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Thursday, July 31st, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Brenton's Septuagint

Numbers 4:6

And they shall put on it a cover, even a blue skin, and put on it above a garment all of blue, and shall put the staves through the rings.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Altar;   Ark;   Badger;   Colors;   Levites;   Priest;   Tabernacle;   Thompson Chain Reference - Badger's Skins;   Blue;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ark of the Covenant;   Levites, the;   Priests;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ark of the Covenant;   Kohath;   Levites;   Purple;   Tabernacle;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ark;   Tabernacle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ark;   Badger;   Blue;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ark of the Covenant;   Badger;   Levites;   Priest;   Shewbread;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Badger Skins;   Blue;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Kohath, Kohathites;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Badgers' Skins;   Cloth;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Table;   Uzzah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Koliath;   Tabernacle;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Priest;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Badger;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Priesthood, the;   Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Color;   Porpoise;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Ark of the covenant;   Badger;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ark of the Covenant;   Shem;   Taḥash;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
King James Version
And 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.
Lexham English Bible
They will put on it a covering of fine leather, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles.
New Century Version
Over this they must put a covering made from fine leather, then spread the solid blue cloth over that, and put the poles in place.
New English Translation
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.
Amplified Bible
and they shall put on it a covering of porpoise skin (fine leather), and shall spread over that a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert the carrying poles of the ark.
New American Standard Bible
and they shall place a covering of fine leather on it, and spread over it a cloth of pure violet, and insert its carrying poles.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they shall put thereon a couering of badgers skinnes, and shall spread vpon it a cloth altogether of blewe silke, and put to the barres thereof:
Legacy Standard Bible
and they shall put a covering of porpoise skin on it and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue and shall insert its poles.
Contemporary English Version
and then with a piece of fine leather, and cover it all with a solid blue cloth. After this they will put the carrying poles in place.
Complete Jewish Bible
On that they are to place a covering of fine leather, and on top of that spread an all-blue cloth. Then they are to insert the carrying-poles.
Darby Translation
and shall put thereon a covering of badgers' skin, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put its staves [to it].
Easy-to-Read Version
Then they must cover all of this with covering made from fine leather. Then they must spread the solid blue cloth over the leather and put the poles in the rings on the Holy Box.
English Standard Version
Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
George Lamsa Translation
And shall put on it the covering of badgers skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the poles thereof.
Good News Translation
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Christian Standard Bible®
They are to place over this a covering made of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert its poles.
Literal Translation
And he shall put a covering of dugong skins on it, and shall spread a garment entirely of blue on top, and shall put in its staves.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and laye the couerynge of doo skynnes vpon it, and sprede a whole yalowe clothe aboue theron, and put his staues therin.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And putting over it the leather cover and over that a blue cloth; and putting its rods in place.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And shall put thereon a coueryng of Badgers skinnes, and shall spreade vppon it a cloth that is altogether of blew silke, and put in the barres therof.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall set the staves thereof.
King James Version (1611)
And shall put thereon the couering of badgers skinnes, & shall spread ouer it a cloth wholly of blew, and shall put in the staues thereof.
English Revised Version
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.
Berean Standard Bible
They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and thei schulen hile eft with a veil of `skynnys of iacynt, and thei schulen stretche forth aboue a mentil al of iacynt, and thei schulen putte in barris `on the schuldris of the bereris.
Young's Literal Translation
and have put on it a covering of badger skin, and have spread a garment completely of blue above, and have placed its staves.
Update Bible Version
and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth of all blue, and shall put in the poles thereof.
Webster's Bible Translation
And shall put on it the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staffs of it.
World English Bible
and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
New King James Version
Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles.
New Living Translation
Then they must cover the inner curtain with fine goatskin leather and spread over that a single piece of blue cloth. Finally, they must put the carrying poles of the Ark in place.
New Life Bible
Then they will lay a covering of badgers' skins on it, and spread a pure blue cloth over that. And they will put in the long pieces of wood to carry it.
New Revised Standard
then they shall put on it a covering of fine leather, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put its poles in place.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and put thereon a covering of badgers skin, and spread a complete wrapper of blue over above, - and put in the staves thereof.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And shall cover it again with a cover of violet skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of violet, and shall put in the bars.
Revised Standard Version
then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and they shall lay a covering of porpoise skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert its poles.

