UST by section NUM 4:1

⌂ ← NUM 4:1–4:49 → ║ ©

The Book of Numbers 4

4 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Count the Kohathites who are among the Levites by their tribal groups and families. 3 Count every male who is at least 30 years old but not older than 50, every one who is able to come to the sacred tent and serve in it. 4 In the sacred tent, the Kohathites manage the most sacred articles. 5 When the Israelites move to a new location, Aaron and his descendants shall disassemble the hangings that cover the sacred tent. They shall lay these curtains over the sacred chest of the testimony. 6 They shall lay porpoise skin over it, lay a completely blue covering over the leather skin, and put its poles in the proper place. 7 They shall lay a blue covering over the table of the sacred bread. They shall place the dishes, the pans and bowls they use when sacrificing, the jars they use for drink offerings, and the sacred bread on the table. 8 They shall spread a scarlet covering over all those objects, porpoise skin over the covering, and put its poles in the proper place. 9 With a blue cloth, they shall cover the lampstand, the lamps which provide light to the sacred tent, the snuffers, the trays, and all the oil containers, which they use to perform the duties associated with the lampstand. 10 They shall wrap the lampstand and all its objects with a porpoise skin and shall place them on wooden bars to carry it. 11 They shall spread a blue cloth over the golden altar, cover it with porpoise skin, and place it on wooden poles. 12 They shall spread a blue cloth over all the objects they use to perform their duties in the Holy Place, cover them with porpoise skin, and place the covered objects on wooden bars to carry them. 13 They shall remove the animal fat ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over the altar. 14 They shall place every object they use to perform their duties onto the altar, including trays, meat forks, shovels, and bowls, every object they use on the altar. They shall cover the altar and these objects with porpoise skin and shall place them on wooden poles to carry them. 15 Aaron and his descendants shall finish covering the Holy Place and every object they use in the Holy Place when the Israelites move to a new location. Then, the tribal group of Kohath shall carry them, but they shall not touch any of the sacred objects directly or they will die. In caring for the sacred tent, the responsibility of the Kohathites is to carry the items that are in the Holy Place. 16 Eleazar, the descendant of Aaron the priest, shall manage the oil which the priests use in the lamps, the spices they use in the incense, the grain offering they burn continually, and the oil they use for anointing people. Eleazar shall manage every detail about the sacred tent and everything in it, including the Holy Place and the objects the priests use in it.”

17 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, 18 “Protect the tribal groups of Kohath from destruction among the tribal group of Levi. 19 In order that the Kohathites will live and not die when they come near the very sacred objects, Aaron and his descendants shall enter the Holy Place first and appoint each Kohathite to his job and to his responsibility. 20 However, the Kohathites shall not look at anything in the Holy Place, not even for one moment or they will die.”

21 Yahweh said to Moses, 22 “Count the Gershonite males also in their families and tribal groups. 23 You shall count every male who is at least 30 years old but not older than 50, every male who will serve and work in the sacred tent. 24 The tribal group of Gershon shall manage their own jobs and responsibilities. 25-26 25-26They shall carry the hangings of the sacred tent and of the courtyard area surrounding it, the materials that cover various parts: the porpoise skin that functions as the roof, the curtains at the entrance of the sacred tent, the curtains surrounding the courtyard, the curtains at the entrance of the courtyard, all the braided cords they use, and every object they use to perform their duties, every object which I commanded Moses to make for them. They shall perform their duties. 27 The tribal group of Gershon will do everything Aaron and his descendants order them to do, carrying everything they should carry and performing all their duties. Thus, Aaron and his descendants shall order them to do everything I just said. 28 These duties are what the tribal groups of Gershon will perform in the sacred tent. Ithamar, the descendant of Aaron the priest, will lead them as they perform their duties.

29 Count the Merarites by their tribal groups and families. 30 You shall count every male descendant who is at least 30 years old but not older than 50, whoever in the tribe qualifies to serve me in the sacred tent. 31-32 31-32The Merarites will perform these duties, which will be all that they do in the sacred tent: they shall carry the wooden planks, bars, beams, and the bases of the sacred tent, the wooden beams that surround the courtyard and the bases, bronze pins, and braided cords they use with them. They shall use all these objects to perform all their duties. You shall appoint specific objects to each Merarite male for him to carry. 33 The tribal groups of Merari will perform these duties in the sacred tent. Ithamar, the descendant of Aaron the priest, will lead them.” 34 Moses, Aaron, and the 12 tribal leaders counted every male descendant of Kohath by their tribal groups and families. 35 They counted every male who was at least 30 years old but not older than 50, whoever in the tribe qualified to serve in the sacred tent. 36 The total number of those they counted from the tribal groups was 2,750. 37 That was the complete number of those they counted from the tribal groups of Kohath. Moses and Aaron counted every Kohathite male who could serve in the sacred tent. Moses did exactly what Yahweh ordered them to do.

38 Moses and Aaron also counted the male descendants of Gershon by their tribal groups and families. 39 They counted every male who was at least 30 years old but not older than 50, whoever in the tribe qualified to serve in the sacred tent. 40 They counted a total of 2,630 males by their tribal groups and families. 41 That was the complete number of those they counted from the tribal groups of Gershon. Moses and Aaron counted every Kohathite male who could serve in the sacred tent. They did exactly what Yahweh ordered them to do. 42 Moses and Aaron also counted the male descendants of the Merarite tribal groups by their tribal groups and families. 43 They counted every male who was at least 30 years old but not older than 50, whoever in the tribe qualified to serve in the sacred tent. 44 The total number of those they counted by their tribal groups was 3,200. 45 That was the complete number of those Moses and Aaron counted from the tribal groups of the Merarites. They did exactly what Yahweh ordered them to do. 46 Thus, Moses, Aaron, and the 12 Israelite tribal leaders counted the tribe of Levi by their tribal groups and their families. 47 They counted every male who was at least 30 years old but not older than 50 years old, whoever qualified to serve in the sacred tent and by carrying the sacred tent. 48 They counted a total of 8,580 males. 49 Moses did everything Yahweh ordered him to do. He counted each male and gave each one his duty, that which each one could do. Moses did exactly what Yahweh ordered him to do.

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