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:
• 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

3List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle. 4“The duties of the Kohathites at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects. 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. 6Then they must cover the inner curtain with fine goatskin leather and spread over that a single piece of blue cloth. Finally, they must put the carrying poles of the Ark in place. 7“Next they must spread a blue cloth over the table where the Bread of the Presence is displayed, and on the cloth they will place the bowls, ladles, jars, pitchers, and the special bread.

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 2:16So the total of all the troops on Reuben’s side of the camp is 151,450. These three tribes will be second in line whenever the Israelites travel.
• Numbers 10:14Judah’s troops led the way. They marched behind their banner, and their leader was Nahshon son of Amminadab.
• 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.
• Numbers 3:27The descendants of Kohath were composed of the clans descended from Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
• Exodus 26:31“For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.
• Exodus 36:35For the inside of the Tabernacle, Bezalel made a special curtain of finely woven linen. He decorated it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.
• Exodus 40:3Place the Ark of the Covenant inside, and install the inner curtain to enclose the Ark within the Most Holy Place.
• Isaiah 25:7There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
• Matthew 27:51At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,
• Hebrews 9:3Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place.
• Hebrews 10:20By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
• Exodus 25:10“Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.
• Exodus 37:1Next Bezalel made the Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.
• 2 Samuel 6:2He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, who is enthroned between the cherubim.

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