Numbers 4

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

2 'Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' houses,

“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the service, to do work in the tent of meeting.

from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

4 This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things:

“This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, regarding the most holy things.

5 when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it;

When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in with his sons; and they shall take down the veil of the screen, cover the ark of the Testimony with it,

6 and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall set the staves thereof.

put a covering of sealskin on it, spread a blue cloth over it, and put in its poles.

7 And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the pans, and the bowls, and the jars wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall remain thereon.

“On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it.

8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall set the staves thereof.

They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it.

“They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand of the light, its lamps, its snuffers, its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.

10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it upon a bar.

They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.

11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall set the staves thereof.

“On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

12 And they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on a bar.

“They shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon.

“They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it.

14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of sealskin, and set the staves thereof.

They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the holy furniture, and all the holy vessels, as the camp is to set forward — after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear them; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.

“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. The sons of Kohath shall carry these things belonging to the Tent of Meeting.

16 And the charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the continual meal-offering, and the anointing oil: he shall have the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, whether it be the sanctuary, or the furniture thereof.'

“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings.”

17 And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

18 'Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;

“Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;

19 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;

but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint everyone to his service and to his burden;

20 but they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die.'

but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

21 And the LORD spoke unto Moses saying:

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

22 'Take the sum of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses, by their families;

“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ houses, by their families;

23 from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them: all that enter in to wait upon the service, to do service in the tent of meeting.

you shall count them from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old: all who enter in to wait on the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens:

“This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens:

25 they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting, its covering, and the covering of sealskin that is above upon it, and the screen for the door of the tent of meeting;

they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, the covering of sealskin that is on it, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen 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 whatsoever there may be to do with them, therein shall they serve.

the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the gate of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. They shall serve in there.

27 At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden, and in all their service; and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burden.

At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden and in all their service; and you shall appoint their duty to them in all their responsibilities.

28 This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting; and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting. Their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them by their families, by their fathers' houses;

“As for the sons of Merari, you shall count them by their families, by their fathers’ houses;

30 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth upon the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting.

you shall count them from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting.

31 And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof;

This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

32 and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, even all their appurtenance, and all that pertaineth to their service; and by name ye shall appoint the instruments of the charge of their burden.

the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service. You shall appoint the instruments of the duty of their burden to them by name.

33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.'

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

34 And Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers' houses,

Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

35 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for service in the tent of meeting.

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting.

36 And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.

Those who were counted of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty.

37 These are they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, of all that did serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

These are those who were counted of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers' houses,

Those who were counted of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

39 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for service in the tent of meeting,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

40 even those that were numbered of them, by their families, by their fathers' houses, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.

even those who were counted of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.

41 These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that did serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD.

These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of Yahweh.

42 And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers' houses,

Those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

43 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for service in the tent of meeting,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

44 even those that were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand and two hundred.

even those who were counted of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred.

45 These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of Yahweh by Moses.

46 All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel numbered, by their families, and by their fathers' houses,

All those who were counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

47 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered in to do the work of service, and the work of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,

48 even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.

even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

49 According to the commandment of the LORD they were appointed by the hand of Moses, every one to his service, and to his burden; they were also numbered, as the LORD commanded Moses.

According to the commandment of Yahweh they were counted by Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden. Thus they were counted by him, as Yahweh commanded Moses.