Tree of Life Version
Numbers 4:20
20But the Kohathites are not to go in to look at what is holy, not even momentarily, or they will die.”
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“You are not to let the families of the tribe of the Kohathites be cut off from among the Levites. 19Do this for them so that they may live and not die whenever they approach the most holy items–-Aaron and his sons are to go into the Sanctuary and assign each man his job and his responsibility. But the Kohathites are not to go in to look at what is holy, not even momentarily, or they will die.” 21Again Adonai spoke to Moses saying, 22“Take a census also of the sons of Gershon, by their ancestral households and by their families.
Read all of Numbers 4Numbers 4:20 word by word
וְלֹא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Numbers 4:20
- Numbers 4:15“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the Sanctuary and all its holy implements, and when the camp is ready to move out, after this the sons of Kohath may come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy items or they will die. These are the task of the sons of Kohath with regard to the Tent of Meeting.
- Exodus 19:21Then Adonai said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to see Adonai, and many of them die.
- Leviticus 10:2So fire came out from the presence of Adonai and consumed them. So they died before Adonai.
- 1 Samuel 6:19Then He struck down some of the men of Beth-shemesh because they had gazed into the ark of Adonai. He struck down the people—70 out of 50,000 men—the people mourned because Adonai had struck the people a great slaughter.
- Hebrews 10:19Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have boldness to enter into the Holies by the blood of Yeshua.
- Revelation 11:19Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the Ark of His Covenant appeared in His Temple. And there were flashes of lightning and rumblings and clashes of thunder and an earthquake and heavy hail.
- 1 Kings 8:8But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner Sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; there they are to this day.
- 2 Chronicles 5:9Now the poles were so long that the ends of the poles extending from the Ark could be seen in front of the inner Sanctuary, though they could not be seen from outside; and they are 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
In the dictionaries
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
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