Numbers 4:4-20

4This is the work of the 1descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things.

5“When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down 2the veil of the curtain, and cover the 3ark of the testimony with it; 6and they shall place a 4covering of 5fine leather on it, and spread over it a cloth of pure 6violet, and insert its carrying poles. 7Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall also spread a cloth of violet and put on it the dishes, the pans, the sacrificial bowls, and the jugs for the drink offering; and 7the continual bread shall be on it. 8And they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet material, and cover the same with a covering of fine leather, and they shall insert its carrying poles. 9Then they shall take a violet cloth and cover the 8lampstand for the light, 9along with its lamps, its tongs, its trays, and all its oil containers, by which they attend to it; 10and they shall put it and all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on the carrying 10bars. 11Over the golden altar they shall spread a violet cloth, and cover it with a covering of fine leather, and they shall insert its carrying poles; 12and they shall take all the utensils of service, with which they serve in the sanctuary, and put them in a violet cloth and cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on the carrying 11bars. 13Then they shall clean away the 12ashes from the 13altar, 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. 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 14and die. These are the 15things 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 16the oil for the light, the 17fragrant incense, 18the continual grain offering, and 19the anointing oil--the responsibility of all the 20tabernacle and everything that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings.”

17Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 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 21not 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; 20but 22they shall not come in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.”