Numbers 4

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, and Aaron, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,

2 Take the sum of the sons of Caath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families.

“Conduct a census of the male descendants of Kohath from among the Levites, by their clans and families.

3 From thirty years old and upward, to fifty years old, of all that go in to stand and to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.

Count all the men who are thirty to fifty years old. These men must join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

4 This is the service of the sons of Caath:

The descendants of Kohath must take care of the most holy things reserved for me in the tent of meeting.

5 When the camp is to set forward, Aaron and his sons shall go into the tabernacle of the covenant, and the holy of holies, and shall take down the veil that hangeth before the door, and shall wrap up the ark of the testimony in it,

When the camp prepares to move forward, Aaron and his sons must go into the tent, take down the curtain that separates the most holy place from the holy place and cover the ark of the testimony with it.

6 And shall cover it again with a cover of violet skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of violet, and shall put in the bars.

They must cover the ark with sea cow skins. They must spread a blue cloth over it. They must insert the poles to carry it.

7 They shall wrap up also the table of proposition in a cloth of violet, and shall put with it the censers and little mortars, the cups and bowls to pour out the libations: the leaves shall be always on it:

They are to spread a blue cloth on the table of the bread of the presence. On it they must put the dishes, spoons, bowls, and jars for pouring. Bread must always continue to be on the table.

8 And they shall spread over it a cloth of scarlet, which again they shall cover with a covering of violet skins, and shall put in the bars.

They must cover them with a scarlet cloth and again with sea cow skins. They must insert poles to carry the table.

9 They shall take also a cloth of violet wherewith they shall cover the candlestick with the lamps and tongs thereof and the snuffers and all the oil vessels, which are necessary for the dressing of the lamps:

They must take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand, along with its lamps, tongs, trays, and all the jars of oil for the lamps.

10 And over all they shall put a cover of violet skins and put in the bars.

They must put the lampstand and all its accessories into a covering of sea cow skins, and they must put it on a carrying frame.

11 And they shall wrap up the golden altar also in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars.

They must spread a cloth of blue on the gold altar. They must cover it with a covering of sea cow skins, and then insert the carrying poles.

12 All the vessels wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, they shall wrap up in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars.

They must take all the equipment for the work in the holy place and wrap it in a blue cloth. They must cover it with sea cow skins and put the equipment on the carrying frame.

13 They shall cleanse the altar also from the ashes, and shall wrap it up in a purple cloth,

They must remove the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth on the altar.

14 And shall put it with all the vessels that they use in the ministry thereof, that is to say, firepans, fleshhooks and forks, pothooks and shovels. They shall cover all the vessels of the altar together with a covering of violet skins, and shall put in the bars.

They must put on the carrying frame all the equipment that they use in the work of the altar. These objects are the firepans, forks, shovels, bowls, and all the other equipment for the altar. They must cover the altar with sea cow skins and then insert the carrying poles.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped up the sanctuary and the vessels thereof at the removing of the camp, then shall the sons of Caath enter in to carry the things wrapped up: and they shall not touch the vessels of the sanctuary, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Caath: in the tabernacle of the covenant:

When Aaron and his sons have completely covered the holy place and all its equipment, and when the camp moves forward, then the descendants of Kohath must come to carry the holy place. If they touch the holy instruments, they must die. This is the work of the descendants of Kohath, to carry the furnishings in the tent of meeting.

16 And over them shall be Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, to whose charge pertaineth the oil to dress the lamps, and the sweet incense, and the sacrifice, that is always offered, and the oil of unction, and whatsoever pertaineth to the service of the tabernacle, and of all the vessels that are in the sanctuary.

Eleazar son of Aaron the priest oversees the care of the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil. He oversees the care of the entire tabernacle and all that is in it, the holy place and its equipment.”

17 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,

18 Destroy not the people of Caath from the midst of the Levites:

“Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be removed from among the Levites.

19 But do this to them, that they may live, and not die, by touching the holies of holies. Aaron and his sons shall go in, and they shall appoint every man his work, and shall divide the burdens that every man is to carry.

Protect them, that they may live and not die, by doing this. When they approach the most holy things

20 Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the sanctuary before they be wrapped up, otherwise they shall die.

they must not go in to see the holy place even for a moment, or they must die. Aaron and his sons must go in, and then Aaron and his sons must assign each of the Kohathites to his work, to his special tasks.”

21 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Yahweh spoke again to Moses. He said,

22 Take the sum of the soils of Gerson also by their houses and families and kindreds.

“Conduct a census of the descendants of Gershon also, by their ancestor's families and by their clans.

