New International Version
Numbers 4:3
3Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
Numbers 4:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
- English Standard Version (ESV)from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
- New King James Version (NKJV)from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting.
- New Living Translation (NLT)List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.
Context of Numbers 4:3
1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2“Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 4“This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5When 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.
Read all of Numbers 4Numbers 4:3 word by word
מִבֶּ֨ן שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה וְעַ֖ד בֶּן־חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה כָּל־בָּא֙ לַצָּבָ֔א לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת מְלָאכָ֖ה בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- From thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- oldבֵּןbên · son: agedH1121
- and upwardמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- even until fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- all that enterבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- into the hostצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: dutyH6635
- to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- the workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
- in the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
Cross-references for Numbers 4:3
- Numbers 8:24“This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,
- Genesis 41:46Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt.
- 1 Chronicles 23:3The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand.
- 1 Chronicles 28:12He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the Lord and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.
- Luke 3:23Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- 1 Timothy 3:6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.
- 2 Kings 11:4In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son.
- 2 Chronicles 23:1In the seventh year Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the commanders of units of a hundred: Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri.
- 2 Corinthians 10:3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
- Ephesians 6:10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
- 1 Timothy 1:18Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well,
- Numbers 3:7They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle.
- Numbers 16:9Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?
- 1 Chronicles 6:48Their fellow Levites were assigned to all the other duties of the tabernacle, the house of God.
- 1 Chronicles 23:4David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to be in charge of the work of the temple of the Lord and six thousand are to be officials and judges.
- 1 Timothy 3:1Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.
Commentaries on Numbers 4:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3From thirty years old - In Numbers 8:24, the Levites are ordered to enter on the service of the tabernacle at the age of twenty-five years; and in 1 Chronicles 23:24, they were ordered to commence that work at twenty years of age. How can these different times be reconciled? At the time of which Moses speaks here, the Levitical service was exceedingly severe, and consequently required men full grown, strong, and stout, to perform it; the age therefore of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Out of the 22,000 Levites, only men aged thirty to fifty could serve in the sanctuary (3:39). This was because they were most capable at this time of their lives. 4:34–49 lists 8,580 qualified males. This is the summary of this registration, another "numbering."Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-492-3. sons of Kohath, from thirty years old and upward--This age was specifically fixed (see on Nu 8:24) as the full maturity of bodily energy to perform the laborious duties assigned them in the wilderness, as well as of mental activity to assist in the management of the sacred services. And it was the period of life at which John the Baptist and Christ entered on their respective ministries. even unto fifty--The term prescribed for active duty was a…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 4:3
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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