Numbers 4

Duties of the Kohathites

1Then the LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872 and to AaronH175, sayingH559, 2“TakeH5375 a 1censusH7218 of the 2descendantsH1121 of KohathH6955 from amongH8432 the sonsH1121 of LeviH3878, by their familiesH4940, by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, 3from 3thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605, even to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121, everyoneH3605 who can enterH935 the serviceH6635 of ministry to doH6213 workH4399 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150. 4ThisH2088 is the workH5656 of the 4descendantsH1121 of KohathH6955 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150, concerning the mostH6944 holyH6944 thingsH6944.

5“When the campH4264 setsH5265 outH5265, AaronH175 and his sonsH1121 shall goH935 inH935 and takeH3381 downH3381 5the veilH6532 of the curtainH4539, and coverH3680 the 6arkH727 of the testimonyH5715 with it; 6and they shall placeH5414 a 7coveringH3681 of 8fineH8476 leatherH5785 on it, and spreadH6566 overH4605 it a clothH899 of pureH3632 9violetH8504, and insertH7760 its carryingH905 polesH905. 7OverH5921 the tableH7979 of the bread of the PresenceH6440 they shall also spreadH6566 a clothH899 of violetH8504 and putH5414 on it the dishesH7086, the pansH3709, the sacrificialH4518 bowlsH4518, and the jugsH7184 for the drinkH5262 offeringH5262; and 10the continualH8548 breadH3899 shall be on it. 8And they shall spreadH6566 overH5921 them a clothH899 of scarletH8438H8144 material, and coverH3680 the sameH853 with a coveringH4372 of fineH8476 leatherH5785, and they shall insertH7760 its carryingH905 polesH905. 9Then they shall takeH3947 a violetH8504 clothH899 and coverH3680 the 11lampstandH4501 for the lightH3974, 12along with its lampsH5216, its tongsH4457, its traysH4289, and allH3605 its oilH8081 containersH3627, by whichH834 they attendH8334 to it; 10and they shall putH5414 it and allH3605 its utensilsH3627 in a coveringH4372 of fineH8476 leatherH5785, and putH5414 it on the carryingH4132 13barsH4132. 11OverH5921 the goldenH2091 altarH4196 they shall spreadH6566 a violetH8504 clothH899, and coverH3680 it with a coveringH4372 of fineH8476 leatherH5785, and they shall insertH7760 its carryingH905 polesH905; 12and they shall takeH3947 allH3605 the utensilsH3627 of serviceH8335, with whichH834 they serveH8334 in the sanctuaryH6944, and putH5414 them in a violetH8504 clothH899 and coverH3680 them with a coveringH4372 of fineH8476 leatherH5785, and putH5414 them on the carryingH4132 14barsH4132. 13Then they shall cleanH1878 awayH1878 the 15ashesH1878 from the 16altarH4196, and spreadH6566 a purpleH713 clothH899 overH5921 it. 14They shall also putH5414 on it allH3605 its utensilsH3627 by whichH834 they serveH8334 inH5921 connectionH5921 withH5921 it: the firepansH4289, the forksH4207, shovelsH3257, and the basinsH4219, allH3605 the utensilsH3627 of the altarH4196; and they shall spreadH6566 a coverH3681 of fineH8476 leatherH5785 overH5921 it and insertH7760 its carryingH905 polesH905. 15When AaronH175 and his sonsH1121 have finishedH3615 coveringH3680 the holyH6944 objects and allH3605 the furnishingsH3627 of the sanctuaryH6944, when the campH4264 is to setH5265 outH5265, afterH310 that the sonsH1121 of KohathH6955 shall comeH935 to carryH5375 them by the poles, so that they will not touchH5060 the holyH6944 objects 17and dieH4191. TheseH428 are the 18thingsH4853 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150 that the sonsH1121 of KohathH6955 are toH4853 carryH4853.

16“Now the responsibilityH6486 of EleazarH499 the sonH1121 of AaronH175 the priestH3548 is 19the oilH8081 for the lightH3974, the 20fragrantH5561 incenseH7004, 21the continualH8548 grain offeringH4503, and 22the anointingH4888 oilH8081--the responsibilityH6486 of allH3605 the 23tabernacleH4908 and everythingH3605 that is in it, with the sanctuaryH6944 and its furnishingsH3627.”

17Then the LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872 and to AaronH175, sayingH559, 18“Do not let the tribeH7626 of the familiesH4940 of the KohathitesH6956 be eliminatedH3772 from amongH8432 the LevitesH3881. 19Rather, doH6213 thisH2088 for them so that they will liveH2421 and 24not dieH4191 when they approachH5066 the mostH6944 holyH6944 objects: AaronH175 and his sonsH1121 shall goH935 inH935 and assignH7760 eachH376 of them to his workH5656 and to his loadH4853; 20but 25they shall not comeH935 inH935 to seeH7200 the holyH6944 objects even forH1104 aH1104 momentH1104, or they will dieH4191.”