23 From thirty Sears old and upward, unto fifty years old. Number them all that go in and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.

Count those who are thirty years old to fifty years old. Count all of them who will join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

24 This is the office of the family of the Gersonites:

This is the work of the clans of the Gershonites, when they serve and what they carry.

25 To carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the roof of the covenant, the other covering, and the violet covering over all, and the hanging that hangeth in the entry of the tabernacle of the covenant,

They must carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, its covering, the covering of sea cow skin that is on it, and the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting.

26 The curtains of the court, and the veil in the entry that is before the tabernacle. All things that pertain to the altar, the cords and the vessels of the ministry,

They must carry the curtains of the court, the curtain for the doorway of the court's gate, which is near the tabernacle and near the altar, their ropes, and all the instruments for their service. Whatever should be done with these things, they must do it.

27 The sons of Gerson shall carry, by the commandment of Aaron and his sons: and each man shall know to what burden he must be assigned.

Aaron and his sons must direct all the service of the descendants of the Gershonites, in everything that they transport, and in all their service. You must assign them to all their responsibilities.

28 This is the service of the family of the Gersonites in the tabernacle of the covenant, and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

This is the service of the clans of the descendants of the Gershonites for the tent of meeting. Ithamar son of Aaron the priest must lead them in their service.

29 Thou shalt reckon up the sons of Merari also by the families and houses of their fathers,

You must count the descendants of Merari by their clans, and order them by their ancestor's families,

30 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to the office of their ministry, and to the service of the covenant of the testimony.

from thirty years old and older up to fifty years old. Count everyone who is going to join the company and serve in the tent of meeting.

31 These are their burdens: They shall carry the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof, the pillars and their sockets,

This is their responsibility and their work in all their service for the tent of meeting. They must care for the framing of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and sockets,

32 The pillars also of the court round about, with their sockets and pins and cords. They shall receive by account all the vessels and furniture, and so shall carry them.

along with the posts of the courtyard around the tabernacle, their sockets, pegs, and their ropes, with all their hardware. List by name the articles they must carry.

33 This is the office of the family of the Merarites, and their ministry in the tabernacle of the covenant: and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

This is the service of the clans of the descendants of Merari, what they are to do for the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

34 So Moses and Aaron and the princes of the synagogue reckoned up the sons of Caath, by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers,

Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the descendants of the Kohathites by the clans of their ancestor's families.

35 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to the ministry of the tabernacle of the covenant:

They counted them from thirty years old and older up to fifty years old. They counted everyone who would join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

36 And they were found two thousand seven hundred and fifty.

They counted 2,750 men by their clans.

37 This is the number of the people of Caath that go in to the tabernacle of the covenant: these did Moses and Aaron number according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Moses and Aaron counted all the men in the clans and families of the Kohathites who serve in the tent of meeting. In doing this, they obeyed what Yahweh had commanded them to do through Moses.

38 The sons of Gerson also were numbered by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

The descendants of Gershon were counted in their clans, by their ancestor's families,

39 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant:

from thirty to fifty years old, everyone who would join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

40 And they were found two thousand six hundred and thirty.

All the men, counted by their clans and their ancestor's families, numbered 2,630.

41 This is the people of the Gersonites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord.

Moses and Aaron counted the clans of the descendants of Gershon who would serve in the tent of meeting. In doing this, they obeyed what Yahweh had commanded them to do through Moses.

42 The sons of Merari also were numbered by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

The descendants of Merari were counted in their clans by their ancestor's families,

43 From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to fulfill the rites of the tabernacle of the covenant:

from thirty to fifty years old, everyone who would join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

44 And they were found three thousand two hundred.

All the men, counted by their clans and their ancestor's families, numbered 3,200.

45 This is the number of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron reckoned up according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

Moses and Aaron counted all these men, the descendants of Merari. In doing this, they obeyed what Yahweh had commanded them to do through Moses.

46 All that were reckoned up of the Levites, and whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel took by name, by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans in their ancestral families

47 From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, that go into the ministry of the tabernacle, and to carry the burdens,

from thirty to fifty years old. They counted everyone who would do work in the tabernacle, and who would carry and care for the items in the tent of meeting.

48 Were in all eight thousand five hundred and eighty.

They counted 8,580 men.

49 Moses reckoned them up according to the word of the Lord, every one according to their office and burdens, as the Lord had commanded him.

At Yahweh's command, Moses counted each man, keeping count of each by the type of work he was assigned to do. He counted each man by the kind of responsibility he would bear. In doing this, they obeyed what Yahweh had commanded them to do through Moses.