Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, August 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Numbers 17:13

Every one that touches the tabernacle of the Lord, dies: shall we die utterly?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Despondency;   Miracles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Desert, Journey of Israel through the;  

Dictionaries:

- Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron's Rod;   Hexateuch;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Wisdom of Solomon;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Melchizedek;   Tabernacle, the;   On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Aaron;   Aaron's Rod;   Consume;   Ezekiel;   Korah;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Priest;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aaron;   Anger;   Moses;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of the LORD, dies: shall we perish all of us?
King James Version
Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
Lexham English Bible
Anyone who approaches the tabernacle of Yahweh will die. Will we all die?"
New Century Version
Anyone who even comes near the Holy Tent of the Lord will die. Will we all die?"
New English Translation
Anyone who even comes close to the tabernacle of the Lord will die! Are we all to die?"
Amplified Bible
"Everyone who approaches, who approaches the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Are we to perish completely?"
New American Standard Bible
"Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Are we to perish completely?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Whosoeuer commeth neere, or approcheth to the Tabernacle of the Lorde, shal dye: shal we be consumed and dye?
Legacy Standard Bible
Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of Yahweh, must die. Are we to breathe our utter last?"
Contemporary English Version
and doomed if we even get near the sacred tent!"
Complete Jewish Bible
He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stopped. Those dying from the plague numbered 14,700 — besides those who died in the Korach incident. Aharon returned to Moshe at the entrance to the tent of meeting, and the plague was stopped. (v) Adonai said to Moshe, "Speak to the people of Isra'el, and take from them staffs, one for each ancestral tribe from each leader of a tribe, twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff; and write Aharon's name on the staff of Levi, for each tribe's leader is to have one staff. Put them in the tent of meeting in front of the testimony, where I meet with you. The staff of the man I am going to choose will sprout buds — in this way I will put a stop to the complaints the people of Isra'el keep making against you." Moshe spoke to the people of Isra'el, and all their leaders gave him staffs, one for each leader, according to their ancestral tribes, twelve staffs. Aharon's staff was among their staffs. Moshe put the staffs before Adonai in the tent of the testimony. The next day Moshe went into the tent of the testimony, and there he saw that Aharon's staff for the house of Levi had budded — it had sprouted not only buds but flowers and ripe almonds as well. Moshe brought out all the staffs from before Adonai to all the people of Isra'el, and they looked, and each man took back his staff. (vi) Adonai said to Moshe, "Return Aharon's staff to its place in front of the testimony. It is to be kept there as a sign to the rebels, so that they will stop grumbling against me and thus not die." Moshe did this; he did as Adonai had ordered him. But the people of Isra'el said to Moshe, "Oh no! We're dead men! Lost! We're all lost! Whenever anyone approaches the tabernacle of Adonai , he dies! Will we all perish?"
Darby Translation
Every one that comes at all near to the tabernacle of Jehovah shall die: shall we then expire altogether?
Easy-to-Read Version
Anyone who even comes near the Lord 's holy place will die. Is it true that we will all die?"
English Standard Version
Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the Lord , shall die. Are we all to perish?"
George Lamsa Translation
Whosoever comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD shall die; and, behold, we also are near to perish.
Good News Translation
If anyone who even comes near the Tent must die, then we are all as good as dead!"
Christian Standard Bible®
Anyone who comes near the Lord’s tabernacle will die. Will we all perish?”
Literal Translation
Anyone who draws near to the tabernacle of Jehovah shall die; shall we be consumed to die?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Who so cometh nye ye dwellynge place of ye LORDE, he dyeth. Shal we the vtterly cosume awaie?
American Standard Version
Every one that cometh near, that cometh near unto the tabernacle of Jehovah, dieth: shall we perish all of us?
Bible in Basic English
Death will overtake everyone who comes near, who comes near the House of the Lord: are we all to come to destruction?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whosoeuer cometh nye, or approcheth to the tabernacle of the Lord, shall dye: Shall we vtterly consume away, and dye?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. Now they that died by the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides them that died about the matter of Korah. And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tent of meeting, and the plague was stayed. And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 'Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers' house, of all their princes according to their fathers' houses, twelve rods; thou shalt write every man's name upon his rod. And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi, for there shall be one rod for the head of their fathers' houses. And thou shalt lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. And it shall come to pass, that the man whom I shall choose, his rod shall bud; and I will make to cease from Me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you.' And Moses spoke unto the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods; and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tent of the testimony. And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel; and they looked, and took every man his rod. And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony, to be kept there, for a token against the rebellious children; that there may be made an end of their murmurings against Me, that they die not.' Thus did Moses; as the LORD commanded him, so did he. And the children of Israel spoke unto Moses, saying: 'Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. Every one that cometh near, that cometh near unto the tabernacle of the LORD, is to die; shall we wholly perish?'
King James Version (1611)
Whosoeuer commeth any thing neere vnto the Tabernacle of the Lord, shall die: Shall wee be consumed with dying?
English Revised Version
Every one that cometh near, that cometh near unto the tabernacle of the LORD, dieth: shall we perish all of us?
Berean Standard Bible
Anyone who comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to perish?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
who euer neiyeth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth; whethir we schulen be doon awei alle `til to deeth?
Young's Literal Translation
any who is at all drawing near unto the tabernacle of Jehovah dieth; have we not been consumed -- to expire?'
Update Bible Version
Every one that comes near, that comes near to the tabernacle of Yahweh, dies: shall we perish all of us?
Webster's Bible Translation
Whoever approacheth the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
World English Bible
Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tent of Yahweh, dies: shall we perish all of us?
New King James Version
Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD must die. Shall we all utterly die?"
New Living Translation
Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the Lord dies. Are we all doomed to die?"
New Life Bible
Everyone who comes near, who comes near the meeting tent of the Lord, must die. Are we all to be destroyed?"
New Revised Standard
Everyone who approaches the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all to perish?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
whosoever draweth near - draweth near - unto the habitation of Yahweh, dieth, - are we ever to have made an end of breathing our last?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Whosoever approacheth to the tabernacle of the Lord, he dieth. Are we all to a man to be utterly destroyed?
Revised Standard Version
Every one who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, shall die. Are we all to perish?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Everyone who comes near, who comes near to the tabernacle of the LORD, must die. Are we to perish completely?"

