Study Desk

Then spake Yahweh unto Moses and unto Aaron saying:

Reckon up the sum of the sons of Kohath, out of the midst of the sons of Levi, - by their families by their ancestral house:

from thirty years old, and upwards, even unto fifty years, - every one that can enter into the host, to do service in the tent of meeting.

This, shall be the labour of the sons of Kohath, in the tent of meeting, - the most holy things,

So then Aaron and his sons shall enter when the camp is to set forward, and take down the screening veil, - and enwrap therein the ark of the testimony;

and put thereon a covering of badgers skin, and spread a complete wrapper of blue over above, - and put in the staves thereof.

And over the Presence-table, shall they spread a wrapper of blue and put thereon the dishes and the pans and the bowls and the libation cups, the perpetual bread also, thereupon, shall remain;

and they shall spread over them a wrapper of crimson, and cover the same with a covering of badgers skin, - and shall put in the staves thereof.

Then shall they take a wrapper of blue, and cover the light-giving lampstand, and the lamps thereof, and the snuffers thereof and the snuff-trays thereof, - and all the oil-vessels, thereof, wherewith they minister thereunto;

and shall put the same and all the vessels thereof, within a covering of, badger's skin, - and shall put it upon a frame.

And upon the altar of gold, shall they spread a wrapper of blue, and shall cover the same in a covering of badgers skin, - and shall put in the staves thereof,

And they shall take all the utensils of attendance wherewith they attend in the sanctuary, and put them within a wrapper of blue, and cover the same in a covering of badgers skin, - and put them on a frame.

Then shall they remove the fat-ashes from the altar, - and spread over it a wrapper of purple;

and put thereupon all the utensils thereof wherewith they minister thereupon - the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks - and the shovels and the tossing-bowls, all the utensils of the altar, - and shall spread over it covering of badgers skin and put in the staves thereof.

So shall Aaron and his sons make an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set forward, then after that, shall the sons of Kohath enter to bear it, but they must not put forth a touch unto that which, is holy, else should they die, these, shall be the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.

But the care of Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, shall be - the light-giving oil, and the fragrant incense, and the perpetual meal-offering, and the anointing oil, the care of all the habitation, and all that is therein, both as to the sanctuary, and as to the furniture thereof.

Then spake Yahweh unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:

Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be cut off out of the midst of the Levites.

This, therefore, do ye for them, so shall they live and not die when they approach the most holy place, - Aaron and his sons shall enter and set them man by man over his labour, and unto his burden;

but they shall not enter to see, for a moment, that which is holy, else should they die.