New English Translation
Numbers 4:5
5When it is time for the camp to journey, Aaron and his sons must come and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the testimony with it.
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 to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work in the tent of meeting. 4This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting, relating to the most holy things. When it is time for the camp to journey, Aaron and his sons must come and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 6Then they must put over it a covering of fine leather and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue, and then they must insert its poles. 7“On the table of the presence they must spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the pans, the bowls, and the pitchers for pouring, and the Bread of the Presence must be on it continually.
Read all of Numbers 4Numbers 4:5 word by word
וּבָ֨א אַהֲרֹ֤ן וּבָנָיו֙ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהוֹרִ֕דוּ אֵ֖ת פָּרֹ֣כֶת הַמָּסָ֑ךְ וְכִ֨סּוּ־בָ֔הּ אֵ֖ת אֲרֹ֥ן הָעֵדֻֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And when the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- setteth forwardנָסַעnâsa‛ · to set outH5265
- Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and they shall take downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- the coveringמָסָךְmâsâk · coveringH4539
- vailפָּרֹ֫כֶתpôreketh · curtainH6532
- and coverכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
- the arkאֲרוֹן'ârôn 'ârôn · arkH727
- of testimonyעֵדוּת‛êdûth · testimonyH5715
Cross-references for Numbers 4:5
- Numbers 2:16All those numbered of the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, are 151,450. They will travel second.
- Numbers 10:14The standard of the camp of the Judahites set out first according to their companies, and over his company was Nahshon son of Amminadab.
- 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 3:27From Kohath came 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 are to make a special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; it is to be made with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer.
- Exodus 36:35He made the special curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twisted linen; he made it with cherubim, the work of an artistic designer.
- Exodus 40:3You are to place the ark of the testimony in it and shield the ark with the special curtain.
- Isaiah 25:7On this mountain he will swallow up the shroud that is over all the peoples, the woven covering that is over all the nations;
- Matthew 27:51Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart.
- Hebrews 9:3And after the second curtain there was a tent called the holy of holies.
- Hebrews 10:20by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,
- Exodus 25:10“They are to make an ark of acacia wood – its length is to be three feet nine inches, its width two feet three inches, and its height two feet three inches.
- Exodus 37:1Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood; its length was three feet nine inches, its width two feet three inches, and its height two feet three inches.
- 2 Samuel 6:2David and all the men who were with him traveled to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim that are on it.
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
In the dictionaries
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
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