Numbers 4:6

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.

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].

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.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.

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 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

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
Adam had sexual relations with his wife Eve. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Cain. Eve said, "With the Lord 's help, I have made a man!"

Genesis 4:3
At harvest time, Cain brought a gift to the Lord . He brought some of the food that he grew from the ground, but Abel brought some animals from his flock. He chose some of his best sheep and brought the best parts from them. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift.

Genesis 4:5
But he did not accept Cain and his offering. Cain was sad because of this, and he became very angry.

Genesis 4:8
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." So they went to the field. Then Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:13
Then Cain said to the Lord , "This punishment is more than I can bear!

Job 5:2
A fool's anger will kill him. His jealousy will destroy him.

Isaiah 1:18
"I, the Lord , am the one speaking to you. Come, let's discuss this. Even if your sins are as dark as red dye, that stain can be removed and you will be as pure as wool that is as white as snow.

Jeremiah 2:5
This is what the Lord says: "Do you think that I was not fair to your ancestors? Is that why they turned away from me? Your ancestors worshiped worthless idols, and they became worthless themselves.

Jeremiah 2:31
People of this generation, pay attention to the Lord 's message! "Have I been like a desert to the people of Israel? Have I been like a dark and dangerous land to them? My people say, ‘We are free to go our own way. We will not come back to you!' Why do they say these things?

Matthew 20:15
I can do what I want with my own money. Why would you be jealous because I am generous?'

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.