Numbers 4:48 kjv
Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore,
Numbers 4:48 nkjv
those who were numbered were eight thousand five hundred and eighty.
Numbers 4:48 niv
numbered 8,580.
Numbers 4:48 esv
those listed were 8,580.
Numbers 4:48 nlt
numbered 8,580.
Numbers 4 48 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 3:36 | And those who were to be numbered of the families of Merari… were 3,200. | Prior Merari census count for service eligibility. |
| Num 4:31-32 | This is the duty of their burden… the boards of the tabernacle… | Specifies Merarites' heavy burden of the Tabernacle's structure. |
| Num 4:47 | all those who were numbered... of the sons of Levi for the work of the service... | Immediate context: Final total summary for all Levites to follow. |
| Num 1:49 | Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number... among the children of Israel. | Levites set apart from the general census due to sacred service. |
| Num 3:6-8 | Bring the tribe of Levi near and present them... to minister to him. | Levites dedicated to Aaron for the Tabernacle's service. |
| Num 8:19 | For I have given the Levites... for all the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle. | Levites divinely appointed for Tabernacle ministry. |
| Exod 26:15-30 | And you shall make boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright... | Describes the physical boards, bars, pillars that Merarites carried. |
| Exod 38:21 | This is the sum of the tabernacle... kept by the hand of Ithamar... the Levites, who ministered. | Records the meticulous accounting for the Tabernacle materials and those serving it. |
| 4:24-26 | This is the service of the families of the Gershonites... carrying coverings and hangings. | Example of another clan's specific duties for organized service. |
| 4:15 | And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects... then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them. | Example of a different clan's specific and delicate duties. |
| 1 Chr 23:24-32 | These were the sons of Levi according to their fathers’ houses... appointed to serve. | Later organization and expansion of Levitical duties in temple service. |
| 1 Chr 26:1-19 | The divisions of the gatekeepers... for the house of the Lord. | Illustrates comprehensive organization and specialized roles in temple service. |
| 1 Cor 12:4-6 | There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit... diversities of ministries, but the same Lord. | Spiritual principle of diverse roles within unified service to God. |
| 1 Cor 14:33 | For God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. | Divine principle of order and proper arrangement in worship and service. |
| Rom 12:4-5 | For as we have many members in one body... so we, though many, are one body in Christ. | Every part and person has a unique, essential function in God's plan. |
| Col 2:5 | For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. | Principle of orderly conduct in Christian community, reflecting divine order. |
| Heb 9:1-10 | Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary... | Description of the Tabernacle's components and ritual service, emphasizing its structured nature. |
| Gal 6:2 | Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. | The Merarites literally bore heavy burdens; a spiritual parallel of service. |
| Eph 4:11-12 | He gave some... for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. | God ordains roles for service to build up His spiritual house. |
| 1 Tim 3:15 | ...the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. | The church as God's spiritual dwelling, requiring structure and dedicated service. |
| Psa 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | God's word (commands) provides divine guidance for living and serving, seen in Numbers' details. |
| John 4:23-24 | But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. | Shifts from physical Tabernacle service to spiritual worship, but order remains key. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood... | Believers become parts of a spiritual structure, fulfilling sacred service. |
| Neh 12:44 | Some were appointed over the chambers for the stores... for the service of the house of God. | Continues the theme of structured and supplied service in later periods. |
Numbers 4 verses
Numbers 4 48 Meaning
Numbers 4:48 summarizes the divine count of the Merarite families, specifying the total number of adult males from this Levitical clan. This census was conducted to delineate those qualified and consecrated for the vital work of disassembling, transporting, and reassembling the Tabernacle components during Israel's wilderness journeys. The verse emphasizes the meticulous organization and divine appointment for their specific and demanding service within the Tabernacle's upkeep and movement.
