Numbers 18:22 kjv
Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
Numbers 18:22 nkjv
Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.
Numbers 18:22 niv
From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.
Numbers 18:22 esv
so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.
Numbers 18:22 nlt
"From now on, no Israelites except priests or Levites may approach the Tabernacle. If they come too near, they will be judged guilty and will die.
Numbers 18 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Num 1:51 | ...any unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death. | General prohibition against unauthorized access to the Tabernacle. |
| Num 3:10 | You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood; but any outsider who comes near shall be put to death. | Exclusive access granted to Aaron's line for priesthood duties. |
| Num 3:38 | ...Any outsider who came near was to be put to death. | Reiteration of severe consequence for unauthorized proximity. |
| Num 16:40 | ...no unauthorized person who is not of the descendants of Aaron should come near to offer incense... | Consequence for defying priestly authority in sacred service. |
| Lev 10:1-2 | Now Nadab and Abihu... offered strange fire... and fire came out... and consumed them, and they died... | Example of priests themselves being judged for improper sacred service. |
| Lev 22:9 | They shall therefore keep My ordinance, lest they bear sin for it and die... | Warning to priests about defiling holy offerings, similar language. |
| Lev 15:31 | Thus you shall separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, lest they die by their uncleanness when they defile My tabernacle... | Purity laws are essential to prevent death due to defiling God's dwelling. |
| Exod 19:12 | You shall set bounds for the people all around... that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its border. | God’s holiness established boundaries even at Mount Sinai. |
| Exod 29:43 | There I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory. | The Tabernacle's holiness required specific, regulated access. |
| Deut 27:26 | Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law... | Emphasizes the severity of breaking divine commands, including sacred laws. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Universal principle of sin leading to death. |
| Ezek 18:4 | Behold, all souls are Mine... The soul who sins shall die. | Confirms individual accountability for sin leading to death. |
| Josh 7:1, 25 | But the children of Israel committed a trespass... Achan, who carried out the trespass, he and his sons... died by stoning. | Example of sin, unauthorized taking of consecrated things, leading to death. |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy... | New Covenant contrast: direct, confident access through Christ. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way... | Christ's sacrifice opens access to God, once forbidden. |
| Heb 7:19 | For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, the bringing in of a better hope did, through which we draw near to God. | The Law established separation; Christ provides a way to draw near. |
| Eph 2:18 | For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. | New Covenant access to God through Christ for all believers. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation... | Believers in Christ are now a "priesthood" with direct access. |
| John 14:6 | Jesus said to him, “I am the way... No one comes to the Father except through Me." | Jesus is the sole means of access to God, replacing the Tabernacle's function. |
| Rom 5:1-2 | Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God... through whom also we have access by faith into this grace... | Justification by faith grants peace and direct access to God. |
| Col 2:16-17 | ...these are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. | Old Covenant practices (like restricted access) were shadows pointing to Christ. |
Numbers 18 verses
Numbers 18 22 Meaning
The verse issues a strict prohibition against common Israelites from approaching the sacred Tent of Meeting (Tabernacle). It highlights the severe consequence for transgressing this boundary: they would bear the penalty of their sin, resulting in death. This regulation emphatically reinforces the clear distinctions God established between the holy and the common, and between the divinely appointed priestly-Levitical order and the general populace, all for the purpose of preserving the profound sanctity of God's presence.
Numbers 18 22 Context
Numbers chapter 18 outlines the distinct roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of the priestly (Aaronic) and Levitical tribes in Israel. This comprehensive assignment serves to safeguard the Tabernacle and its holy contents from common defilement and unauthorized intrusion, thereby preventing divine judgment upon the nation. Prior to this verse (18:1-7), God explicitly details that Aaron, his sons, and the Levites are to bear the iniquity (culpability/consequences) associated with their respective sacred duties. Numbers 18:22 serves as a stringent reinforcement of these boundaries, prohibiting all common Israelites from direct access to the intensely holy Tent of Meeting. Historically, the Tabernacle was the sacred dwelling place of God's presence among His people, a constant reminder of His holiness and the strict demands for interaction. This prohibition prevented the contamination of God's presence by human sin and impurity, which would otherwise invite divine wrath.
Numbers 18 22 Word analysis
- Nor: (וְלֹא - ve'lo) A strong conjunctive negation, initiating a forceful and clear prohibition.
- shall the sons of Israel: (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - bene Yisra'el) This phrase specifically designates the general Israelite population, excluding the priestly lineage of Aaron and the Levites who were given special access and duties within the Tabernacle precinct.
- come near: (יִקְרְבוּ - yiqrebu) Derived from the Hebrew root קרב (karav), meaning "to approach" or "draw close." In this context, it implies crossing a defined boundary into a sacred or forbidden area. The action of drawing near is a grave offense if done by unauthorized individuals.
- the tent of meeting: (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד - ohel mo'ed) Refers to the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary and dwelling place of God's manifest presence. Its inherent holiness demanded absolute separation and controlled access to protect both God's honor and the people from His consuming holiness.
- anymore: (עוֹד - od) An adverb indicating a cessation or finality. It underscores that any previous practice of unauthorized approach must cease permanently.
- lest they bear sin: (לְבִלְתִּי שְׂאֵת חֵטְא - le-bilti se'et chet)
- bear: (שְׂאֵת - se'et) From the verb נָשָׂא (nasa), meaning "to carry" or "to lift." Here, it specifically denotes "to bear the guilt" or "to suffer the punishment" for the transgression.
- sin: (חֵטְא - chet) Refers to the act of transgression itself, which in this context is the unauthorized approach to the sacred. It implies a moral or ritual offense that warrants a severe consequence.
- and die: (וָמֵתוּ - va'metu) The ultimate, direct, and non-negotiable consequence for violating the divine command regarding the sanctity of the Tabernacle. This immediate judgment highlights God's utter holiness and the seriousness of disrespecting His commands.
Numbers 18 22 Bonus section
This verse sharply contrasts the nature of access to God under the Old and New Covenants. In the Old Covenant, represented by Numbers 18:22, separation and fear characterized humanity's approach to God's presence. God's dwelling was protected by severe prohibitions and dedicated intermediaries. This meticulous divine design was necessary because God is holy and His people were fallen; the boundaries served as protection. The fear of "bearing sin and dying" was very real. However, this same principle of a mediator is profoundly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. His finished work on the cross eliminated the need for a physical "tent of meeting" or an earthly priesthood to grant access, for He Himself became the ultimate means of drawing near. Thus, what was a barrier for the Old Testament Israelite becomes an open door for the New Testament believer, turning the dire warning of "do not come near, lest you die" into the gracious invitation of "come boldly to the throne of grace."
Numbers 18 22 Commentary
Numbers 18:22 stands as a solemn declaration of God's absolute holiness and the strict order He mandated for approaching His presence under the Old Covenant. It rigidly defines the boundaries, stipulating that common Israelites must not intrude upon the sacred space of the Tabernacle, under penalty of death. This harsh consequence reveals the profound danger for sinful humanity in attempting to approach a perfectly holy God on its own terms. The verse underscores the indispensable role of the divinely appointed priesthood as mediators, who bore the responsibility and danger of ministering in the sanctuary, thereby safeguarding both God's unblemished holiness and the lives of the people. This stringent separation serves as a vivid Old Testament picture foreshadowing humanity's universal inability to approach God directly without perfect atonement and mediation, thus magnifying the grace provided through the New Covenant, where Christ, our ultimate High Priest, bore the penalty of sin and opened a "new and living way" for all believers to draw near to God.