Numbers 4:5

Numbers 4:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
• New International Version (NIV)When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.

Context of Numbers 4:5

3from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, everyone who can enter the service of ministry to do work in the tent of meeting. 4This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things. “When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the testimony with it; 6and they shall place a covering of fine leather on it, and spread over it a cloth of pure violet, 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 the continual bread shall be on it.

Numbers 4:5 word by word

וּבָ֨א אַהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהוֹרִ֕דוּ אֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֑ךְ וְכִ֨סּוּ־בָ֔הּ אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֥ן הָעֵדֻֽת׃Read the interlinear

• When the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• setsנָסַעnâsa‛ · to set outH5265
• Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• shall goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and takeיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• the veilפָּרֹ֫כֶתpôreketh · curtainH6532
• of the curtainמָסָךְmâsâk · coveringH4539
• and coverכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
• of the testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715

Cross-references for Numbers 4:5

• Numbers 2:16The total of the numbered men of the camp of Reuben: 151,450 by their armies. And they shall set out second.
• Numbers 10:14The flag of the camp of the sons of Judah, by their armies, set out first, with Nahshon the son of Amminadab, over its army,
• 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.
• Numbers 3:27Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites; these were the families of the Kohathites.
• Exodus 26:31“You shall also make a veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer.
• Exodus 36:35Moreover, he made the veil of violet, purple, and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of a skilled embroiderer.
• Exodus 40:3You shall place the ark of the testimony there, and you shall screen off the ark with the veil.
• Isaiah 25:7And on this mountain He will destroy the covering which is over all peoples, The veil which is stretched over all nations.
• Matthew 27:51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.
• Hebrews 9:3Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Most Holy Place,
• Hebrews 10:20by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh,
• Exodus 25:10“Now they shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high.
• Exodus 37:1Now Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was two and a half cubits, its width one and a half cubits, and its height one and a half cubits;
• 2 Samuel 6:2And David departed from Baale-judah, with all the people who were with him, to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the Name, the very name of the Lord of armies who is enthroned above the cherubim.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:5

• 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. 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 4:5

• Altar
• Ark
• Colors
• Levites
• Priest
• Tabernacle
• Vail

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Ark of Testimony
• Appoint
• Ark
• David
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• 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