UNROLL
Morning in a wide sandy wadi: seen from behind, four Levite men carry on their shoulders two long poles with a low load between them wholly covered in a solid blue cloth; far ahead, the column of the tribes.

The Book of

Numbers 4

The holiest things in Israel went on the road wrapped and hidden, carried by men who were never to see them.

49 verses≈ 8 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–10Ready at SinaiCounted and orderedChapter 4
  2. 11–14GrumblingTo Kadesh and refusal
  3. 15–21Forty yearsRebellion and mercy
  4. 22–25BalaamA curse turned to blessing
  5. 26–36A new generationReady for the land

The Duties of the Kohathites

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families, men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.

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Courtyard · 100 × 50 cubitsNGate · EastTent of MeetingBronze altarBasinThe tent, enlarged · 30 × 10 cubitsArkTableLampstandIncense altarVeilScreenMost Holy PlaceHoly Place

Plan to scale in cubits · north at the top

Covered for the road

The most holy things

Before the Kohathites came near, “Aaron and his sons are to go in.” They took down the veil itself and laid it over the ark, then fine leather, then a solid blue cloth. The table, the lampstand and the gold altar went under blue and fine leather. The bronze altar, its ashes cleared, went under purple and leather. Only then were the poles put in, and only then could the carriers come.

God
Seen from behind, four men in plain linen carry the altar on two bronze-covered poles on their shoulders across the sand; the altar is covered with a purple cloth and a gray leather covering, its bronze rings and lower corners showing beneath.

How to cover it

The altars and the vessels

  1. Gold altar: blue, leather, poles

    Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles.

  2. Utensils: blue, leather, frame

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

  3. Bronze altar: ashes out, purple

    Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,

  4. Its vessels on it, leather, poles

    and place on it all the vessels used to serve there: the firepans, meat forks, shovels, and sprinkling bowls—all the equipment of the altar. They are to spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert the poles.

When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”

At dawn outside the closed tent, Kohathite men in plain tunics sit on the sand with their backs to its plain woven entrance screen, heads bowed, their carrying poles on the ground beside them.

Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites. In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry. But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.”

0:24

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Question

Quick question

The Kohathites carried the most holy things, but someone else had to get them ready first.

Who covered the holy things before the Kohathites carried them?

The Duties of the Gershonites

Men in plain tunics lift heavy folded curtains and rolled red-dyed ram skins onto their shoulders beside the empty, flattened ground where the tent stood; the court's posts already lie on the sand.

What they carry

The Gershonites carry

  1. Men thirty to fifty, counted

    And the LORD said to Moses, “Take a census of the Gershonites as well, by their families and clans, from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

  2. Curtains, tent, coverings, screen

    This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport: They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with the covering of fine leather over it, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,

  3. Court hangings, gate curtain, ropes

    the curtains of the courtyard, and the curtains for the entrance at the gate of the courtyard that surrounds the tabernacle and altar, along with their ropes and all the equipment for their service. The Gershonites will do all that needs to be done with these items.

  4. Assigned by Aaron, under Ithamar

    All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry. This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

The Duties of the Merarites

What they carry

The Merarites carry

  1. Men thirty to fifty, counted

    As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families, from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.

  2. Frames, crossbars, posts, bases

    This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases,

  3. Court posts, bases, pegs, ropes

    and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use.

  4. Every item assigned by name

    You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

  5. Under Ithamar son of Aaron

    This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

Three clans, three loads

then carryAaron and hissonscover the holy things(4:5–15)Kohathark, table,lampstand, altarsEleazaroil, incense,grain, anointingoilIthamardirects Gershonand MerariGershoncurtains andcoverings (4:25)Merariframes, posts andbases (4:31)

Whiteboard

The priests covered; the Levites carried. Kohath took the most holy things on their shoulders. Eleazar kept the oil, the incense, the grain and the anointing oil, and oversaw the whole tabernacle. Gershon took the curtains and coverings, Merari the frames, posts and bases, both under Ithamar. Every man knew his load.

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

The count

Ready to serve

  1. Kohathites: 2,750

    So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families, everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. And those numbered by their clans totaled 2,750. These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

  2. Gershonites: 2,630

    Then the Gershonites were numbered by their clans and families, everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. And those numbered by their clans and families totaled 2,630. These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command.

  3. Merarites: 3,200

    And the Merarites were numbered by their clans and families, everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200. These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses.

  4. All the Levites: 8,580

    So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting. And the number of men was 8,580.

each one was assigned his work and burden

Numbers 4:49

Reflect

Your work and burden

No Levite chose his own load. At the LORD’s command “each one was assigned his work and burden,” from the ark down to the last tent peg, and every load mattered. What work has God put in your hands this season, at home, at work or in His church? Write down one burden you carry for Him that no one else sees, and how you could carry it gladly. Then pray: Lord, help me carry what You have given me, as for You.

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Numbers 4

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A verse to carry with you

At the LORD’s command through Moses they were numbered, and each one was assigned his work and burden, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:49

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