Numbers · 49 verses

Numbers 4

Every verse links to the people and places named in it, and to the passages readers connect it with.

The chapter

What happens here

Atlas's own reading, written from this chapter and nothing else, and published only once a person has approved it. Each scene names the verses it covers; the names inside it link to the people and places they name.

The holiest things are packed for travel with the solemn fussiness of precious cargo: veils, leather, coloured cloths, poles, and carrying frames—and the men carrying them must not so much as look.

The holy things are covered before they travelvv. 1–20

The Kohathites are counted as men fit for service from thirty to fifty, but their work begins only after Aaron and his sons have covered everything. The ark receives the veil, fine leather, blue cloth, and poles; the table, lampstand, altars, and their utensils are wrapped in their appointed layers and set ready for transport. Then the Kohathites carry them, without touching or looking at the holy objects—even for a moment. Aaron and his sons assign each man his task and burden, which is a remarkably exact arrangement for something that must not be seen.

Curtains, frames, and the respectable business of carrying a tentvv. 21–33

The Gershonites carry the curtains, coverings, entrance screens, ropes, and equipment of the tabernacle and its courtyard. The Merarites carry the sturdier anatomy: frames, crossbars, posts, bases, tent pegs, ropes, and everything belonging to them. Both groups serve from thirty to fifty, with their burdens assigned under the direction of Aaron's sons; Ithamar oversees the work. The tabernacle therefore travels in two styles at once—draped and architectural.

The figures at the endvv. 34–49

Moses, Aaron, and the leaders count the three carrying clans: 2,750 Kohathites, 2,630 Gershonites, and 3,200 Merarites. Together the Levites serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting number 8,580. The chapter ends as it began, with every man counted and every burden assigned.

The text

Read it

Berean Standard Bible, public domain. Names the Hebrew and Greek put in the verse link to the person, place or people they name; the address beside each verse is a link to that verse, which is what a reader copies and shares.

Num 4:1Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
Num 4:2“Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families,
Num 4:3men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:4This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
Num 4:5Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.
Num 4:6They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.
Num 4:7Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.
Num 4:8And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.
Num 4:9They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to supply it.
Num 4:10Then they shall wrap it and all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.
Num 4:11Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles.
Num 4:12They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.
Num 4:13Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,
Num 4:14and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.
Num 4:15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:16 Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”
Num 4:17Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
Num 4:18“Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites.
Num 4:19In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry.
Num 4:20But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.”
Num 4:21And the LORD said to Moses,
Num 4:22“Take a census of the Gershonites as well, by their families and clans,
Num 4:23from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:24This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport:
Num 4:25They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
Num 4:26the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.
Num 4:27All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.
Num 4:28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
Num 4:29As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families,
Num 4:30from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:31This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases,
Num 4:32and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.
Num 4:33This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”
Num 4:34So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families,
Num 4:35everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:36And those numbered by their clans totaled 2,750.
Num 4:37These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses.
Num 4:38Then the Gershonites were numbered by their clans and families,
Num 4:39everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:40And those numbered by their clans and families totaled 2,630.
Num 4:41These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command.
Num 4:42And the Merarites were numbered by their clans and families,
Num 4:43everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:44The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200.
Num 4:45These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses.
Num 4:46So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites
Num 4:47from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting.
Num 4:48And the number of men was 8,580.
Num 4:49At the LORD’s command through Moses they were numbered, and each one was assigned his work and burden, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

01 — Also here

Who else the chapter reaches

Names written in the English are linked in the text above. These are the ones that are not: an entity the Hebrew or Greek names under a spelling the translation does not use, or one reached only by an assertion about a verse of this chapter.

Named in the Hebrew or Greek somewhere in this chapter, under a form the English renders differently — the registry's Ludim against the translation's Ludites — so there is no word in the sentence to hang the link on.

02 — Read alongside

Where this is echoed

Readers' own connections, from OpenBible's crowd-voted cross-references — agreement about relevance, and not scholarly confidence. 233 passages were voted onto 37 verses of this chapter; the 16 shown lead on votes, and each is listed at the verse it was voted onto most strongly.

15 2 Samuel 6:6–7When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen had stumbled.
20 1 Samuel 6:19But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter.
15 Numbers 7:9But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
20 Exodus 19:21and the LORD said to him, “Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish.
49 Numbers 1:54Thus the Israelites did everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
15 Deuteronomy 31:9So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
16 Exodus 25:6olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;
23 Numbers 4:3men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
3 Numbers 4:23from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
4 Numbers 4:19In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry.
13 Leviticus 6:12–13The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.
15 1 Chronicles 13:9–10When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark, because the oxen had stumbled.
15 Numbers 10:21Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.
16 Leviticus 24:2“Command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually.
20 Leviticus 10:2So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD.
20 Numbers 4:15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

Onward

Keep reading

Next chapterNumbers 531 verses.Named hereGershonEverything the graph connects to this name.BookNumbersAll 36 chapters.Every bookThe Bible66 books, 1,189 chapters.