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Texts -- Numbers 4:1-21 (NET)

Context
The Service of the Kohathites
4:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron : 4:2 “Take a census of the Kohathites from among the Levites , by their families and by their clans , 4:3 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old , all who enter the company to do the work in the tent of meeting . 4:4 This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting , relating to the most holy things . 4:5 When it is time for the camp to journey , Aaron and his sons must come and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 4:6 Then they must put over it a covering of fine leather and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue , and then they must insert its poles . 4:7 “On the table of the presence they must spread a blue cloth , and put on it the dishes , the pans , the bowls , and the pitchers for pouring , and the Bread of the Presence must be on it continually . 4:8 They must spread over them a scarlet cloth , and cover the same with a covering of fine leather ; and they must insert its poles . 4:9 “They must take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light , with its lamps , its wick-trimmers , its trays , and all its oil vessels , with which they service it. 4:10 Then they must put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather , and put it on a carrying beam . 4:11 “They must spread a blue cloth on the gold altar , and cover it with a covering of fine leather ; and they must insert its poles . 4:12 Then they must take all the utensils of the service , with which they serve in the sanctuary , put them in a blue cloth , cover them with a covering of fine leather , and put them on a carrying beam . 4:13 Also, they must take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 4:14 Then they must place on it all its implements with which they serve there– the trays , the meat forks , the shovels , the basins , and all the utensils of the altar – and they must spread on it a covering of fine leather , and then insert its poles . 4:15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary , when the camp is ready to journey , then the Kohathites will come to carry them; but they must not touch any holy thing , or they will die . These are the responsibilities of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting . 4:16 “The appointed responsibility of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is for the oil for the light , and the spiced incense , and the daily grain offering , and the anointing oil ; he also has the appointed responsibility over all the tabernacle with all that is in it, over the sanctuary and over all its furnishings .” 4:17 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron : 4:18 “Do not allow the tribe of the families of the Kohathites to be cut off from among the Levites ; 4:19 but in order that they will live and not die when they approach the most holy things , do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint each man to his service and his responsibility . 4:20 But the Kohathites are not to go in to watch while the holy things are being covered , or they will die .”
The Service of the Gershonites
4:21 Then the Lord spoke to Moses :

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Priest

    [smith] The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct ...
    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Kohathites

    [ebd] the descendants of Kohath. They formed the first of the three divisions of the Levites (Ex. 6:16, 18; Num. 3:17). In the journeyings of the Israelites they had the charge of the most holy portion of the vessels of the tabern...

  • EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 3-4

    [isbe] EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 3-4 - III. Historical Character. 1. General Consideration: The fact that extra-Israelitish and especially Egyptian sources that can lay claim to historical value have reported nothing authentic concernin...

  • PRIESTS AND LEVITES

    [isbe] PRIESTS AND LEVITES - (kohen, "priest"; nothing is definitely known as to the origin of the word; Lewi, "Levite," on which see LEVI): I. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE HISTORY 1. The Old View 2. The Graf-Wellhausen View 3. Mediating...

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...

  • Levites

    [smith] (descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included, (Exodus 6:25; Leviticus 25:32; Numbers 35:2; Joshua 21:3,41) etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, ...
    [nave] LEVITES The descendants of Levi. Set apart as ministers of religion, Num. 1:47-54; 3:6-16; 16:9; 26:57-62; Deut. 10:8; 1 Chr. 15:2. Substituted in the place of the firstborn, Num. 3:12, 41-45; 8:14, 16-18; 18:6. Religious ...

  • Tabernacle

    [nave] TABERNACLE One existed before Moses received the pattern authorized on Mount Sinai, Ex. 33:7-11. The one instituted by Moses was called Sanctuary, Ex. 25:8; Tabernacle, Ex. 27:21; 33:7; 2 Chr. 5:5; of Testimony, Ex. 38:21; ...

  • Altar

    [ebd] (Heb. mizbe'ah, from a word meaning "to slay"), any structure of earth (Ex. 20:24) or unwrought stone (20:25) on which sacrifices were offered. Altars were generally erected in conspicuous places (Gen. 22:9; Ezek. 6:3; 2 Kin...
    [nave] ALTAR Built by Noah, Gen. 8:20; Abraham, Gen. 12:7, 8; 13:18; 22:9; Isaac, Gen. 26:25; Jacob, Gen. 33:20; 35:1-7; Moses, Ex. 17:15; 24:4; Balaam, Num. 23:1, 14, 29; Joshua, Deut. 27:4-7; Josh. 8:30-32; Reubenites and Gadites...

