Numbers 4 - Prayer Tents

Duties of the Kohathite Clan

4Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H1696H4872H175H559 2"Record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Kohathite division of the tribe of Levi.H5375H7218H1121H6955H8432H1121H3878H4940H1004H1 3List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.H7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H935H6635H6213H4399H168H4150 4"The duties of the Kohathites at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects.H5656H1121H6955H168H4150H6944H6944 5When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons must enter the Tabernacle first to take down the inner curtain and cover the Ark of the Covenant with it.H4264H5265H175H935H1121H3381H4539H6532H3680H727H5715 6Then they must cover the inner curtain with fine goatskin leather and spread over that a single piece of blue cloth. Finally, they must put the carrying poles of the Ark in place.H5414H3681H8476H5785H6566H4605H899H3632H8504H7760H905 7"Next they must spread a blue cloth over the table where the Bread of the Presence is displayed, and on the cloth they will place the bowls, pans, jars, pitchers, and the special bread.H7979H6440H6566H899H8504H5414H7086H3709H4518H7184H5262H8548H3899 8They must spread a scarlet cloth over all of this, and finally a covering of fine goatskin leather on top of the scarlet cloth. Then they must insert the carrying poles into the table.H6566H899H8438H8144H3680H4372H8476H5785H7760H905 9"Next they must cover the lampstand with a blue cloth, along with its lamps, lamp snuffers, trays, and special jars of olive oil.H3947H899H8504H3680H4501H3974H5216H4457H4289H8081H3627H8334 10Then they must cover the lampstand and its accessories with fine goatskin leather and place the bundle on a carrying frame.H5414H3627H4372H8476H5785H5414H4132 11"Next they must spread a blue cloth over the gold incense altar and cover this cloth with fine goatskin leather. Then they must attach the carrying poles to the altar.H2091H4196H6566H899H8504H3680H4372H8476H5785H7760H905 12They must take all the remaining furnishings of the sanctuary and wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine goatskin leather, and place them on the carrying frame.H3947H3627H8335H8334H6944H5414H899H8504H3680H4372H8476H5785H5414H4132 13"They must remove the ashes from the altar for sacrifices and cover the altar with a purple cloth.H1878H4196H6566H713H899 14All the altar utensils—the firepans, meat forks, shovels, basins, and all the containers—must be placed on the cloth, and a covering of fine goatskin leather must be spread over them. Finally, they must put the carrying poles in place.H5414H3627H8334H4289H4207H3257H4219H3627H4196H6566H3681H8476H5785H7760H905 15The camp will be ready to move when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the sacred articles. The Kohathites will come and carry these things to the next destination. But they must not touch the sacred objects, or they will die. So these are the things from the Tabernacle that the Kohathites must carry.H175H1121H3615H3680H6944H3627H6944H4264H5265H310H1121H6955H935H5375H5060H6944H4191H4853H1121H6955H168H4150 16"Eleazar son of Aaron the priest will be responsible for the oil of the lampstand, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. In fact, Eleazar will be responsible for the entire Tabernacle and everything in it, including the sanctuary and its furnishings."H6486H499H1121H175H3548H8081H3974H5561H7004H8548H4503H4888H8081H6486H4908H6944H3627 17Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,H3068H1696H4872H175H559 18"Do not let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites!H3772H7626H4940H6956H8432H3881 19This is what you must do so they will live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects. Aaron and his sons must always go in with them and assign a specific duty or load to each person.H6213H2421H4191H5066H6944H6944H175H1121H935H7760H376H376H5656H4853 20The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die."H935H7200H6944H1104H4191

Duties of the Gershonite Clan

21And the LORD said to Moses,H3068H1696H4872H559 22"Record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Gershonite division of the tribe of Levi.H5375H7218H1121H1648H1004H1H4940 23List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.H7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H6485H935H6633H6635H5647H5656H168H4150 24"These Gershonite clans will be responsible for general service and carrying loads.H5656H4940H1649H5647H4853 25They must carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle itself with its coverings, the outer covering of fine goatskin leather, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance.H5375H3407H4908H168H4150H4372H4372H8476H4605H4539H6607H168H4150 26They are also to carry the curtains for the courtyard walls that surround the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain across the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and all the equipment related to their use. The Gershonites are responsible for all these items.H7050H2691H4539H6607H8179H2691H4908H4196H5439H4340H3627H5656H6213H5647 27Aaron and his sons will direct the Gershonites regarding all their duties, whether it involves moving the equipment or doing other work. They must assign the Gershonites responsibility for the loads they are to carry.H6310H175H1121H5656H1121H1649H4853H5656H6485H4931H4853 28So these are the duties assigned to the Gershonite clans at the Tabernacle. They will be directly responsible to Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.H5656H4940H1121H1649H168H4150H4931H3027H385H1121H175H3548

Duties of the Merarite Clan

29"Now record the names of the members of the clans and families of the Merarite division of the tribe of Levi.H1121H4847H6485H4940H1004H1 30List all the men between the ages of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the Tabernacle.H7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H6485H935H6635H5647H5656H168H4150 31"Their only duty at the Tabernacle will be to carry loads. They will carry the frames of the Tabernacle, the crossbars, the posts, and the bases;H4931H4853H5656H168H4150H7175H4908H1280H5982H134 32also the posts for the courtyard walls with their bases, pegs, and ropes; and all the accessories and everything else related to their use. Assign the various loads to each man by name.H5982H2691H5439H134H3489H4340H3627H5656H8034H6485H3627H4931H4853 33So these are the duties of the Merarite clans at the Tabernacle. They are directly responsible to Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."H5656H4940H1121H4847H5656H168H4150H3027H385H1121H175H3548

Summary of the Registration

34So Moses, Aaron, and the other leaders of the community listed the members of the Kohathite division by their clans and families.H4872H175H5387H5712H6485H1121H6956H4940H1004H1 35The list included all the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle,H7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H935H6635H5656H168H4150 36and the total number came to 2,750.H6485H4940H505H7651H3967H2572 37So this was the total of all those from the Kohathite clans who were eligible to serve at the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron listed them, just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.H6485H4940H6956H5647H168H4150H4872H175H6485H6310H3068H3027H4872 38The Gershonite division was also listed by its clans and families.H6485H1121H1648H4940H1004H1 39The list included all the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle,H7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H935H6635H5656H168H4150 40and the total number came to 2,630.H6485H4940H1004H1H505H8337H3967H7970 41So this was the total of all those from the Gershonite clans who were eligible to serve at the Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron listed them, just as the LORD had commanded.H6485H4940H1121H1648H5647H168H4150H4872H175H6485H6310H3068 42The Merarite division was also listed by its clans and families.H6485H4940H1121H4847H4940H1004H1 43The list included all the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle,H7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H935H6635H5656H168H4150 44and the total number came to 3,200.H6485H4940H7969H505H3967 45So this was the total of all those from the Merarite clans who were eligible for service. Moses and Aaron listed them, just as the LORD had commanded through Moses.H6485H4940H1121H4847H4872H175H6485H6310H3068H3027H4872 46So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel listed all the Levites by their clans and families.H6485H3881H4872H175H5387H3478H6485H4940H1004H1 47All the men between thirty and fifty years of age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle and for its transportationH7970H8141H1121H4605H2572H8141H1121H935H5647H5656H5656H4853H168H4150 48numbered 8,580.H6485H8083H505H2568H3967H8084 49When their names were recorded, as the LORD had commanded through Moses, each man was assigned his task and told what to carry. And so the registration was completed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.H6310H3068H6485H3027H4872H376H376H5656H4853H6485H3068H6680H4872