Duties of the Kohathites
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The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
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"Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers' houses,
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b from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
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This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: c the most holy things.
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When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down d the veil of the screen and cover e the ark of the testimony with it.
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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 f poles.
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And over the g table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a cloth of blue and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; h the regular showbread also shall be on it.
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Then they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet and cover the same with a covering of goatskin, and shall i put in its poles.
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And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover j the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its tongs, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied.
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And they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of goatskin and put it on the carrying frame.
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And over k the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue and cover it with a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles.
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And they shall take all l the vessels of the service that are used in the sanctuary and put them in a cloth of blue and cover them with a covering of goatskin and put them on the carrying frame.
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And they shall take away the ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
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And they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the fire pans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of goatskin, and shall put in its poles.
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And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that m the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, n but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.
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"And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of o the oil for the light, the p fragrant incense, q the regular grain offering, and r the anointing oil, with the oversight of the whole tabernacle and all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels."
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The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
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"Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites,
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but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to s the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden,
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t but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die."
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The Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
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"Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses and by their clans.
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u From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can v come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting.
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This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens:
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w they shall carry x the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with y its covering and the covering of goatskin that is on top of it and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting
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and the hangings of the court and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords and all the equipment for their service. And they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them.
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All the service of the sons of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry and in all that they have to do. And you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry.
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This is the service of the clans of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, and their guard duty is to be z under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
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"As for the sons of Merari, you shall list them by their clans and their fathers' houses.
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u From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, everyone who can come on duty, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
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And a this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases,
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and the pillars around the court with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their accessories. And you shall b list by name the objects that they are required to carry.
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This is the service of the clans of the sons of Merari, the whole of their service in the tent of meeting, c under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest."
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And Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of the congregation listed the sons of the Kohathites, by their clans and their fathers' houses,
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u from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come on duty, for service in the tent of meeting;
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and those listed by clans were 2,750.
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d This was the list of the clans of the Kohathites, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron listed according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.
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Those listed of the sons of Gershon, by their clans and their fathers' houses,
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u from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come on duty for service in the tent of meeting -
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those listed by their clans and their fathers' houses were 2,630.
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e This was the list of the clans of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron listed according to the commandment of the Lord.
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Those listed of the clans of the sons of Merari, by their clans and their fathers' houses,
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u from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come on duty, for service in the tent of meeting -
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those listed by clans were 3,200.
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f This was the list of the clans of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron listed according to the commandment of the Lord by Moses.
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All those who were listed of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chiefs of Israel listed, by their clans and their fathers' houses,
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u from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who could come to do the service of ministry and the service of bearing burdens in the tent of meeting,
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those listed were 8,580.
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According to the commandment of the Lord through Moses they were listed, g each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, h as the Lord commanded Moses.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:23
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, yo...
Numbers 4:30
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, yo...
Numbers 4:35
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, ev...
Numbers 4:39
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, ev...
Numbers 4:43
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, ev...
Numbers 4:47
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, ev...
Numbers 8:24
This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five y...
1 Chronicles 23:3
The Levites, thirty years old and upward, were ...
1 Chronicles 23:24
These were the sons of Levi by their fathers' h...
1 Chronicles 23:27
For by the last words of David the sons of Levi...
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Cross References
Numbers 4:19
But deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden.
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Cross References
Exodus 26:31
And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:10
They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Two cubits and a half shall be its length, a cubit and a half its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
Exodus 25:16
And you shall put into the ark the testimony that I shall give you.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:13
You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:23
You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, a cubit its breadth, and a cubit and a half its height.
Exodus 25:29 - 30
And you shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink offerings; you shall make them of pure gold.
Exodus 37:16
And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink offerings.
Leviticus 24:6
And you shall set them in two piles, six in a pile, on the table of pure gold before the Lord.
Leviticus 24:8
Every Sabbath day Aaron shall arrange it before the Lord regularly; it is from the people of Israel as a covenant forever.
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Cross References
2 Chronicles 2:4
Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the Lord our God, as ordained forever for Israel.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:15
The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it.
Exodus 25:28
You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:31 - 39
You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it.
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Cross References
Exodus 30:1
You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood.
Exodus 30:3
You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it.
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Cross References
1 Chronicles 9:28 - 29
Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out.
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Cross References
Numbers 7:9
But to the sons of Kohath he gave none, because they were charged with the service of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulder.
Numbers 10:21
Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things, and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival.
Deuteronomy 31:9
Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.
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Cross References
2 Samuel 6:6 - 7
And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.
1 Chronicles 13:9 - 10
And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:6
Oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.
Exodus 27:20
You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.
Leviticus 24:2
Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil from beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly.
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Cross References
Exodus 25:6
Oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense.
Exodus 31:11
And the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.
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Cross References
Exodus 29:40 - 41
And with the first lamb a tenth seah of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering.
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Cross References
Exodus 31:11
And the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.
Exodus 30:23 - 33
Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:4
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things.
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Cross References
Exodus 19:21
And the Lord said to Moses, "Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish.
1 Samuel 6:19
And he struck some of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they looked upon the ark of the Lord. He struck seventy men of them, and the people mourned because the Lord had struck the people with a great blow.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:3
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who can come on duty, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 8:24
This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting.
Exodus 38:8
He made the basin of bronze and its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
1 Samuel 2:22
Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 3:25 - 26
And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Exodus 26:1 - 6
Moreover, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skillfully worked into them.
Exodus 36:8 - 13
And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked.
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Cross References
Exodus 36:14
He also made curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle. He made eleven curtains.
Exodus 36:19
And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and goatskins.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:33
This is the service of the clans of the sons of Merari, the whole of their service in the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:23
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 3:36 - 37
And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these.
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Cross References
Exodus 38:21
These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, as they were recorded at the commandment of Moses, the responsibility of the Levites under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:28
This is the service of the clans of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting, and their guard duty is to be under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:23
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:2
Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their clans and their fathers' houses.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:23
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:22
Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses and by their clans.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:23
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:29
As for the sons of Merari, you shall list them by their clans and their fathers' houses.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:23
From thirty years old up to fifty years old, you shall list them, all who can come to do duty, to do service in the tent of meeting.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:15
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.
Numbers 4:24
This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens:
Numbers 4:31
And this is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases.
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Cross References
Numbers 4:1
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying.
Numbers 4:21
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying.
Numbers 4:29
As for the sons of Merari, you shall list them by their clans and their fathers' houses.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.