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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Numbers 4:4

"This is the assigned work of the Kohathites in the Tent of Meeting: care of the most holy things.

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.
Easy-to-Read Version
Their job is to take care of the most holy things in the Meeting Tent.
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
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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.
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 God spoke to Moses and Aaron. He said, "Number the Kohathite line of Levites by clan and family. Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age, all who enter the ministry to work in the Tent of Meeting. 4 "This is the assigned work of the Kohathites in the Tent of Meeting: care of the most holy things. 5"When the camp is ready to set out, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the covering curtain and cover the Chest of The Testimony with it. Then they are to cover this with a dolphin skin, spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert the poles. 7"Then they are to spread a blue cloth on the Table of the Presence and set the Table with plates, incense dishes, bowls, and jugs for drink offerings. The bread that is always there stays on the Table. They are to cover these with a scarlet cloth, and on top of that spread the dolphin skin, and insert the poles. 9"They are to use a blue cloth to cover the light-giving Lampstand and the lamps, snuffers, trays, and the oil jars that go with it. Then they are to wrap it all in a covering of dolphin skin and place it on a carrying frame. 11 "They are to spread a blue cloth over the Gold Altar and cover it with dolphin skins and place it on a carrying frame. 12 "They are to take all the articles used in ministering in the Sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with dolphin skins, and place them on a carrying frame. 13"They are to remove the ashes from the Altar and spread a purple cloth over it. They are to place on it all the articles used in ministering at the Altar—firepans, forks, shovels, bowls; everything used at the Altar—place them on the Altar, cover it with the dolphin skins, and insert the poles. 15 "When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and the camp is ready to set out, the Kohathites are to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are in charge of carrying all the things that are in the Tent of Meeting. 16 "Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, is to be in charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular Grain-Offering, and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire Dwelling and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."

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 left the presence of God and lived in No-Man's-Land, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:17
Cain slept with his wife. She conceived and had Enoch. He then built a city and named it after his son, Enoch. Enoch had Irad, Irad had Mehujael, Mehujael had Methushael, Methushael had Lamech.
Genesis 4:19
Lamech married two wives, Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal, the ancestor of all who live in tents and herd cattle. His brother's name was Jubal, the ancestor of all who play the lyre and flute. Zillah gave birth to Tubal-Cain, who worked at the forge making bronze and iron tools. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun was down and it was dark, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch moved between the split carcasses. That's when God made a covenant with Abram: "I'm giving this land to your children, from the Nile River in Egypt to the River Euphrates in Assyria—the country of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaim, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites."
Numbers 16:35
Then God sent lightning. The fire cremated the 250 men who were offering the incense.
Numbers 18:17
"On the other hand, you don't redeem a firstborn ox, sheep, or goat—they are holy. Instead splash their blood on the Altar and burn their fat as a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God . But you get the meat, just as you get the breast from the Wave-Offering and the right thigh. All the holy offerings that the People of Israel set aside for God , I'm turning over to you and your children. That's the standard rule and includes both you and your children—a Covenant-of-Salt, eternal and unchangeable before God ."
Judges 6:21
The angel of God stretched out the tip of the stick he was holding and touched the meat and the bread. Fire broke out of the rock and burned up the meat and bread while the angel of God slipped away out of sight. And Gideon knew it was the angel of God! Gideon said, "Oh no! Master, God ! I have seen the angel of God face-to-face!"
1 Kings 18:38
Immediately the fire of God fell and burned up the offering, the wood, the stones, the dirt, and even the water in the trench.
2 Chronicles 7:1
When Solomon finished praying, a bolt of lightning out of heaven struck the Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices and the Glory of God filled The Temple. The Glory was so dense that the priests couldn't get in— God so filled The Temple that there was no room for the priests! When all Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the Glory of God fill The Temple, they fell on their knees, bowed their heads, and worshiped, thanking God : Yes! God is good! His love never quits!
Hebrews 11:4
By an act of faith, Abel brought a better sacrifice to God than Cain. It was what he believed, not what he brought, that made the difference. That's what God noticed and approved as righteous. After all these centuries, that belief continues to catch our notice.

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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