The Service of the Sons of Kohath
Numbers 4, verse 1. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, Numbers 4, verse 2. “Take a sum total of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their tribes and the houses of their families, Numbers 4, verse 3. from twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter liturgical service to do all the works in the tabernacle of testimony. Numbers 4, verse 4. These are the works, the most holy things, of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of testimony: Numbers 4, verse 5. When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall enter, and take down the overshadowing veil and cover the ark of the testimony with it. Numbers 4, verse 6. Then they shall put on it a blue leather covering; and on top of this they shall spread an entirely blue cloth, and then insert the carrying-poles. Numbers 4, verse 7. On the table of presentation they shall spread a cloth all of purple and put on it the dishes, the censers, the cups, and the bowls for pouring the drink-offerings; and the perpetual loaves shall be on it. Numbers 4, verse 8. They shall spread over it a scarlet cloth; and they shall cover it with a blue leather covering and then insert its carrying-poles. Numbers 4, verse 9. Then they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its funnels, and all its oil vessels with which they minister liturgically. Numbers 4, verse 10. Then they shall put it with all its vessels in a covering of blue leather, and put it on a carrying-pole. Numbers 4, verse 11. Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth; and they shall cover it with a covering of blue leather and then insert its carrying-poles. Numbers 4, verse 12. Then they shall take all the vessels for liturgical service with which they minister liturgically in the holy things, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with blue leather covering, and put them on carrying-poles. Numbers 4, verse 13. Also they shall put the covering on the altar and spread a cloth entirely of purple over it. Numbers 4, verse 14. They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister liturgically there—the fire pans, the forks, the bowls, the cover, and all the vessels of the altar—and they shall spread on it a covering of blue leather and insert its carrying-poles. Then they shall spread on it a blue leather cover, and insert its carrying-poles. After this, they shall take a purple cloth to cover the laver and its base, and put them into a blue leather cover, and then put them on carrying-poles. Numbers 4, verse 15. Then after Aaron and his sons finish covering the holy things and all the holy vessels, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall enter to carry them; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of testimony the sons of Kohath are to carry: Numbers 4, verse 16. (the overseer is Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest) the oil for the light, the incense compound, the daily grain offering, the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, and whatever is in it, in the holy place with all its works.” Numbers 4, verse 17. Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, Numbers 4, verse 18. “Do not destroy the tribe of the Kohathite families from among the Levites; Numbers 4, verse 19. but do this in regard to them, so they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint each of them according to his transport duty. Numbers 4, verse 20. But they shall not go in unexpectedly to watch the holy things, lest they die.”
Service of the Sons of Gershon
Numbers 4, verse 21. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Numbers 4, verse 22. “Also take a census of the sons of Gershon, by their fathers’ houses according to their tribes. Numbers 4, verse 23. From twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall take a census of them, all who enter to minister liturgically, to do its works in the tabernacle of testimony. Numbers 4, verse 24. This is the liturgical service of the tribe of the Gershonites, in serving liturgically and in carrying: Numbers 4, verse 25. They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tabernacle of testimony with its covering, the covering of blue leather over it, the screen for the door of the tabernacle of testimony, Numbers 4, verse 26. the curtains of the court, which are around the tabernacle of testimony, and all the abundance of liturgical vessels, with which they minister liturgically: so shall they do. Numbers 4, verse 27. Aaron and his sons shall assign all the liturgical service of the sons of the Gershonites, according to all their liturgical service and all the things to be carried by them. You shall assign them by name with all the matters to be carried by them. Numbers 4, verse 28. This is the liturgical service of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of testimony, and their duties shall be under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
Service of the Sons of Merari
Numbers 4, verse 29. “As for the sons of Merari, you shall number them by their tribes and their fathers’ houses. Numbers 4, verse 30. From twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, everyone who enters the liturgical service to do the work of the tabernacle of testimony. Numbers 4, verse 31. These things to be carried by them are their duties relative to all their works in the tabernacle of testimony: the capitals of the tabernacle, and its bars, pillars, bases, and the screen. They shall also carry the bases, the pillars, and the screen of the door of the tabernacle, Numbers 4, verse 32. and the pillars around the court with their bases, and the pillars of the screen of the courtyard gate, and their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their vessels and liturgical things; and you shall assign them by name all the vessels they are responsible to carry. Numbers 4, verse 33. This is the liturgical service of the tribe of the sons of Merari, in all their works for the tabernacle of testimony, under the authority of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”
Census of the Levites
Numbers 4, verse 34. Thus Moses, Aaron, and the rulers of the congregation took a census of the sons of the Kohathites by their tribes and their fathers’ houses, Numbers 4, verse 35. from twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone who entered the liturgical service for work in the tabernacle of testimony. Numbers 4, verse 36. Their numbering according to their tribes was two thousand seven hundred fifty. Numbers 4, verse 37. This is the numbering of the tribe of the Kohathites, all who were serving liturgically in the tabernacle of testimony, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the voice of the Lord by the hand of Moses. Numbers 4, verse 38. Those numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their tribes and their fathers’ houses, Numbers 4, verse 39. from twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone entering the liturgical service to do the works in the tabernacle of testimony— Numbers 4, verse 40. those numbered by their tribes and their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty. Numbers 4, verse 41. This was the census of the tribe of the sons of Gershon, everyone serving in the tabernacle of testimony, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the voice of the Lord by the hand of Moses. Numbers 4, verse 42. Those numbered of the tribe of the sons of Merari, who were numbered by their tribes and their fathers’ houses, Numbers 4, verse 43. from twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone entering the liturgical service for the works in the tabernacle of testimony— Numbers 4, verse 44. those numbered by their tribes and their fathers’ houses were three thousand two hundred. Numbers 4, verse 45. This was the census of the tribe of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered by the voice of the Lord by the hand of Moses. Numbers 4, verse 46. All who were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses, Aaron, and the rulers of Israel numbered, by their tribes and their fathers’ houses, Numbers 4, verse 47. from twenty-five years old and above, even to fifty years old, everyone entering for the task of works and the works of carrying the things in the tabernacle of testimony— Numbers 4, verse 48. those numbered were eight thousand five hundred eighty. Numbers 4, verse 49. By the voice of the Lord by the hand of Moses they were numbered, each man according to his works and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, in the manner the Lord commanded Moses.