Numbers 4:11

Numbers 4:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
• New International Version (NIV)“Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And over the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles.

Context of Numbers 4:11

9“They must take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it. 10Then they must put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on a carrying beam. “They must spread a blue cloth on the gold altar, and cover it with a covering of fine leather; and they must insert its poles. 12Then they must take all the utensils of the service, with which they serve in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on a carrying beam. 13Also, they must take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it.

Numbers 4:11 word by word

וְעַ֣ל׀ מִזְבַּ֣ח הַזָּהָ֗ב יִפְרְשׂוּ֙ בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אֹת֔וֹ בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְשָׂמ֖וּ אֶת־בַּדָּֽיו׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And upon the goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• altarמִזְבֵּחַmizbêach · altarH4196
• they shall spreadפָּרַשׂpâraώ · to spreadH6566
• a clothבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
• of blueתְּכֵ֫לֶתtekêleth · blueH8504
• and coverכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• it with a coveringמִכְסֶהmikseh · coveringH4372
• of badgers’תַּ֫חַשׁtachash · leatherH8476
• skinsעוֹר‛ôr · skinH5785
• and shall putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
• to the stavesבַּדbad · alone: poleH905

Cross-references for Numbers 4:11

• Exodus 30:1“You are to make an altar for burning incense; you are to make it of acacia wood.
• Exodus 37:25He made the incense altar of acacia wood. Its length was a foot and a half and its width a foot and a half – a square – and its height was three feet. Its horns were of one piece with it.
• Exodus 39:38and the gold altar, and the anointing oil, and the fragrant incense; and the curtain for the entrance to the tent;
• Exodus 40:5You are to put the gold altar for incense in front of the ark of the testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:11

• 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 4:11

• Altar
• Badger
• Colors
• Levites
• Priest
• Skin
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Altar
• Appoint
• Blue
• David
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• Skin, Coats made of
• 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