  • Colors

    [nave] COLORS Symbolical uses of. Black A Symbol of Affliction and Calamity. Job 3:5; Job 10:20-22; Job 30:26; Psa. 107:10, 11; Psa. 143:3; Isa. 5:30; Isa. 8:22; Isa. 9:19; Isa. 24:11; Isa. 50:3; Joel 2:6, 10; Joel 3:14, 15; Amos...

  • Skin

    [isbe] SKIN - (`or, geledh, "human skin" (Job 16:15), basar, "flesh," in the sense of "nakedness" (Ps 102:5 the King James Version); derma): Literal: The word `or designates the skin of both men and animals, the latter both raw and...
    [nave] SKIN Clothes of, Gen. 3:21. For covering the tabernacle, Ex. 25:5; Num. 4:8-14. Diseases of, Lev. 13:38, 39; Deut. 28:27; Job 7:5. See: Boils; Leprosy.

  • Ark

    [ebd] Noah's ark, a building of gopher-wood, and covered with pitch, 300 cubits long, 50 cubits broad, and 30 cubits high (Gen. 6:14-16); an oblong floating house of three stories, with a door in the side and a window in the roof....
    [nave] ARK 1. Noah's. Directions for building of, Gen. 6:14-16. Noah and family preserved in, Gen. 6:18; 7:8; Matt. 24:38; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20. Animals saved in, Gen. 6:19, 20; 7:1-16. 2. Of Bulrushes, Ex. 2:3. 3. In the Tab...

  • Badger

    [ebd] this word is found in Ex. 25:5; 26:14; 35:7, 23; 36:19; 39:34; Num. 4:6, etc. The tabernacle was covered with badgers' skins; the shoes of women were also made of them (Ezek. 16:10). Our translators seem to have been misled ...
    [nave] BADGER Skins of, used for covering of tabernacle, Ex. 25:5; 26:14; 35:7, 23; 36:19; 39:34; Num. 4:6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 25. For sandals, Ezek. 16:10.

  • Skin, Coats made of

    [ebd] (Gen. 3:21). Skins of rams and badgers were used as a covering for the tabernacle (Ex. 25:5; Num. 4:8-14).

  • PORPOISE

    [isbe] PORPOISE - por'-pus (the Revised Version margin has "porpoise-skin" for `or tachash, the Revised Version (British and American) "sealskin," the King James Version "badgers' skins" (Ex 25:5; 26:14; 35:7,23; 36:19; 39:34; Nu 4...

  • Blue

    [ebd] generally associated with purple (Ex. 25:4; 26:1, 31, 36, etc.). It is supposed to have been obtained from a shellfish of the Mediterranean, the Helix ianthina of Linnaeus. The robe of the high priest's ephod was to be all o...

  • COVER; COVERING

    [isbe] COVER; COVERING - kuv'-er, kuv'-er-ing: The translation of several Hebrew words. The covering of the ark (mikhceh, Gen 8:13) was possibly the lid of a hatchway (compare Mitchell, World before Abraham, 215). To the sons of Ko...

  • Censer

    [ebd] the vessel in which incense was presented on "the golden altar" before the Lord in the temple (Ex. 30:1-9). The priest filled the censer with live coal from the sacred fire on the altar of burnt-offering, and having carried ...
    [isbe] CENSER - sen'-ser: In the King James Version censer is used as a translation of two Hebrew words, namely, machtah, and miqTereth. The former word is generally rendered "censer," sometimes "firepan," and in three cases (Ex 25...
    [smith] A small portable vessel of metal fitted to receive burning coals from the altar, and on which the incense for burning was sprinkled. (2 Chronicles 26:19; Luke 1:9) The only distinct precepts regarding the use of the censer...
    [nave] CENSER Used for offering incense, Lev. 16:12; Num. 4:14; 16:6, 7, 16-18, 46; Rev. 8:3. For the temple, made of gold, 1 Kin. 7:50; 2 Chr. 4:22; Heb. 9:4. Those which Korah used were converted into plates, Num. 16:37-39. Us...

  • Lampstand

    [nave] LAMPSTAND Of the Tabernacle Made after divine pattern, Ex. 25:31-40; 37:17-24; Num. 8:4. Place of, Ex. 26:35; 40:24, 25; Heb. 9:2. Furniture of, Ex. 25:38; 37:23; Num. 4:9, 10. Burned every night, Ex. 27:20, 21. Trimmed...

  • FIREPAN

    [isbe] FIREPAN - fir'-pan (machtah, "firepan," "censer," "snuffdish," from chathah, "to snatch up"): A vessel for carrying coals. Brazen firepans were part of the furnishings of the altar of burnt offerings (Ex 27:3; 38:3, and in N...
    [smith] one of the vessels of the temple service. (Exodus 27:3; 38:3; 2 Kings 25:15; Jeremiah 52:19) The same word is elsewhere rendered "snuff-dish," (Exodus 25:38; 37:23; Numbers 4:9) and "censer." (Leviticus 10:1; 16:12; Number...

