Numbers 4

The Service of the Kohathites

1The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2“Take a census of the Kohathites from among the Levites, by their clans and ancestral houses, 3from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who enters the service to do the work at the Tent of Meeting. 4This is the service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting: the most holy things.

5When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain and cover the ark of the testimony with it. 6They shall put a covering of fine leather over it, spread a cloth entirely of blue on top, and insert its poles. 7Over the table of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth and place on it the plates, dishes, bowls, and jars for drink offerings; the regular bread shall remain on it. 8They shall spread a scarlet cloth over these, cover it with a covering of fine leather, and insert its poles. 9They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, its lamps, tongs, trays, and all its oil vessels with which they tend it. 10They shall place it and all its utensils in a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.

11Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, cover it with a covering of fine leather, and insert its poles. 12They shall take all the utensils of service used in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame. 13They shall remove the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14They shall place on it all the utensils used in its service: the firepans, forks, shovels, basins, and all the utensils of the altar. They shall spread over it a covering of fine leather and insert its poles. 15When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary as the camp sets out, then the Kohathites shall come to carry them. But they shall not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things the Kohathites shall carry from the Tent of Meeting.

16Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have oversight of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil—oversight of the whole tabernacle and everything in it, including the sanctuary and its furnishings.”

17The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 18“Do not let the tribe of the Kohathite clans be cut off from among the Levites. 19Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to their service and burden. 20But the Kohathites shall not go in to look at the holy things even for a moment, or they will die.”

The Service of the Gershonites

21The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 22“Take a census also of the Gershonites, by their ancestral houses and clans. 23From thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall count them, everyone who enters to perform service and do the work at the Tent of Meeting. 24This is the service of the Gershonite clans, in serving and carrying: 25they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting with its covering and the covering of fine leather that is over it, the screen for the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, 26the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance of the court around the tabernacle and altar, their cords, and all the equipment for their service. Everything that is to be done with these shall be their service.

27All the service of the Gershonites, all their carrying and all their work, shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them responsibility for everything they carry. 28This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting, and their charge shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

The Service of the Merarites

29As for the Merarites, you shall count them by their clans and ancestral houses. 30From thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall count them, everyone who enters the service to do the work of the Tent of Meeting. 31This is what they are responsible to carry for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, pillars, and bases, 32the pillars around the court with their bases, pegs, and cords, together with all their equipment and everything related to their service. You shall assign by name the objects they are responsible to carry. 33This is the service of the clans of the Merarites for all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

The Levites Counted for Service

34So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation counted the Kohathites by their clans and ancestral houses, 35from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting. 36Those counted by their clans were two thousand seven hundred fifty. 37These were those counted of the Kohathite clans, everyone serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

38Those counted of the Gershonites by their clans and ancestral houses, 39from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting, 40those counted by their clans and ancestral houses were two thousand six hundred thirty. 41These were those counted of the Gershonite clans, everyone serving at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the command of the LORD.

42Those counted of the Merarite clans by their clans and ancestral houses, 43from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered the service for work at the Tent of Meeting, 44those counted by their clans were three thousand two hundred. 45These were those counted of the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

46All the Levites whom Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel counted by their clans and ancestral houses, 47from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who entered to perform the work of service and the work of carrying at the Tent of Meeting, 48those counted were eight thousand five hundred eighty. 49According to the command of the LORD through Moses, each was counted according to service and burden. Thus they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.