Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Numbers 4:4

Their job is to take care of the most holy things in the Meeting Tent.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Altar;   Ark;   Candlestick;   Levites;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Kohath;   Levites;   Tabernacle;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Kohath, Kohathites;   Moses;   Numbers, Book of;   Tabernacle;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Table;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Koliath;   Tabernacle;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Priesthood, the;   Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Tabernacle;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ark of the Covenant;   Holy of Holies;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
This is the service of the sons of Kehat in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things.
King James Version
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
Lexham English Bible
This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly, concerning the holiness of the sanctuary:
New Century Version
"The Kohathites are responsible for the most holy things in the Meeting Tent.
New English Translation
This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting, relating to the most holy things.
Amplified Bible
"This is the work and responsibility of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle): the most holy things.
New American Standard Bible
"This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things.
Geneva Bible (1587)
This shall be the office of the sonnes of Kohath in the Tabernacle of the Congregat?on about the Holiest of all.
Legacy Standard Bible
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things.
Contemporary English Version
The Kohathites will be responsible for carrying the sacred objects used in worship at the sacred tent.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Here is how the descendants of K'hat are to serve in the tent of meeting and deal with the especially holy things:
Darby Translation
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: it is most holy.
English Standard Version
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things.
George Lamsa Translation
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation concerning the most holy things;
Good News Translation
lass="passage-text">
Christian Standard Bible®
“The service of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting concerns the most holy objects.
Literal Translation
This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, the Holy of Holies.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This shal be the office of the children of Rahath in the Tabernacle of wytnesse, which is most holy.
American Standard Version
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things:
Bible in Basic English
And this is to be the work of the sons of Kohath in connection with the most holy things.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
This shalbe the office of the chyldren of Caath in the tabernacle of the congregation, [about] the most holy.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things:
King James Version (1611)
This shall bee the seruice of the sonnes of Kohath, in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, about the most Holy things.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And these are the works of the sons of Caath in the tabernacle of witness; it is most holy.
English Revised Version
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy things:
Berean Standard Bible
This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
This is the religioun of the sones of Caath; Aaron and his sones schulen entren in to the tabernacle of boond of pees, and in to the hooli of hooli thingis,
Young's Literal Translation
`This [is] the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the holy of holies:
Update Bible Version
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, [about] the most holy things:
Webster's Bible Translation
This [shall be] the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, [about] the most holy things.
World English Bible
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, the most holy things.
New King James Version
"This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting, relating to the most holy things:
New Living Translation
"The duties of the Kohathites at the Tabernacle will relate to the most sacred objects.
New Life Bible
This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the meeting tent to do with the most holy things.
New Revised Standard
The service of the Kohathites relating to the tent of meeting concerns the most holy things.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
This, shall be the labour of the sons of Kohath, in the tent of meeting, - the most holy things,
Douay-Rheims Bible
This is the service of the sons of Caath:
Revised Standard Version
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things.
THE MESSAGE
"This is the assigned work of the Kohathites in the Tent of Meeting: care of the most holy things.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting, concerning the most holy things.

Contextual Overview

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Count the men in the families of the Kohath family group. (The Kohath family group is a part of Levi's family group.) 3 Count all the men from 30 to 50 years old who come to serve. These men will work in the Meeting Tent. 4 Their job is to take care of the most holy things in the Meeting Tent. 5 "When the Israelites travel to a new place, Aaron and his sons must go into the Meeting Tent and take down the curtain and cover the Box of the Agreement with it. 6 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. 7 "Then they must spread a blue cloth over the holy table. Then they must put the plates, spoons, bowls, and the jars for drink offerings on the table. Put the special bread on the table. 8 Then you must put a red cloth over all these things, cover everything with fine leather, and put the poles in the rings of the table. 9 "Then they must cover the lampstand and its lamps with a blue cloth. They must also cover all the things used to keep the lamps burning and all the jars of oil that are used in the lamps. 10 Then wrap everything in fine leather. Then they must put all these things on poles used for carrying them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Numbers 4:15, Numbers 4:19, Numbers 4:24, Numbers 4:30, Numbers 3:30, Numbers 3:31, Mark 13:34

Reciprocal: Exodus 39:32 - all the Numbers 7:9 - unto the Numbers 10:21 - the Kohathites 1 Samuel 6:19 - he smote 1 Chronicles 13:2 - the priests Ezra 8:28 - the vessels

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
Cain went away from the Lord and lived in the land of Nod.
Genesis 4:17
Cain had sexual relations with his wife. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son named Enoch. Cain built a city and gave the city the same name as his son Enoch.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech married two women. One wife was named Adah, and the other was named Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
Adah gave birth to Jabal. Jabal was the father of people who live in tents and earn their living by keeping cattle.
Genesis 15:17
After the sun went down, it got very dark. The dead animals were still on the ground, each animal cut into two pieces. Then a smoking firepot and a flaming torch passed between the halves of the dead animals.
Exodus 13:12
you must remember to give the Lord every firstborn boy. And every male animal that is the firstborn must also be given to the Lord .
Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the Lord and burned the burnt offering and fat on the altar. When all the people saw this, they shouted with joy and then bowed to the ground to show their respect.
Numbers 16:35
Then a fire came from the Lord and destroyed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
Numbers 18:12
"And I give you all the best olive oil and all the best new wine and grain. These are the things that the Israelites give to me, the Lord . These are the first things that they gather in their harvest.
Numbers 18:17
"But you must not make a payment for the firstborn cow, sheep, or goat. These animals are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a sweet-smelling gift to the Lord .

Gill's Notes on the Bible

This [shall be] the service of the sons of Kohath, in the tabernacle of the congregation,.... What follows, Numbers 4:4;

[about] the most holy things; which Aben Ezra interprets only of the ark, which was indeed a most holy thing, and stood in the most holy place; but there were other holy things, in the care of which the service of the Kohathites lay; as the shewbread table, the candlestick, and the altars of incense and burnt offering, and the vail, and the ministering: vessels, which Jarchi reckons with it, as more holy than all other things.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

About the most holy things - Omit “about.” The sense is, “this is the charge of the sons of Kohath, the most holy things:” i. e. the ark of the covenant, the table of showbread, the candlestick, and the golden altar, together with the furniture pertaining thereto. It appears, from a comparison of Numbers 4:16, Numbers 4:28, Numbers 4:33, that the ministry of the Kohathites was superintended by Eleazar, the older of the two surviving sons of Aaron; and that of the two other families by Ithamar.


 
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