  • SHEWBREAD, THE

    [isbe] SHEWBREAD, THE - sho'-bred lechem ha-panim, "bread of the presence"; he prothesis ton arton (Heb 9:2); the American Standard Revised Version "showbread"). See SHEW: 1. The Term: The marginal reading of Ex 25:30; 35:13, the R...
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Arts

Questions

  • The account in Num. 20 very clearly shows that Moses disobeyed the divine command in striking the rock as he did. For the moment he apparently lost his faith, and his temper as well. He had been explicitly instructed to "spea...
  • The Ark of the Covenant was definitely real and was a part of the tabernacle, being placed in the Holy of Holies behind the curtain. I will include articles below from three Bible Dictionaries that will give you some informat...

Sermon Illustrations

The Structure of the Tabernacle

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The title the Jews used in their Hebrew Old Testament for this book comes from the fifth word in the book in the Hebrew text, bemidbar: "in the wilderness."This is, of course, appropriate since the Israelites spent most of th...
  • To formulate a statement that summarizes the teaching of this book it will be helpful to identify some of the major revelations in Numbers. These constitute the unique values of the book.The first major value of Numbers is th...
  • I. Experiences of the older generation in the wilderness chs. 1-25A. Preparations for entering the Promised Land from the south chs. 1-101. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-42. Commands and rituals t...
  • The first 10 chapters in Numbers describe Israel's preparation for entering the land.". . . just as the way from Goshen to Sinai was a preparation of the chosen people for their reception into the covenant with God, so the wa...
  • Note the recurrance of a key word in the Pentateuch in verse l: toledot."For the first time after the formative events of the Exodus deliverance and the revelation on Mount Sinai, the people of Israel are organized into a hol...
  • Moses did not arrange the three Levitical families in the text here in the order of the ages of their founders. He arranged them in the order of the holiness of the articles that they managed.The Kohathites--who included Mose...
  • The consecration of the priests had taken place earlier (cf. Lev. 8). Then the people only looked on (Lev. 8:3-4). On the present occasion God set apart to His service the whole tribe of Levi that He had taken in place of the...
  • Before going into battle against the Midianites as God commanded (25:18), the Lord directed Moses to take another census of the Israelites. Evidently the 24,000 who died in the recent plague (25:9) were the last of the genera...
  • "Just as the censuses of chs. 1, 3, and 4 led to a flurry of preparations for departure from Sinai, so the second censuses in ch. 26 lead to preparations for departure from the plains of Moab and entry into the land of Canaan...
  • Bethshemesh was the closest Israelite town to Ekron. It stood about 12 miles east-southeast of Ekron. To get there the cows walked east up the Sorek Valley, Samson's home area. Evidently the Israelites who were reaping their ...
  • Not all the people who later assembled to see the ark were as careful as those from Bethshemesh, however. The Mosaic Law specified that no one was to look into the ark or that person would die (Num. 4:5, 20; cf. 2 Sam. 6:6-7)...
  • In 1004 B.C. David became king of all Israel and Judah.50This was his third anointing (cf. 1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4). The people acknowledged David's previous military leadership of all Israel as well as God's choice of him t...
  • Baale-judah (v. 2) may have been the later name of Kiriath-jearim (cf. Josh. 15:9-10).76This was where the ark had evidently rested since the Israelites had moved it from Bethshemesh in Samuel's days (1 Sam. 6; cf. Ps. 132:6-...
  • The lesson the writer intended this incident to teach the readers is that Yahweh is holy and His people should not take His presence among them lightly (cf. Lev. 10:1-11; Num. 16). God's presence is real, and His people must ...
  • Verses 1 and 2 of chapter 23 provide an outline for what follows in chapters 23-27 but in reverse order. After David appointed Solomon as his coregent in 973 B.C., he began the preparations the writer described here.David ada...
  • As Solomon had done, these Jews contracted with the Phoenicians to the north to supply wood for the temple (cf. 2 Chron. 2:16). The people needed several months of preparations before actual construction began on the site in ...
  • "The setting of the Mesopotamian dream-visions--which occurred in both the Assyrian period and the Babylonian period . . . --consisted of four elements: (1) the date, (2) the place of reception, (3) the recipient, and (4) the...
  • Why did Luke place his genealogy of Jesus at this point in his Gospel? Probably he did so because this was the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. Matthew recorded Jesus' genealogy to show that He had a legitimate right by b...
  • 8:48 Since the Jews could not refute Jesus' challenge they resorted to verbal abuse (cf. 7:52). Perhaps they called Him a Samaritan because He had questioned their ties to Abraham. This may have been a Samaritan attack agains...
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