Numbers 3:8

Numbers 3:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
• New International Version (NIV)They are to take care of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, fulfilling the obligations of the Israelites by doing the work of the tabernacle.
• English Standard Version (ESV)They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Also they shall attend to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work of the tabernacle.

Context of Numbers 3:8

6“Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. 7They are responsible for his needs and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attending to the service of the tabernacle. And they are responsible for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and for the needs of the Israelites, as they serve in the tabernacle. 9You are to assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they will be assigned exclusively to him out of all the Israelites. 10So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood; but the unauthorized person who comes near must be put to death.”

Numbers 3:8 word by word

וְשָׁמְר֗וּ אֶֽת־כָּל־כְּלֵי֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְאֶת־מִשְׁמֶ֖רֶת בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לַעֲבֹ֖ד אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they shall keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• all the instrumentsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• of the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
• and the chargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
• of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• to doעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• the serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: ministryH5656
• of the tabernacleמִשְׁכָּןmishkân · tabernacleH4908

Cross-references for Numbers 3:8

• Numbers 4:15“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to journey, then the Kohathites will come to carry them; but they must not touch any holy thing, or they will die. These are the responsibilities of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting.
• Numbers 10:17Then the tabernacle was dismantled, and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set out, carrying the tabernacle.
• 1 Chronicles 26:20Their fellow Levites were in charge of the storehouses in God’s temple and the storehouses containing consecrated items.
• Ezra 8:24Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests, together with Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers,
• Isaiah 52:11Leave! Leave! Get out of there! Don’t touch anything unclean! Get out of it! Stay pure, you who carry the Lord’s holy items!

Commentaries on Numbers 3:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8All the instruments - The tabernacle itself and all its contents: see all described, Numbers 3:25, Numbers 3:26, Numbers 3:31, Numbers 3:36, Numbers 3:37. The Levites were to perform the most common and laborious offices. It was their business to take down, put up, and carry the tabernacle and its utensils; for it was the object of their peculiar care. In a word, they were the servants of the priests.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-13God chose the Levites to be assistants for the priests, represented by Aaron. They had a number of holy duties in their ministry service. They performed holy tasks to maintain the Tent of Meeting and its items (3:7,8; explained more in 4:1–33).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-105-10. Bring the tribe of Levi near--The Hebrew word "bring near" is a sacrificial term, denoting the presentation of an offering to God; and the use of the word, therefore, in connection with the Levites, signifies that they were devoted as an offering to the sanctuary, no longer to be employed in any common offices. They were subordinate to the priests, who alone enjoyed the privilege of entering the holy place; but they were employed in discharging many…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 3:8

• Levites
• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Chief
• Conclude
• Custody
• Encamp
• O
• Secure

Commentaries on Numbers 3

• 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
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings