The Duties of the Kohathites (Numbers 3:27–32; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)
2 RV Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, BSB BSB: “Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families,
3 RV from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting. BSB BSB: men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
4 RV This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things: BSB BSB: This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
5 RV 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: BSB BSB: Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.
6 RV and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof. BSB BSB: They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.
7 RV And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the cups to pour out withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: BSB BSB: Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.
8 RV and they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in the staves thereof. BSB BSB: And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.
9 RV 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: BSB BSB: They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to supply it.
10 RV and they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it upon the frame. BSB BSB: Then they shall wrap it and all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.
11 RV And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in the staves thereof: BSB BSB: Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth, cover it with fine leather, and insert the poles.
12 RV 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 the frame. BSB BSB: 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.
13 RV And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: BSB BSB: Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,
14 RV and they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, the firepans, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of sealskin, and put in the staves thereof. BSB BSB: 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.
16 RV 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, the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, the sanctuary, and the furniture thereof. BSB BSB: 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.”
17 RV And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
18 RV Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: BSB BSB: “Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be cut off from among the Levites.
19 RV 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: BSB BSB: 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.
20 RV but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die. BSB BSB: But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.”
The Duties of the Gershonites (Numbers 3:21–26; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)
21 RV And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, BSB BSB: And the LORD said to Moses,
22 RV Take the sum of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ houses, by their families; BSB BSB: “Take a census of the Gershonites as well, by their families and clans,
23 RV 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 the work in the tent of meeting. BSB BSB: from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
24 RV This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens: BSB BSB: This is the service of the Gershonite clans regarding work and transport:
25 RV 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; BSB BSB: 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,
26 RV 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 shall be done with them, therein shall they serve. BSB BSB: 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.
27 RV 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. BSB BSB: 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.
28 RV 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. BSB BSB: 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 (Numbers 3:33–37; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)
29 RV As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them by their families, by their fathers’ houses; BSB BSB: As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families,
30 RV 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. BSB BSB: from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.
31 RV 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; BSB BSB: 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,
32 RV and 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 appoint the instruments of the charge of their burden. BSB BSB: and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.
33 RV 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. BSB BSB: 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.”
The Numbering of the Levite Clans 34 RV And Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses, BSB BSB: So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families,
35 RV from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for work in the tent of meeting: BSB BSB: everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
36 RV and those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty. BSB BSB: And those numbered by their clans totaled 2,750.
37 RV These are they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, 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. BSB BSB: 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.
38 RV And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses, BSB BSB: Then the Gershonites were numbered by their clans and families,
39 RV from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for work in the tent of meeting, BSB BSB: everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
40 RV even those that were numbered of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty. BSB BSB: And those numbered by their clans and families totaled 2,630.
41 RV These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, all that did serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the LORD. BSB BSB: These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command.
42 RV And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, BSB BSB: And the Merarites were numbered by their clans and families,
43 RV from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entered upon the service, for work in the tent of meeting, BSB BSB: everyone from thirty to fifty years old who came to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
44 RV even those that were numbered of them by their families, were three thousand and two hundred. BSB BSB: The men registered by their clans numbered 3,200.
45 RV 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. BSB BSB: These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses.
46 RV 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, BSB BSB: So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites
47 RV 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, BSB BSB: from thirty to fifty years old who came to do the work of serving and carrying the Tent of Meeting.
48 RV even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore. BSB BSB: And the number of men was 8,580.
49 RV According 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. BSB BSB: 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.