Numbers 4:20

Numbers 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
• New International Version (NIV)But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”

Context of Numbers 4:20

18“Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be eliminated from among the Levites. 19Rather, do this for them so that they will live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load; but they shall not come in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.” 21Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 22“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ households, by their families;

Numbers 4:20 word by word

וְלֹא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ׃ פRead the interlinear

• they shall not comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the holyקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• even forבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• or they will dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Numbers 4:20

• Numbers 4:15When 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.
• Exodus 19:21Then the Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the Lord to stare, and many of them perish.
• Leviticus 10:2And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
• 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.
• Hebrews 10:19Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
• Revelation 11:19And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.
• 1 Kings 8:8But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; they are there to this day.
• 2 Chronicles 5:9The poles were so long that the ends of the poles of the ark could be seen in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; and they are there to this day.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20When the holy things are covered - Literally, כבלע keballa, when they are swallowed down; which shows the promptitude with which every thing belonging to the holy of holies was put out of sight, for these mysteries must ever be treated with the deepest reverence; and indeed without this they could not have been to them the representatives of heavenly realities. See the concluding note Numbers 4:36; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20to see when the holy things are covered - Render: to see the holy things for an instant. The expression means Iiterally” as a gulp,” i. e. for the instant it takes to swallow.Read the comment
• 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 4:20

• Curiosity
• Levites
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Ark
• David
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• 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