Numbers 4 48 Context
Numbers chapter 4 is dedicated to detailing the specific duties and responsibilities of the three major Levitical clans: Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. Following the general census in Numbers 1 and the special census of Levites in Numbers 3, chapter 4 focuses on those Levites aged 30 to 50 who were eligible for active Tabernacle service. This precise enumeration ensured that every necessary function related to the Tabernacle's disassembly, transport, and reassembly was assigned, reflecting God's demand for order and carefulness in dealing with His holy presence. Verse 48 specifically concludes the section pertaining to the Merarites, whose critical task was bearing the heavy, bulky components of the Tabernacle's physical structure, such as the boards, bars, pillars, and sockets. Historically, this rigorous organization was essential for Israel's journey through the wilderness, allowing them to carry the presence of God effectively.
Numbers 4 48 Word analysis
- These: (Hebrew: ’el·leh) Points to the specific numbers just detailed for the Merarites in verses 42-47. It serves as a conclusive marker for the preceding count.
- were the numbers: (Hebrew: mispar) This term signifies a precise, calculated enumeration. It’s not an estimation but an exact tally, reflecting divine exactitude and accountability. God cares for every individual and their assigned task within His economy.
- of the families: (Hebrew: mish·pe·ḥōṯ) Refers to the collective units or clans. This indicates that the service was not just individual but communal, carried out by designated family groups within the larger Merarite clan.
- of the sons of Merari: (Hebrew: bənê mə·rā·rî) Identifies the specific lineage of Levi assigned to this particular service. Merari was a son of Levi, and his descendants had distinct duties for the Tabernacle.
- according to all their service: (Hebrew: ʿal-kol-ʿă·ḇō·ḏā·ṯām) This phrase underscores the comprehensive nature of their assigned duties. ʿă·ḇō·ḏā (service, work, labor, worship) highlights that their task was a consecrated, worshipful act performed for God, not merely physical labor. The addition of "all" emphasizes the complete scope of their responsibilities, leaving nothing unassigned.
- for the work: (Hebrew: lim·laḵ·keṯ) Refers specifically to the "business" or "task" of constructing and maintaining. It highlights the divine command and sacred nature of the Tabernacle-related duties.
- of the tabernacle: (Hebrew: hā·’ō·hel) Refers to the Tent of Meeting, the movable sanctuary where God's presence resided among His people. This term grounds the entire purpose of their counting and service in the dwelling place of God.
Word-group analysis
- "These were the numbers...according to all their service": This highlights God's systematic and precise organization. It underscores divine knowledge of each family and their designated contribution, demonstrating His meticulous order and divine care over His Tabernacle and its ministers.
- "sons of Merari...for the work of the tabernacle": This links specific lineage to specific sacred duty. The Merarites were uniquely qualified and called for their heavy responsibility, symbolizing how God appoints diverse gifts and callings for His divine purposes within His dwelling. Their physical "work" was inherently part of their worship.
Numbers 4 48 Bonus section
The detailed enumeration of the Levites' duties, particularly the physically demanding tasks of the Merarites, provided a clear polemic against pagan practices of the ancient Near East. Unlike the often arbitrary or forced labor for human-built temples where the gods were believed to dwell in the temple itself, Israel's God dwelt among His people in a portable sanctuary. This required divine meticulousness. Every role was assigned by God, and every individual, even those engaged in heavy lifting, was a consecrated servant. This showcased God's reverence for every person's role in His sacred economy and His distinct orderliness, contrasting with the chaotic or exploitative systems often found in surrounding cultures. This intricate blueprint foreshadowed the New Testament concept of the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12), where diverse gifts and roles are united in service to a greater, divine purpose, and every part is indispensable for the whole.
Numbers 4 48 Commentary
Numbers 4:48 serves as the conclusion to the specific census of the Merarites, confirming their numerical strength for Tabernacle service. This verse, though seemingly a simple tally, reinforces profound truths: God's demand for order, accountability, and specific responsibility in His worship and service. The Merarites' duty was not glamorous but essential—bearing the heavy framework of the Tabernacle. This symbolizes that every role, from the visible to the physically burdensome, is valued by God and vital for the functioning of His spiritual house. Their numbering underscores that God calls, equips, and knows all those He assigns to ministry, whether physical or spiritual. It implicitly highlights the principle that all aspects of serving God, even mundane tasks, are sacred and must be carried out with diligence and divine purpose.