Duties of the Gershonites

21Then the LordH3068 spokeH1696 to MosesH4872, sayingH559, 22“TakeH5375 a 26censusH7218 of the sonsH1121 of GershonH1648 27alsoH1571, by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, by their familiesH4940; 23from 28thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605 to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121 you shall 29countH6485 them: allH3605 who can enterH935 to performH6633 serviceH6635, to doH5647 the workH5656 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150. 24ThisH2088 is the serviceH5656 of the familiesH4940 of the GershonitesH1649, in servingH5647 and in carryingH4853: 25they shall carryH5375 30the curtainsH3407 of the tabernacleH4908 and the tentH168 of meetingH4150 with its coveringH4372 and 31the coveringH4372 of fineH8476 leatherH8476 that is on topH4605 of it, and the curtainH4539 for the entranceH6607 of the tentH168 of meetingH4150, 26and 32the curtainsH7050 of the courtyardH2691, the curtainH4539 for the entranceH6607 of the gateH8179 of the courtyardH2691 that is aroundH5439 the tabernacleH4908 and the altarH4196, and their ropesH4340 and allH3605 the equipmentH3627 for their serviceH5656; and everythingH3605 that is to be doneH6213 33by them, 34they shall performH5647. 27AllH3605 the serviceH5656 of the sonsH1121 of the GershonitesH1649, that is, allH3605 their loadsH4853 and allH3605 their workH5656, shall be performed at the 35commandH6310 of AaronH175 and his sonsH1121; and you shall assignH6485 to them as a dutyH4931 allH3605 their loadsH4853. 28ThisH2088 is the serviceH5656 of the familiesH4940 of the sonsH1121 of the GershonitesH1649 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150; and their dutiesH4931 shall be 36under the directionH3027 of IthamarH385 the sonH1121 of AaronH175 the priestH3548.

Duties of the Merarites

29“As for the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847, you shall countH6485 them by their familiesH4940, by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004; 30from 37thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605, even to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121, you shall countH6485 them, everyoneH3605 who can enterH935 the serviceH6635 to doH5647 the workH5656 of the tentH168 of meetingH4150. 31Now thisH2088 is the dutyH4931 of their loadsH4853, for allH3605 their serviceH5656 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150: the boardsH7175 of the tabernacleH4908, its barsH1280, its pillarsH5982, and its basesH134, 32and the pillarsH5982 aroundH5439 the courtyardH2691 and their basesH134, their pegsH3489, and their ropesH4340, with allH3605 their equipmentH3627 and with allH3605 their serviceH5656; and you shall assignH6485 by namesH8034 of the men the itemsH3627 38that each is to carryH4853. 33ThisH2088 is the serviceH5656 of the familiesH4940 of the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847, according to allH3605 their serviceH5656 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150, 39under the directionH3027 of IthamarH385 the sonH1121 of AaronH175 the priestH3548.”

34So MosesH4872, AaronH175, and the leadersH5387 of the congregationH5712 countedH6485 the sonsH1121 of the KohathitesH6956 by their familiesH4940 and by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, 35from 40thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605 even to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121, everyoneH3605 who could enterH935 the serviceH6635 for workH5656 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150. 36Their numberedH6485 men by their familiesH4940 were 2,750H505H7651H3967H2572. 37TheseH428 were the numberedH6485 men of the KohathiteH6956 familiesH4940, everyoneH3605 who was servingH5647 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150, whomH834 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 countedH6485 accordingH5921 to the 41commandmentH6310 of the LordH3068 42throughH3027 MosesH4872.

38And the numberedH6485 men of the sonsH1121 of GershonH1648 by their familiesH4940 and by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, 39from thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605 even to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121, everyoneH3605 who could enterH935 the serviceH6635 for workH5656 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150-- 40their numberedH6485 men by their familiesH4940, by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, were 2,630H505H8337H3967H7970. 41TheseH428 were the numberedH6485 men of the familiesH4940 of the sonsH1121 of GershonH1648, everyoneH3605 who was servingH5647 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150, whomH834 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 countedH6485 accordingH5921 to the 43commandmentH6310 of the LordH3068.

42And the numberedH6485 men of the familiesH4940 of the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847 by their familiesH4940, by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, 43from 44thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605 even to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121, everyoneH3605 who could enterH935 the serviceH6635 for workH5656 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150-- 44their numberedH6485 men by their familiesH4940 were 3,200H7969H505H3967. 45TheseH428 were the numberedH6485 men of the familiesH4940 of the sonsH1121 of MerariH4847, whomH834 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 countedH6485 accordingH5921 to the 45commandmentH6310 of the LordH3068 46throughH3027 MosesH4872.

46AllH3605 the numberedH6485 men of the LevitesH3881, whomH834 MosesH4872, AaronH175, and the leadersH5387 of IsraelH3478 countedH6485, by their familiesH4940 and by their fathers’H1 householdsH1004, 47from thirtyH7970 yearsH8141 oldH1121 and upwardH4605 even to fiftyH2572 yearsH8141 oldH1121, everyoneH3605 who could enterH935 to doH5647 the workH5656 of serviceH5656 and the workH5656 of carryingH4853 in the tentH168 of meetingH4150-- 48their numberedH6485 men were 478,580H8083H505H2568H3967H8084. 49AccordingH5921 to the 48commandmentH6310 of the LordH3068 49throughH3027 MosesH4872, they 50were countedH6485, everyoneH376 by his servingH5656 or carryingH4853; so these were his numberedH6485 men, justH834 asH834 the LordH3068 had commandedH6680 MosesH4872.