the shoulder.
• Numbers 10:21Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy objects; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
• Deuteronomy 31:9So Moses wrote this Law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.
• Joshua 4:10For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed;
• 2 Samuel 6:13And so it was, that when those carrying the ark of the Lord marched six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened steer.
• 1 Chronicles 15:2Then David said, “No one is to carry the ark of God except the Levites; for the Lord chose them to carry the ark of the Lord and to serve Him forever.”
• Numbers 3:38Now those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle eastward, in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise, were Moses and Aaron and his sons, performing the duties of the sanctuary for the obligation of the sons of Israel; but the layman coming near was to be put to death.
• Exodus 19:12But you shall set boundaries for the people all around, saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall certainly be put to death.
• 1 Samuel 6:19Now He fatally struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had looked into the ark of the Lord. He struck 50,070 men among the people, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great slaughter.
• 2 Samuel 6:6But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen nearly overturned it.
• 1 Chronicles 13:9When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly overturned it.
• Hebrews 12:18For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
• Numbers 3:30and the leader of the fathers’ households of the Kohathite families: 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