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

13And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 14And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers’ skins, and put to the staves of it. 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. 16And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. 17And Yhwh spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

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

• 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 unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.
• Numbers 10:21And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.
• Deuteronomy 31:9And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of Yhwh, and unto all the elders of Israel.
• Joshua 4:10For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that Yhwh commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.
• 2 Samuel 6:13And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of Yhwh had gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.
• 1 Chronicles 15:2Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath Yhwh chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.
• Numbers 3:38But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
• Exodus 19:12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
• 1 Samuel 6:19And he smote the men of Beth–shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Yhwh, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because Yhwh had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
• 2 Samuel 6:6And when they came to Nachon’s threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.
• 1 Chronicles 13:9And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.
• Hebrews 12:18For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
• Numbers 3:30And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the 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