The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

(Numbers 3:27–32; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, and Aaron, saying:

Take the sum of the sons of Caath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families.

From thirty years old and upward, to fifty years old, of all that go in to stand and to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.

This is the service of the sons of Caath:

When the camp is to set forward, Aaron and his sons shall go into the tabernacle of the covenant, and the holy of holies, and shall take down the veil that hangeth before the door, and shall wrap up the ark of the testimony in it,

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.

They shall wrap up also the table of proposition in a cloth of violet, and shall put with it the censers and little mortars, the cups and bowls to pour out the libations: the leaves shall be always on it:

And they shall spread over it a cloth of scarlet, which again they shall cover with a covering of violet skins, and shall put in the bars.

They shall take also a cloth of violet wherewith they shall cover the candlestick with the lamps and tongs thereof and the snuffers and all the oil vessels, which are necessary for the dressing of the lamps:

And over all they shall put a cover of violet skins and put in the bars.

And they shall wrap up the golden altar also in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars.

All the vessels wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, they shall wrap up in a cloth of violet, and shall spread over it a cover of violet skins, and put in the bars.

They shall cleanse the altar also from the ashes, and shall wrap it up in a purple cloth,

And shall put it with all the vessels that they use in the ministry thereof, that is to say, firepans, fleshhooks and forks, pothooks and shovels. They shall cover all the vessels of the altar together with a covering of violet skins, and shall put in the bars.

And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped up the sanctuary and the vessels thereof at the removing of the camp, then shall the sons of Caath enter in to carry the things wrapped up: and they shall not touch the vessels of the sanctuary, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Caath: in the tabernacle of the covenant:

And over them shall be Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, to whose charge pertaineth the oil to dress the lamps, and the sweet incense, and the sacrifice, that is always offered, and the oil of unction, and whatsoever pertaineth to the service of the tabernacle, and of all the vessels that are in the sanctuary.

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

Destroy not the people of Caath from the midst of the Levites:

But do this to them, that they may live, and not die, by touching the holies of holies. Aaron and his sons shall go in, and they shall appoint every man his work, and shall divide the burdens that every man is to carry.

Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the sanctuary before they be wrapped up, otherwise they shall die.

The Duties of the Gershonites

(Numbers 3:21–26; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Take the sum of the soils of Gerson also by their houses and families and kindreds.

From thirty Sears old and upward, unto fifty years old. Number them all that go in and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.

This is the office of the family of the Gersonites:

To carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the roof of the covenant, the other covering, and the violet covering over all, and the hanging that hangeth in the entry of the tabernacle of the covenant,

The curtains of the court, and the veil in the entry that is before the tabernacle. All things that pertain to the altar, the cords and the vessels of the ministry,

The sons of Gerson shall carry, by the commandment of Aaron and his sons: and each man shall know to what burden he must be assigned.

This is the service of the family of the Gersonites in the tabernacle of the covenant, and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

The Duties of the Merarites

(Numbers 3:33–37; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)

Thou shalt reckon up the sons of Merari also by the families and houses of their fathers,

From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to the office of their ministry, and to the service of the covenant of the testimony.

These are their burdens: They shall carry the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof, the pillars and their sockets,

The pillars also of the court round about, with their sockets and pins and cords. They shall receive by account all the vessels and furniture, and so shall carry them.

This is the office of the family of the Merarites, and their ministry in the tabernacle of the covenant: and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

So Moses and Aaron and the princes of the synagogue reckoned up the sons of Caath, by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers,

From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to the ministry of the tabernacle of the covenant:

And they were found two thousand seven hundred and fifty.

This is the number of the people of Caath that go in to the tabernacle of the covenant: these did Moses and Aaron number according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

The sons of Gerson also were numbered by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant:

And they were found two thousand six hundred and thirty.

This is the people of the Gersonites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord.

The sons of Merari also were numbered by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

From thirty years old and upward, unto fifty years old, all that go in to fulfill the rites of the tabernacle of the covenant:

And they were found three thousand two hundred.

This is the number of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron reckoned up according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

All that were reckoned up of the Levites, and whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel took by name, by the kindreds and houses of their fathers,

From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, that go into the ministry of the tabernacle, and to carry the burdens,

Were in all eight thousand five hundred and eighty.

Moses reckoned them up according to the word of the Lord, every one according to their office and burdens, as the Lord had commanded him.

(Numbers 3:27–32; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)

The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

“This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, regarding the most holy things.

When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in with his sons; and they shall take down the veil of the screen, cover the ark of the Testimony with it,

put a covering of sealskin on it, spread a blue cloth over it, and put in its poles.

“On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it.

They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

“They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand of the light, its lamps, its snuffers, its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.

They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.

“On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

“They shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

“They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it.

They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. The sons of Kohath shall carry these things belonging to the Tent of Meeting.

“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings.”

The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

“Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;

but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint everyone to his service and to his burden;

but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

The Duties of the Gershonites

(Numbers 3:21–26; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ houses, by their families;

you shall count them from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old: all who enter in to wait on the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

“This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens:

they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, the covering of sealskin that is on it, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the gate of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. They shall serve in there.

At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden and in all their service; and you shall appoint their duty to them in all their responsibilities.

This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting. Their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

The Duties of the Merarites

(Numbers 3:33–37; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)

“As for the sons of Merari, you shall count them by their families, by their fathers’ houses;

you shall count them from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting.

This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service. You shall appoint the instruments of the duty of their burden to them by name.

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting.

Those who were counted of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty.

These are those who were counted of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

Those who were counted of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

even those who were counted of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.

These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD.

Those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

even those who were counted of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred.

These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

All those who were counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,

even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

According to the commandment of the LORD they were counted by Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden. Thus they were counted by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.