CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Numbers 4
Chapter 4 of 36
Chapter Overview
What happens in Numbers 4
God gives detailed instructions about the duties of each Levite clan when moving the tabernacle. Only men between thirty and fifty years old could do this work. The Kohathites carried the holy objects, the Gershonites carried the curtains, and the Merarites carried the frames.
Scripture
Numbers 4
The Duties of the Kohathites
Study note
The Kohathites had the most honored and dangerous job. They carried the holiest items, including the ark, the table, the lampstand, and the altars. But they were never allowed to touch or even look at these items. Aaron and his sons had to cover everything first.
1 The Lord gave these instructions to Moses and Aaron: And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
2 "Do a separate count of the Kohathite clan in the tribe of Levi. Sort them by families." Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
3 "Count every man between thirty and fifty years old who is able to serve at the tent of meeting." From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4 "Here is what the Kohathites are responsible for at the tent of meeting: caring for the most sacred objects." This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
5 "When the camp is ready to move, Aaron and his sons must go inside. They must take down the inner curtain and use it to wrap the ark of the testimony." And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
6 "On top of that, they must put a covering of fine leather, and then spread a solid blue cloth over everything. After that, they must slide the carrying poles into place." And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
7 "They must spread a blue cloth over the table of the bread of the Presence and set the plates, dishes, bowls, and drink offering jars on it. The bread that is always kept there should stay on the table." And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
8 "Next, they must lay a scarlet cloth over everything on the table. Then they cover it with fine leather and put the carrying poles in place." And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
9 "They must use a blue cloth to cover the lampstand along with its lamps, wick trimmers, trays, and all the jars of oil used to keep it lit." And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
10 "Then they must wrap the whole lampstand and all its tools in fine leather and place it on a carrying frame." And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.
11 "They must spread a blue cloth over the gold altar, cover it with fine leather, and slide in the carrying poles." And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12 "All the other tools used for serving in the holy area must be wrapped in a blue cloth. Then they must be covered with fine leather and placed on a carrying frame." And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:
13 "They must clean the ashes off the bronze altar and drape a purple cloth over it." And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
14 "On top of the cloth, they must lay out all the altar tools: the fire pans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls. Then they must cover everything with fine leather and slide in the carrying poles." And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.
15 "Only after Aaron and his sons have finished wrapping all the holy items and equipment may the Kohathites come and carry them as the camp moves. But the Kohathites must never directly touch any holy object, or they will die. These are the items the Kohathites are responsible for carrying from the tent of meeting." And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
16 "Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, is in charge of the lamp oil, the sweet-smelling incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He watches over the whole tabernacle and everything sacred inside it." And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
A Warning to Protect the Kohathites
Study note
God warned Moses and Aaron to make sure the Kohathites did not die because of carelessness. Aaron and his sons had to personally assign each person their load.
17 The Lord told Moses and Aaron, And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
18 "Make sure the Kohathite clans are not wiped out from among the Levites." Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
19 "Here is how to keep them safe near the most holy objects. Aaron and his sons must go in first. They must tell each Kohathite his exact job. They tell him what to carry." But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
20 "The Kohathites must never go in and look at the holy objects, not even for a second, or they will die." But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
The Duties of the Gershonites
Study note
The Gershonites carried the fabric parts of the tabernacle, including curtains, tent coverings, and ropes. They worked under the direction of Ithamar, Aaron's son.
21 The Lord told Moses, And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
22 "Now do a count of the Gershonite clan too, organized by families and households." Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23 "Count every man between thirty and fifty years old who is able to serve at the tent of meeting." From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
24 "Here is what the Gershonite clans are responsible for, including what they must carry:" This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
25 "They must carry the curtains of the tabernacle. They carry the tent of meeting itself and its covering. They carry the outer leather layer. They carry the curtain at the tent door." And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
26 "They must also carry the courtyard curtains, the entrance curtain at the courtyard gate around the tabernacle and altar, the ropes, and all the tools needed for their work. They are in charge of everything that needs to be done with these items." And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27 "Aaron and his sons must direct all the work the Gershonites do. This includes carrying things and other tasks. You must tell them exactly what each person is in charge of carrying." At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
28 "This is the work assigned to the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Ithamar, Aaron the priest's son, will supervise them." This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
The Duties of the Merarites
Study note
The Merarites carried the heaviest items: the wooden frames, crossbars, posts, and bases of the tabernacle. Each person was assigned specific items so nothing would be lost.
29 "Now count the Merarites by their families and households." As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30 "Count every man between thirty and fifty years old who is able to serve at the tent of meeting." From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
31 "Here is what they must carry as part of their work at the tent of meeting: the tabernacle frames, crossbars, posts, and bases." And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
32 "They must also carry the courtyard posts with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, and all the associated equipment. Assign each man by name the specific items he is to carry." And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
33 "This is the work of the Merarite clans at the tent of meeting, all under the supervision of Ithamar, Aaron the priest's son." This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
The Census of Working Levites
Study note
Moses counted all the Levite men between thirty and fifty years old. The Kohathites numbered 2,750, the Gershonites 2,630, and the Merarites 3,200, for a total of 8,580 working Levites.
34 Moses, Aaron, and the group leaders counted the Kohathites. They sorted them by clans and families. And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
35 They counted every man between thirty and fifty who could serve at the tent of meeting. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:
36 The Kohathite total was 2,750. And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37 This was the complete count of Kohathite clans serving at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them following the Lord's instructions given through Moses. These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
38 The Gershonites were counted next, organized by clans and families. And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
39 Every man between thirty and fifty who could serve at the tent of meeting was counted. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
40 The Gershonite total was 2,630. Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.
41 This was the complete count of Gershonite clans serving at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them following the Lord's instructions. These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.
42 The Merarites were counted by clans and families as well. And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
43 Every man between thirty and fifty who could serve at the tent of meeting was counted. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
44 The Merarite total was 3,200. Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
45 This was the complete count of Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them following the Lord's instructions given through Moses. These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
46 Moses, Aaron, and the Israelite leaders finished counting all the Levites. They sorted them by clans and families. All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
47 Every man between thirty and fifty was counted. Each one came to serve at the tent of meeting. Each one helped carry its gear. From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation,
48 The combined total was 8,580. Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
49 Each person was counted and given a certain job and load to carry, just as the Lord had told Moses. According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Key Themes
Themes in Numbers 4
Reverence for holy thingsStewardship and assigned responsibilityThe danger of approaching God carelesslyTeamwork in sacred service
Apply This Today
Living Numbers 4
God assigns specific roles and responsibilities to different people. Not everyone does the same job, but every role matters. Handling sacred things requires care, preparation, and humility. God protects those who serve Him by giving clear instructions.
Go Deeper
Study Numbers in Covenant Path
Read every chapter with study aids, bookmarks, and daily reading plans — free in the app.