Numbers 4: The work of the Levite clans

In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

In plain English: "Take a count (literally: lift up the head) of the Kohathites among the Levites, by their clans and their fathers' houses,

In plain English: from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who come to serve (this Bible: enter into the service) and do work in the Tent of Meeting.

Good to know: Here the Levites serve from thirty to fifty years old. In 8:24 the age given is twenty-five. The text does not explain the difference.

In plain English: "This is the work of the Kohathites in the Tent of Meeting: the most holy things (literally: the holy of holies).

In plain English: When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the covering curtain (this Bible: the veil of the screen), and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.

In plain English: They are to put a covering of sealskin (or: leather) over it, spread a cloth all of blue over that, and put its poles in place.

The Hebrew words: "Sealskin" is tachash. The dictionary gives it as "a (clean) animal with fur, probably a species of antelope". "Blue" is tekhelet, which the dictionary gives as a color "(violet)" made from a sea mussel.

How it is translated: This Bible says "sealskin" in 7 of the 14 verses that use tachash, all in this chapter, "sea cow hides" in 6 verses of Exodus, and "leather" once, for sandals (Ezekiel 16:10). It says "blue" in all 49 verses that use tekhelet.

What changes: No one is sure what animal tachash was. Either way, the verse speaks of a covering made of skin.

In plain English: "On the table of the presence (this Bible: show bread) they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the dishes, the spoons (or: pans), the bowls, and the jugs for pouring out drink offerings. The bread that is always there is to stay on it.

In plain English: They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover it with a covering of sealskin, and put its poles in place.

In plain English: "They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its tongs (this Bible: snuffers), its snuff dishes (or: fire pans), and all the oil jars used in tending it.

In plain English: They are to put it and all its things into a covering of sealskin and put it on the carrying frame (or: a carrying pole).

In plain English: "Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with a covering of sealskin, and put its poles in place.

In plain English: "They are to take all the things used for serving in the holy place, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of sealskin, and put them on the carrying frame.

In plain English: "They are to take the ashes away from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it.

In plain English: They are to put on it all the things used in serving at it: the fire pans, the meat hooks (or: forks), the shovels, and the basins, all the things of the altar. They are to spread a covering of sealskin over it and put its poles in place.

In plain English: "When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy place and all its things, as the camp sets out, after that the Kohathites are to come and carry them. But they must not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things of the Tent of Meeting that the Kohathites are to carry.

Good to know: The Kohathites carry these things on their shoulders (7:9). In 2 Samuel 6:6 and 6:7, Uzzah takes hold of the ark when the cattle stumble, and he dies there.

In plain English: "Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to be in charge of the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily (this Bible: continual) grain offering, and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the whole tabernacle and everything in it, the holy place and its things."

In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

In plain English: "Do not let the tribe of the Kohathite clans be cut off (wiped out) from among the Levites.

In plain English: Do this for them, so that they live and do not die when they come near the most holy things: Aaron and his sons are to go in and give each man his work and what he is to carry.

In plain English: But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things even for a moment (or: while they are being covered), or they will die."

The Hebrew word: "For a moment" is literally "as a swallowing", from bala, which the dictionary gives as "to make away with (specifically by swallowing)".

How it is translated: This Bible says "swallow" or a longer form in 35 of the 48 verses that use bala, and "moment" only here.

What changes: Read as "for the time it takes to swallow", the Kohathites must not look at the holy things even for an instant. Read as "while they are being swallowed up", that is, wrapped and covered, they must not look while Aaron and his sons cover them (verse 15). Both readings keep them from seeing the holy things.

In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

In plain English: "Take a count of the Gershonites also, by their fathers' houses and their clans.

In plain English: Count them from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who come to serve and do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: "This is the work of the Gershonite clans, in serving and in carrying:

In plain English: they are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its covering, the covering of sealskin on top of it, the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,

In plain English: the hangings of the courtyard, the screen for the entrance of the gate of the courtyard that goes around the tabernacle and the altar, their ropes, and all the things used in their work. They are to do all the work that needs to be done with these things.

In plain English: All the work of the Gershonites, all their carrying and all their serving, is to be done at the command (literally: at the mouth) of Aaron and his sons. You are to give them their duties: all that they are to carry.

In plain English: This is the work of the Gershonite clans in the Tent of Meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction (literally: in the hand) of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

In plain English: "As for the Merarites, count them by their clans and their fathers' houses.

In plain English: Count them from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who comes to serve and do the work of the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: This is what they are in charge of carrying, for all their work in the Tent of Meeting: the frames (this Bible: boards) of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its bases (this Bible: sockets),

In plain English: the pillars of the courtyard all around, with their bases, their tent pegs (this Bible: pins) and their ropes, with all their things and all the work that goes with them. Assign to each man by name the things he is to carry.

In plain English: This is the work of the Merarite clans, all their work in the Tent of Meeting, under the direction (literally: in the hand) of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."

In plain English: Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and their fathers' houses,

In plain English: from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who came to serve and work in the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: Those counted, by their clans, numbered 2,750.

In plain English: These were the Kohathite clans as counted, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at Yahweh's command through Moses (literally: by the hand of Moses).

In plain English: The Gershonites were counted by their clans and their fathers' houses,

In plain English: from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who came to serve and work in the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: Those counted, by their clans and their fathers' houses, numbered 2,630.

In plain English: These were the Gershonite clans as counted, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at Yahweh's command.

In plain English: The Merarite clans were counted by their clans and their fathers' houses,

In plain English: from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who came to serve and work in the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: Those counted, by their clans, numbered 3,200.

In plain English: These were the Merarite clans as counted, whom Moses and Aaron counted at Yahweh's command through Moses.

In plain English: All the Levites whom Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted, by their clans and their fathers' houses,

In plain English: from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who came to do the work of serving and the work of carrying in the Tent of Meeting,

In plain English: those counted numbered 8,580.

In plain English: At Yahweh's command through Moses they were counted, each man by his work and what he was to carry. So they were counted by him, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.