B n 1-33. Command (Given).
o 34-45. Obedience.
n 46-49. Command (Completed).
n p1 q1 1-3. Kohathites. Age.
r1 4-20. Their service.
p2 q2 21-23. Gershonites. Age.
r2 24-28. Their service.
p3 q3 29,30. Merarites. Age.
r3 31-33. Their service.
1490 B.C.
Numbers 4)
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, (see 1:1)
2 "Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their
fathers,
3 From thirty years old (this 30 pertains to their numbering. The age 25 pertains to their service. So that their was a probationary 5 years. Changed by Divine direction given to David in 1 Chron. 23:23,24,27 to 20 years. Cp. 2 Chron.31:17. The number thirty in Biblical numerics = dedication, the blood of Christ) and upward even until fifty years old (#50 = is connected with the Holy Spirit), all that enter into the host (this expression occ. 5 times in this chapter, vv.3,30,35,39,43. #5 = grace), to do the work in the tent of the congregation (or "tent of meeting". Heb. ’ohel).
4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of the congregation, about the holiest things: ("holiness of holiness". See Ex.3:5)
5 And (vv.5-15, to emphasize each particular) when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
6 And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
7 And upon the table of show-bread (see Ex. 25:30 and Lev. 24:6) they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes (in Chapter 4 rendered
"charger" throughout), and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon (cp. Lev. 24:8):
8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the lampstands of the light (as in Gen. 1:14), and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuff-dishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister to it:
10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon
a pole (cp.13:23).
11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12 And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a pole:
13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the
flesh-hooks (or forks), and the shovels, and the basons (or sprinkling bowls), all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.
15 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 (= set apart, see Ex. 3:5) thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of the congregation.
16 And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertains the oil for the light, and the sweet
incense, and the daily meal offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the dwelling place (of Yehovah), and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
17 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
18 "Cut you all not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
19 But thus do to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach to the holiest things: Aaron and his
sons shall go in, and appoint each to his own work (so no confusion) to his service and to his burden:
20 But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die" (cp. Ex. 19:31. 1 Sam. 6:19).
21 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
22 "Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23 From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shall you number them; all that enter in to perform the service (Heb. = war the warfare. Fig., for emphasis = do the important or solemn work), to do the work in the tent of the congregation.
24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
25 And they shall bear the curtains of the dwelling-place, and the tent of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the entrance of the tent of the
congregation,
26 And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the entrance of the gate of the court, which is by the dwelling place and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27 At the appointment of Aaron and his sons (Heb. "mouth" put for what is said or bidden by it) shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and you shall appoint to them in charge all their burdens.
28 This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tent of the congregation: and their charge
shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
29 As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old shall you number them, every one that enters into the service, to perform the solemn work of the tent of the congregation.
31 And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of the congregation; the
boards of the dwelling place, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
32 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their
instruments, and with all their service: and by name you all shall reckon the instruments of (some codices insert "all" here instead) the charge of their burden.
33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tent of the
congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest."
o s1 t1 34. Kohathites. Numeration.
u1 35. Age and service.
w1 36,37-. Number.
x1 -37. According to the commandment.
s2 t2 38. Gershonites. Numeration.
u2 39. Age and service.
w2 40,41-. Number.
x2 -41. According to the commandment.
s3 t3 42. Merarites. Numeration.
u3 43. Age and service.
w3 44,45-. Number.
x3 -45. According to the commandment.
34 And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
35 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tent of the congregation:
36 And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37 These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tent of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number
according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses (Fig. "hand", put for ministry performed by Moses).
38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
39 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tent of the congregation,
40 Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two
thousand and six hundred and thirty.
41 These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the
tent of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number
according to the commandment of the Lord.
42 And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
43 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that enters into the service, for the work in the tent of the congregation,
44 Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
45 These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered
according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
46 All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after
their families, and after the house of their fathers,
47 From thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, every one that came to do the solemn (or important) service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tent of the congregation,
48 Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
49 According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his
service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.