Contextual Overview

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2 Take the sum of the children of Caath from the midst of the sons of Levi, after their families, according to the houses of their fathers’ households; 3 from twenty-five years old and upward until fifty years, every one that goes in to minister, to do all the works in the tabernacle of witness. 4 And these are the works of the sons of Caath in the tabernacle of witness; it is most holy. 5 And Aaron and his sons shall go in, when the camp is about to move, and shall take down the shadowing veil, and shall cover with it the ark of the testimony. 6 And they shall put on it a cover, even a blue skin, and put on it above a garment all of blue, and shall put the staves through the rings. 7 And they shall put on the table set forth for shew-bred a cloth all of purple, and the dishes, and the censers, and the cups, and the vessels with which one offers drink-offerings; and the continual loaves shall be upon it. 8 And they shall put upon it a scarlet cloth, and they shall cover it with a blue covering of skin, and they shall put the staves into it. 9 And they shall take a blue covering, and cover the candlestick that gives light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its funnels, and all the vessels of oil with which they minister. 10 And they shall put it, and all its vessels, into a blue skin cover; and they shall put it on bearers.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

badgers' skins: This was not the covering of badgers' skins made for the tabernacle, which was carried by the Gershonites - Numbers 4:24, and Numbers 4:25, but one made for the purpose of concealing and sheltering the ark when it was to be carried.

a cloth: Numbers 4:7, Numbers 4:8, Numbers 4:11-13, Exodus 35:19, Exodus 39:1, Exodus 39:41

and shall put: Wesamoo baddaiv, rather, "and adjust the staves thereof;" i.e., dispose them rightly under the covering, that they might be laid on their shoulders: for the staves were never taken out of the rings.

the staves: Exodus 25:13-15, 1 Kings 8:7, 1 Kings 8:8

Reciprocal: Numbers 4:10 - General Numbers 4:13 - General 1 Chronicles 15:15 - bare the ark 2 Chronicles 5:8 - the staves

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and brought forth Cain and said, I have gained a man through God.
Genesis 4:3
And it was so after some time that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice to the Lord.
Genesis 4:4
And Abel also brought of the first born of his sheep and of his fatlings, and God looked upon Abel and his gifts,
Genesis 4:5
but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.
Genesis 4:8
And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Genesis 4:11
And now thou art cursed from the earth which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand.
Genesis 4:13
And Cain said to the Lord God, My crime is too great for me to be forgiven.
Job 5:2
For wrath destroys the foolish one, and envy slays him that has gone astray.
Isaiah 1:18
And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and though your sins be as purple, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool.
Jeremiah 2:5
Thus saith the Lord, What trespass have your fathers found in me, that they have revolted far from me, and gone after vanities, and become vain?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins,.... Not that which covered the tabernacle, for that was committed to the Gershonites, Numbers 4:25; but a covering made of these on purpose for the present use, to preserve the ark from rain and dust; and this covering was put not immediately upon the ark, but upon the other coverings that were over the ark, and so preserved the vail as well as the ark:

and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue; it is a matter of question, whether this was over the covering of badgers' skins also; if over the latter, as one would think it should be, by the order of the text, how could that be a shelter from the rain and dust, which seems to be the use of it, and therefore should be the outermost, as one of the same kind was the outermost covering of the tabernacle? Aben Ezra observes, there were some that say it was over the covering of badger's skin, but it is right in mine eyes, says he, that it was spread over the covering vail; if indeed it was for the sake of honour and dignity, the first is right, but the badger's skin was on account of rain and dust:

and shall put in the staves thereof: having been removed while the ark was covering, as Aben Ezra observes, or otherwise they always remained in their rings, and were never taken out, Exodus 25:14; but on this occasion they might, and then be put in again for the carrying of the ark, which was the use of them; though he also remarks, that there are some that say the sense is, they put the staves on the shoulders of them that carried it, which is not a despicable sense; unless rather it is to be understood of putting the staves through holes made in the coverings of the ark, and disposing and fitting them in them, for the better carriage of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

wholly of blue - Compare Exodus 25:4 note. The third and external covering of the ark only was to be of this color. The table of showbread had Numbers 4:8 an outer wrapping of scarlet; the altar Numbers 4:13 one of purple.

Put in the staves - Probably, “put the staves in order.” These were never taken out of the golden rings by which the ark was to be borne (see Exodus 25:14-15), but would need adjustment.


 
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