Numbers 4:5

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:
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons must enter the Tabernacle first to take down the inner curtain and cover the Ark of the Covenant with it.

Context of Numbers 4:5

3Count 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. 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. 6Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place. 7“Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it.

Numbers 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 the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.
• Numbers 10:14The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command.
• Numbers 4:15“After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.
• Numbers 3:27To Kohath belonged the clans of the Amramites, Izharites, Hebronites and Uzzielites; these were the Kohathite clans.
• Exodus 26:31“Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker.
• Exodus 36:35They made the curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker.
• Exodus 40:3Place the ark of the covenant law in it and shield the ark with the curtain.
• Isaiah 25:7On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations;
• Matthew 27:51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split
• Hebrews 9:3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,
• Hebrews 10:20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
• Exodus 25:10“Have them make an ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
• Exodus 37:1Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
• 2 Samuel 6:2He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark.

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

• Altar
• Ark
• Colors
• Levites
• Priest
• Tabernacle
• Vail

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Ark of Testimony
• Appoint
• Ark
• David
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• 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