Numbers 4:20

Numbers 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
• New International Version (NIV)But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”

Context of Numbers 4:20

18“Do not let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites! 19This is what you must do so they will live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects. Aaron and his sons must always go in with them and assign a specific duty or load to each person. The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.” 21And the Lord said to Moses, 22“Record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Gershonite division of the tribe of Levi.

Numbers 4:20 word by word

וְלֹא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But they shall not go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• when the holy thingsקֹ֫דֶשׁqôdesh · holinessH6944
• are coveredבָּלַעbâla‛ · to swallow upH1104
• lest they dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191

Cross-references for Numbers 4:20

• Numbers 4:15The 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.
• Exodus 19:21Then the Lord told Moses, “Go back down and warn the people not to break through the boundaries to see the Lord, or they will die.
• Leviticus 10:2So fire blazed forth from the Lord’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the Lord.
• 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.
• Hebrews 10:19And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
• Revelation 11:19Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.
• 1 Kings 8:8These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place, which is in front of the Most Holy Place, but not from the outside. They are still there to this day.
• 2 Chronicles 5:9These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place, which is in front of the Most Holy Place, but not from the outside. They are still there to this day.

Commentaries on Numbers 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20When the holy things are covered - Literally, כבלע keballa, when they are swallowed down; which shows the promptitude with which every thing belonging to the holy of holies was put out of sight, for these mysteries must ever be treated with the deepest reverence; and indeed without this they could not have been to them the representatives of heavenly realities. See the concluding note Numbers 4:36; (note).Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20to see when the holy things are covered - Render: to see the holy things for an instant. The expression means Iiterally” as a gulp,” i. e. for the instant it takes to swallow.Read the comment
• 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. 17-2017-20. Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites, &c.--a solemn admonition to Moses and Aaron to beware, lest, by any negligence on their part, disorder and improprieties should creep in, and to take the greatest care that all the parts of this important service be apportioned to the proper parties, lest the Kohathites should be disqualified for their high and honorable duties. The guilt of their death would be…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 4:20

• Curiosity
• Levites
• Tabernacle

In the dictionaries

• Appoint
• Ark
• David
• Kohathites
• Ministry
• Proportion
• Sinai
• Agrapha
• Alexander
• Apocrypha

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