Numbers 4

1 The Lord told Moses and Aaron,

Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,

2 “Register the descendants of Kohath from the tribe of Levi, according to their family and father's line.

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

3 Count men aged thirty to fifty—all who are entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting.

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 work that they are to do in the Tent of Meetings involves the things that are most holy.

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

5 Whenever you move camp, Aaron and his sons will go in, take down the veil, and place it over the Ark of the Testimony.

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 On top of this they are to put a fine leather covering, spread a cloth of solid blue over it, and then insert its carrying poles.

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 Have them spread a blue cloth over the table of the Presence as well, and put the plates and cups on it, as well as the bowls and jugs for the drink offering. The current bread offering is to stay 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 Over everything they are to spread a crimson cloth, next a fine leather covering, and then insert its carrying poles.

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

9 Using a blue cloth, they are to cover the lampstand of light, together with its lamps, wick tongs, and trays, as well as the jars of olive oil used to fill them.

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 Then have them wrap it together with all its utensils inside a fine leather covering and place it on the carrying frame.

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 They are to spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, cover it with fine leather, and then insert its carrying poles.

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 They are to place all the utensils used for the service in the sanctuary in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and place them on the carrying frame.

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 Have them clean the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it,

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

14 and put on it all the equipment used in the services on the altar: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. Spread over it a fine leather covering and then insert its carrying poles.

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 Once Aaron and his sons have finished covering these holy things and all the equipment connected with them, when the camp is ready to move, the priests of the Kohath family are to come and carry them. But they are forbidden to touch anything holy, otherwise they'll die. These are their responsibilities for moving the Tent of Meeting.

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 Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, is to supervise obtaining olive oil for the lamps, the aromatic incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He is in charge of the whole Tabernacle and everything in it—all the holy things and equipment.”

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 The Lord told Moses and Aaron,

Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron. He said,

18 “Make sure the families of Kohath are not wiped out from the Levites.

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

19 This is what you have to do so that they'll live and won't die by getting too close to something holy. Aaron and his sons must go in and tell each of them what they have to do and what they have to carry.

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

20 But they must not to go in and look at the things that are most holy, even for just a moment, otherwise they'll 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 The Lord told Moses,

Yahweh spoke again to Moses. He said,

22 “Register the descendants of Gershon, according to their family and father's line

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

23 Count men aged thirty to fifty—all who are entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting.

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 how the families of Gershon will serve in terms of working and carrying:

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

25 Have them carry the Tabernacle curtains, the Tent of Meeting with its fine leather covering, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

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 courtyard curtains, the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard surrounding the Tabernacle and altar, the ropes, and everything connected with their use. The families of Gershon are responsible for everything required involving these items.

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 All that they do is to be under the supervision of Aaron and his sons—all their work and carrying assignments. You are to tell them all they are required to carry.

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 These are their responsibilities for moving the Tent of Meeting, carried out under the direction of Ithamar, 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 Register the descendants of Merari, according to their family and father's line.

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

30 Count men aged thirty to fifty—all who are entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting.

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 This is how they will serve in handling the Tent of Meeting: they are to carry the frames of the Tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and stands,

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 posts of the surrounding courtyard with their stands, tent pegs, and ropes, all their equipment and everything connected with their use. You are to tell them by name what they are responsible for carrying.

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 These are their responsibilities for all their work in moving the Tent of Meeting, carried out under the direction of Ithamar, 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 Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite leaders registered the families of Kohath according to their family and father's line.

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

35 They counted men aged thirty to fifty—all who were entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting.

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 The total by families was 2,750.

They counted 2,750 men by their clans.

37 This was the total of the families of Kohath—all who were entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron registered them in accordance with the Lord's instructions to 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 families of Gershon were counted, according to their family and father's line,

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

39 men aged thirty to fifty—all who were entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting.

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

40 The total by families and father's line was 2,630.

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

41 This was the total of the families of Gershon —all who were entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting. They were registered by Moses and Aaron in accordance with the Lord's instructions.

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 families of Merari were counted, according to their family and father's line,

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

43 men aged thirty to fifty—all who were entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting.

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

44 The total by families was 3,200.

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

45 This was the total of the families of Merari registered by Moses and Aaron in accordance with the Lord's instructions.

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 This is how Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite leaders registered all the Levites according to their family and father's line.

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

47 They counted men aged thirty to fifty—all who were entitled to do the work of serving in the Tent of Meeting and carrying it.

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 The sum total was 8,580.

They counted 8,580 men.

49 It was in response to the Lord's instructions that they were registered by Moses. Each of those registered were told what to do and what to carry, as the Lord had ordered Moses.

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.