Numbers 4
1And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
2“Take a total of the sons of Kohath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families,
3from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, of all who enter so as to stand and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
4This is the service of the sons of Kohath: the tabernacle of the covenant and the Holy of holies.
5Aaron and his sons shall enter, when the camp is going to move, and they shall take down the veil, which hangs before the entrance, and they shall wrap the ark of the testimony in it,
6and they shall cover it further with a veil of violet skins, and they shall extend over it a cloth made entirely of hyacinth, and they shall draw in the bars.
7Likewise, they shall wrap the table of the presence in a cloth of hyacinth, and they shall place with it the censers and little mortars, the cups and bowls for pouring out libations; the bread shall be always on it.
8And they shall extend over it a cloth of scarlet, which they shall further cover with a veil of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars.
9They shall take also a cloth of hyacinth, with which they shall cover the lampstand with the lamps, and its tongs, and the candle snuffers, and all the vessels of oil, which are necessary for the preparation of the lamps.
10And over all this they shall place a covering of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars.
11And certainly they shall wrap the golden altar in a hyacinth garment, and they shall extend over it a covering of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars.
12All the vessels with which they minister in the Sanctuary they shall wrap in a cloth of hyacinth, and they shall extend over it a covering of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars.
13Moreover, they shall cleanse the altar of ashes, and they shall wrap it in a purple garment,
14and they shall place it with all the vessels which they use in its ministry, that is, receptacles for fire, small hooks as well as forks, larger hooks and shovels. They shall cover all the vessels of the altar together with a veil of violet skins, and they shall draw in the bars.
15And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped the Sanctuary and its vessels at the dismantling of the camp, then the sons of Kohath shall enter, so as to carry what has been wrapped. And they shall not touch the vessels of the Sanctuary, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Kohath concerning the tabernacle of the covenant.
16Over them shall be Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, to whom belongs the care of the oil to prepare the lamps, and the incense compound, and the sacrifice, which is offered continually, and the oil of unction, and whatever pertains to the service of the tabernacle, and all the vessels that are in the Sanctuary.”
17And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
18“Do not be willing to lose the people of Kohath from the midst of the Levites.
19But do this for them, so that they may live, and so that they may not die by touching the Holies of holies. Aaron and his sons shall enter, and they shall assign the work of each one, and they shall determine what each one ought to carry.
20Let no others, out of curiosity, see the things that are in the Sanctuary before they are wrapped, otherwise they shall die.”
21And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
22“Now also take a total of the sons of Gershon, by their houses and families and kinships,
23from thirty years and above, even to fifty years. Number all those who enter and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
24This is the duty of the family of the Gershonites:
25to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the roof of the covenant, the other covering, and the veil over everything, and the violet tent, which hangs at the entrance of the tabernacle of the covenant,
26the curtains of the atrium, and the veil at the entrance, which is before tabernacle. Everything that pertains to the altar, the cords, and the vessels of the ministry
27the sons of Gershon shall carry, under the orders of Aaron and his sons. And so shall each one know to which burden he ought to surrender.
28This is the service of the family of the Gershonites, in the tabernacle of the covenant, and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
29Likewise, you shall take a census of the sons of Merari, by the families and houses of their fathers,
30from thirty years and above, even to fifty years, of all who enter to the office of their ministry and to the service of the covenant of the testimony.
31These are their burdens: They shall carry the panels of the tabernacle and its bars, the columns and their bases,
32also the columns surrounding the atrium, with their bases and tent pegs and cords. They shall accept by number all the vessels and articles, and so shall they carry them.
33This is the office of the family of the Merarites, and their ministry for the tabernacle of the covenant. And they shall be under the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.”
34Therefore, Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of the assembly, took a census of the sons of Kohath, by the kinships and houses of their fathers,
35from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, of all who enter to the ministry of the tabernacle of the covenant.
36And there were found two thousand seven hundred fifty.
37This is the number of the people of Kohath, who enter the tabernacle of the covenant. These Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
38The sons of Gershon also were numbered by the kinships and houses of their fathers,
39from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, all who enter so as to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
40And there were found two thousand six hundred thirty.
41This is the people of the Gershonites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord.
42The sons of Merari also were numbered by the kinships and houses of their fathers,
43from thirty years and above, even to the fiftieth year, all who enter to fulfill the rituals of the tabernacle of the covenant.
44And there were found three thousand two hundred.
45This is the number of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
46All who were counted from the Levites, and whom, by name, Moses and Aaron, and the leaders of Israel, counted by the kinships and houses of their fathers,
47from thirty years and above, until the fiftieth year, entering for the ministry of the tabernacle and carrying the burdens,
48were together eight thousand five hundred eighty.
49Moses took a census of them, according to the word of the Lord, each one according to their office and their burdens, just as the Lord had instructed him.
1And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
2Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
3From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
5And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
6And shall put thereon the covering of badgers’ skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
7And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
8And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
9And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
10And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put it upon a bar.
11And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar:
13And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
14And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers’ skins, and put to the staves of it.
15And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
16And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
17And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
18Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
19But 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:
20But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
21And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
22Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
24This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
25And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers’ skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
26And the hangings of the court, and the hanging 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 all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
28This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
29As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
31And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
32And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
33This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
34And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
35From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:
36And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
38And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
39From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
40Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.
41These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the Lord.
42And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
43From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
44Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
45These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
46All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
47From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation,
48Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
49According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.