Numbers 4:15

Numbers 4:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
• New International Version (NIV)“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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. “These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.

Context of Numbers 4:15

13“They must remove the ashes from the altar for sacrifices and cover the altar with a purple cloth. 14All the altar utensils—the firepans, meat forks, shovels, basins, and all the containers—must be placed on the cloth, and a covering of fine goatskin leather must be spread over them. Finally, they must put the carrying poles in place. The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry. 16“Eleazar son of Aaron the priest will be responsible for the oil of the lampstand, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. In fact, Eleazar will be responsible for the entire Tabernacle and everything in it, including the sanctuary and its furnishings.” 17Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

Numbers 4:15 word by word

וְכִלָּ֣ה אַֽהֲרֹן־וּ֠בָנָיו לְכַסֹּ֨ת אֶת־הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵ֣י הַקֹּדֶשׁ֮ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן יָבֹ֤אוּ בְנֵי־קְהָת֙ לָשֵׂ֔את וְלֹֽא־יִגְּע֥וּ אֶל־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵ֑תוּ אֵ֛לֶּה מַשָּׂ֥א בְנֵֽי־קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• have made an endכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
• of coveringכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680
• the sanctuaryקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• and all the vesselsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
• as the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• is to set forwardנָסַעnâsa‛ · to set outH5265
• afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• of Kohathקְהָתqehâth · KohathH6955
• shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
• but they shall not touchנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
• lest they dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• the burdenמַשָּׂאmaώώâ' · burdenH4853
• in the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150

Cross-references for Numbers 4:15

• Numbers 7:9But he gave none of the wagons or oxen to the Kohathite division, since they were required to carry the sacred objects of the Tabernacle on their shoulders.
• Numbers 10:21Next came the Kohathite division of the Levites, carrying the sacred objects from the Tabernacle. Before they arrived at the next camp, the Tabernacle would already be set up at its new location.
• Deuteronomy 31:9So Moses wrote this entire body of instruction in a book and gave it to the priests, who carried the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant, and to the elders of Israel.
• Joshua 4:10The priests who were carrying the Ark stood in the middle of the river until all of the Lord’s commands that Moses had given to Joshua were carried out. Meanwhile, the people hurried across the riverbed.
• 2 Samuel 6:13After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
• 1 Chronicles 15:2Then he commanded, “No one except the Levites may carry the Ark of God. The Lord has chosen them to carry the Ark of the Lord and to serve him forever.”
• Numbers 3:38The area in front of the Tabernacle, in the east toward the sunrise, was reserved for the tents of Moses and of Aaron and his sons, who had the final responsibility for the sanctuary on behalf of the people of Israel. Anyone other than a priest or Levite who went too near the sanctuary was to be put to death.
• Exodus 19:12Mark off a boundary all around the mountain. Warn the people, ‘Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Anyone who touches the mountain will certainly be put to death.
• 1 Samuel 6:19But the Lord killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh because they looked into the Ark of the Lord. And the people mourned greatly because of what the Lord had done.
• 2 Samuel 6:6But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God.
• 1 Chronicles 13:9But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark.
• Hebrews 12:18You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.
• Numbers 3:30The leader of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:15

• 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. 15Aaron and his sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, had to fully cover the sanctuary and all holy items before the camp could move. Non-Levitical tribes marched in front and behind the Levites, who carried the Tent of Meeting. The colors of the coverings showed the royalty of the objects. They were so holy that even the Kohathites, whom God chose to handle them, could not touch the holy items, or they would die. This respect showed the holiness of Israel's Lord…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 4:15

• Altar
• Ark
• Candlestick
• Levites
• Priest
• Shewbread (Showbread)
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Appoint
• David
• Eleazar
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• Uzzah
• 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