Contextual Overview

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi blossomed, and put forth a bud, and bloomed blossoms and produced almonds. 9 And Moses brought forth all the rods from before the Lord to all the sons of Israel; and they looked, and each one took his rod. 10 And the Lord said to Moses, Lay up the rod of Aaron before the testimonies to be kept as a sign for the children of the disobedient; and let their murmuring cease from me, and they shall not die. 11 And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded Moses, so did they. 12 And the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, Behold, we are cut off, we are destroyed, we are consumed. 13 Every one that touches the tabernacle of the Lord, dies: shall we die utterly?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whosoever: Numbers 1:51-53, Numbers 18:4-7

any thing: Genesis 3:3, 1 Samuel 6:19-21, 2 Samuel 6:6-12, 1 Chronicles 13:11-13, 1 Chronicles 15:13, Psalms 130:3, Psalms 130:4, Acts 5:5, Acts 5:11-14, Ephesians 2:13, Hebrews 10:19-22

consumed: Numbers 16:26, Numbers 32:13, Deuteronomy 2:16, Job 34:14, Job 34:15, Psalms 90:7, Isaiah 28:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:14 - that Exodus 12:33 - We be all Numbers 16:34 - Lest Numbers 18:1 - Thou 1 Samuel 6:20 - General 2 Samuel 6:9 - afraid 1 Kings 13:33 - whosoever 1 Chronicles 13:12 - afraid of God Psalms 73:19 - they are Psalms 78:32 - they sinned Proverbs 19:3 - foolishness Isaiah 33:14 - sinners Jeremiah 30:21 - and I Ezekiel 37:11 - Our bones Acts 5:13 - of Acts 7:36 - and in the wilderness Hebrews 8:4 - he should

Cross-References

Genesis 14:14
And Abram having heard that Lot his nephew had been taken captive, numbered his own home-born servants three hundred and eighteen, and pursued after them to Dan.
Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, I am grieved since thou hast given me no seed, but my home-born servant shall succeed me.
Genesis 37:27
Come, let us sell him to these Ismaelites, but let not our hands be upon him, because he is our brother and our flesh; and his brethren hearkened.
Genesis 39:1
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Petephres the eunuch of Pharao, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ismaelites, who brought him down thither.
Exodus 12:44
And every slave or servant bought with money—him thou shalt circumcise, and then shall he eat of it.
Exodus 21:2
If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years shall he serve thee, and in the seventh year he shall go forth free for nothing.
Exodus 21:4
Moreover, if his master give him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters, the wife and the children shall be his master’s; and he shall go forth alone.
Exodus 21:16
(21:17) Whosoever shall steal one of the children of Israel, and prevail over him and sell him, and he be found with him, let him certainly die.
Nehemiah 5:5
And now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children are as their children: yet, behold, we are reducing our sons and our daughters to slavery, and some of our daughters are enslaved: and there is no power of our hands, for our fields and our vineyards belong to the nobles.
Nehemiah 5:8
and I said to them, We of our free-will have redeemed our brethren the Jews that were sold to the Gentiles; and do ye sell your brethren? and shall they be delivered to us? And they were silent, and found no answer.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the Lord shall die,.... They who before were so bold and daring as to think the priesthood was common to them with Aaron, or they had as good a right to it, and might go into the sanctuary of the Lord where he did, are now so frightened at the rod being laid up as a token against them, that they thought they must not come near the tabernacle at all, and, if they did, would be in the utmost danger of death:

shall we be consumed with dying? such violent deaths, until there are none left of us? but the Syriac and Arabic versions render the words affirmatively; we are near or about to be consumed; and so the Targum of Onkelos, lo, we are to be consumed; which agrees best with the preceding clause, for they would scarcely make a question of what they had affirmed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A new section should begin with these verses. They are connected retrospectively with Numbers 16:0; and form the immediate introduction to Numbers 18:0. The people were terror-stricken by the fate of the company of Korah and by the plague. Presumption passed by reaction into despair. Was there any approach for them to the tabernacle of the Lord? Was there any escape from death, except by keeping aloof from His presence? The answers are supplied by the ordinances which testified that the God of judgment was still a God of grace and of love.


 
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