Numbers 4
The Holy Things Carried Covered on the Shoulder
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Duties of the Kohathites
4:1The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
4:2Take a total of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their divisions and ancestral houses,
4:3From twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering to minister and do all the work in the Tent of Testimony.
4:4This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Testimony: the most holy things.
4:5When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall enter, take down the overshadowing curtain, and cover the Ark of Testimony with it.
4:6They shall put over it a covering of blue skin, lay a cloth entirely of blue above it, and insert the carrying poles.
4:7Over the table set before them they shall spread a cloth entirely of purple, with the dishes, incense vessels, cups, and vessels for libations. The continual loaves shall remain on it.
4:8They shall spread a scarlet cloth over it, cover it with a covering of blue leather, and insert its carrying poles through it.
4:9They shall take a blue cloth and cover the illuminating lampstand, its lamps, tongs, snuffers, and all the oil vessels used in ministering with them.
4:10They shall put it and all its furnishings into a covering of blue leather and place it on carrying poles.
4:11Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, cover it with a covering of blue leather, and insert its carrying poles.
4:12They shall take all the ministering utensils used in the holy place, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of blue leather, and place them on carrying poles.
4:13He shall put the cover on the altar, and they shall spread a cloth entirely of purple over it.
4:14They shall put on it all the utensils used in its ministry: the firepans, meat forks, bowls, the cover, and all the altar utensils. They shall spread a covering of blue leather over it and insert its carrying poles. They shall take a purple cloth, cover the basin and its stand together, put them into a covering of blue leather, and place them on carrying poles.
4:15When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall finish covering the holy things and all the holy utensils. Afterward the sons of Kohath shall enter to carry them, and they shall not touch the holy things, so that they do not die. These are what the sons of Kohath shall carry in the Tent of Testimony.
4:16Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is overseer of the oil for light, the compounded incense, the daily sacrifice, and the anointing oil: oversight of the whole Tent and everything in it, in the holy place, in all the work.
4:17The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
4:18Do not destroy the division of Kohath’s tribe from among the Levites.
4:19Do this for them, and they shall live and certainly not die when they approach the most holy things: let Aaron and his sons approach and assign each man according to what he must carry.
4:20They must certainly not enter to see the holy things suddenly, or they will die.
Duties of the Gershonites
4:21The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
4:22Take a total of the sons of Gershon also, by their ancestral houses and divisions.
4:23Register them from twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering to minister and perform his work in the Tent of Testimony.
4:24This is the ministry of the division of Gershon, in ministering and carrying:
4:25It shall carry the curtains of the Tent, the Tent of Testimony, its covering, the blue covering above it, and the covering at the door of the Tent of Testimony,
4:26The courtyard hangings by the Tent of Testimony, the remaining things, and all the ministering utensils used with them. They shall do the work.
4:27The ministry of the sons of Gershon, all their ministries and everything they carry, shall be at the mouth of Aaron and his sons. You shall register them by name, with everything they carry.
4:28This is the ministry of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Testimony. Their charge is under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
Duties of the Merarites
4:29Register the sons of Merari by their divisions and ancestral houses.
4:30Register them from twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering to minister in the work of the Tent of Testimony.
4:31These are the things entrusted to their carrying for all their work in the Tent of Testimony: the capitals of the Tent, its bars, pillars, and bases, the covering, their bases and pillars, and the covering at the door of the Tent,
4:32The pillars around the courtyard and their bases, the pillars of the curtain at the courtyard gate and their bases, their pegs and cords, all their utensils, and all their ministries. Register them by name, with all the utensils entrusted to their carrying.
4:33This is the ministry of the division of the sons of Merari, all their work in the Tent of Testimony, under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
The Census Results
4:34Moses, Aaron, and the rulers of Israel registered the sons of Kohath by their divisions and ancestral houses,
4:35From twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering to minister and work in the Tent of Testimony.
4:36Their enrollment by their divisions was two thousand two hundred fifty.
4:37This is the enrollment of the division of Kohath, everyone ministering in the Tent of Testimony, whom Moses and Aaron registered by the voice of the Lord through Moses.
4:38The sons of Gershon were registered by their divisions and ancestral houses,
4:39From twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering to minister and do the work in the Tent of Testimony.
4:40Their enrollment by their divisions and ancestral houses was two thousand six hundred thirty.
4:41This is the enrollment of the division of the sons of Gershon, everyone ministering in the Tent of Testimony, whom Moses and Aaron registered by the voice of the Lord through Moses.
4:42The division of the sons of Merari was also registered by their divisions and ancestral houses,
4:43From twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering to minister in the work of the Tent of Testimony.
4:44Their enrollment by their divisions and ancestral houses was three thousand two hundred.
4:45This is the enrollment of the division of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron registered by the voice of the Lord through Moses.
4:46All those registered among the Levites by Moses, Aaron, and the rulers of Israel, by their divisions and ancestral houses,
4:47From twenty-five years old and upward, up to fifty years old, everyone entering for the work of service and the work of carrying in the Tent of Testimony,
4:48Those registered numbered eight thousand five hundred eighty.
4:49By the voice of the Lord, through Moses, each man was appointed to his work and what he carried. They were registered as the Lord instructed Moses.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.