Numbers 4 49

Numbers 4:49 kjv

According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:49 nkjv

According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, each according to his service and according to his task; thus were they numbered by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:49 niv

At the LORD's command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry. Thus they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:49 esv

According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were listed, each one with his task of serving or carrying. Thus they were listed by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Numbers 4:49 nlt

When their names were recorded, as the LORD had commanded through Moses, each man was assigned his task and told what to carry. And so the registration was completed, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Numbers 4 verses

Numbers 4 49 Meaning

Numbers 4:49 concludes the detailed census and assignment of duties for the Levitical families, specifically the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites, who were between thirty and fifty years of age. This verse emphatically states that the entire process of their numbering, and the allocation of their precise tasks and burdens related to the Tabernacle service, was carried out strictly "according to the commandment of the LORD" and meticulously fulfilled by Moses as commanded. It underscores divine authority and the faithful execution of God's will concerning the holy service.

Numbers 4 49 Context

Numbers chapter 4 meticulously details the specific duties of the three Levitical clans—the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites—who were responsible for transporting the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings during Israel's wilderness wanderings. Chapters 1-2 establish the military census and tribal encampment around the Tabernacle. Chapter 3 outlines the general appointment of Levites for Tabernacle service in place of the firstborn. Chapter 4 then focuses intensely on the operational aspect: which Levite groups carried which parts of the sacred tent and its contents, the precise coverings and procedures required for handling holy objects, and the age requirements (30 to 50 years old) for those actively engaged in this strenuous and dangerous service. Verse 49 serves as the summary conclusion to this detailed mandate, reaffirming that the entire meticulous organizational and assignment process was not a human invention but a direct divine imperative, executed faithfully by Moses. The underlying purpose was to maintain the holiness of God amidst His people, ensuring proper handling of His sanctuary to avoid divine wrath (as seen earlier, e.g., with Nadab and Abihu). This highly ordered arrangement implicitly stood in contrast to chaotic, self-appointed religious practices of surrounding pagan cultures, emphasizing YHWH's demand for order and explicit obedience in worship and service.

Numbers 4 49 Word analysis

• According to the commandment (עַל־פִּ֣י - al-pi, lit. "upon the mouth of" or "by the command of"): This phrase emphasizes divine decree and absolute authority. "Peh" (mouth) here denotes direct, authoritative utterance. It signifies that the instructions originated directly from God's speaking. The Levites' service was not self-devised but divinely prescribed.
• of the LORD (יְהוָ֣ה - YHWH): The personal, covenantal name of God. This specifies that the command came from the sovereign, covenant-keeping God of Israel, highlighting the sacredness and unchangeable nature of the command.
• they were numbered (פֻקָּ֗דוּ - puk-ka-du): From the verb "paqad" (to muster, visit, count, appoint). Here in the passive voice, it indicates they were subject to the act of being counted and assigned. This term often carries the nuance of oversight or divine visitation, meaning God took careful account of them for His purpose.
• by Moses (בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה֮ - be-yad-mosheh, lit. "by the hand of Moses"): This phrase indicates Moses' role as the obedient mediator and executor of God's commands. He did not invent the system but implemented it. It shows the orderly chain of command: God to Moses, Moses to the people.
• every one (אִ֣ישׁ אִ֔ישׁ - ish ish, lit. "man, man" or "every individual man"): This double expression intensifies the focus on the individual nature of the assignment. It emphasizes that no one was overlooked and each person had a distinct, specified role. It denotes precision and universality within the designated group.
• according to his service (עַל־עֲבֹדָת֛וֹ - al-avodato, lit. "upon his work/service"): "Avodah" refers to labor, work, and specifically the cultic or sacred service of the Tabernacle. This points to the meticulous detail in which their roles were assigned. Each Levite had a clear, defined task related to the sanctuary.
• and according to his burden (וְעַל־מַשָּׂא֖וֹ - ve-al-massa'o, lit. "and upon his burden/load"): "Massa'" refers to a physical load, the literal weight and items they were required to carry for the Tabernacle. This highlights the practical, physically demanding aspect of their ministry, which was also divinely allocated, emphasizing the gravity and specific nature of their responsibilities. This also implicitly ties to their assigned pieces of the Tabernacle, like the heavy boards, bars, pillars, etc., for the Merarites, and smaller, holier items for the Kohathites.
• thus were they numbered of him (וַיִּפָּ֣קְד֔וּ אֵ֖לֶּה מֵאִתּ֑וֹ - va-yif-ka-du eileh me'itto, lit. "and these were mustered/counted from him"): Repetition of the idea of "numbered" (paqad), now directly connecting the act of numbering back to Moses as the one who carried it out. This confirms the completed execution.
• as the LORD commanded Moses (כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־מֹשֶֽׁה - ka'asher tzivah YHWH et-mosheh): This phrase bookends the verse, beginning and ending with the same divine authoritative command, creating a literary framework that powerfully reinforces the absolute divine origin and flawless execution of the census and service assignments. "Tzivah" (to command) is a strong verb indicating a direct and authoritative order.

Words-group analysis:

• "According to the commandment of the LORD... as the LORD commanded Moses": This repetitive structure serves as a crucial literary and theological device. It acts as a powerful refrain, stressing the absolute divine authority and precision underlying the entire Levitical census and assignment. It signals to the reader that what is described is not a human organizational scheme but a direct divine ordination, fulfilled precisely as specified. This re-emphasizes that Moses was an obedient instrument, not an innovator.
• "every one according to his service, and according to his burden": This phrase highlights the individual, distinct, and specific nature of the Levitical ministry. It signifies a divine design where each person has a uniquely designated function ("service") and an appropriate responsibility or physical load ("burden"). This speaks to ordered functionality within God's house and avoids arbitrary assignments or individuals choosing their own tasks.

Numbers 4 49 Bonus section

The intense repetition of divine command and faithful execution in this verse, and indeed throughout the books of Exodus and Numbers concerning the Tabernacle, establishes a pattern for covenant fidelity. It communicates that for Israel, obedience was paramount, especially in matters pertaining to God's holiness and His presence. The precise weighing and assignment of the "burdens" of the Tabernacle can also be seen as a shadow of the New Covenant reality where believers are given "burdens" of service and ministry according to their spiritual gifts, for which they are held accountable, yet these burdens are meant to be carried in dependence on God and often with the support of fellow believers. The Tabernacle, representing God's dwelling among His people, was not just an arbitrary collection of parts but a sacred, divinely ordered whole, each component and its transportation being vital. This foreshadows the unity and diverse function of the church as God's spiritual temple, where every member's "service" and "burden" contribute to the whole as God commands.

Numbers 4 49 Commentary

Numbers 4:49 serves as the divinely sanctioned closure to a segment of Levitical ordination, emphatically declaring the divine origin and perfect human execution of God's commands for the sanctuary service. The repetition of the phrase "as the LORD commanded" frames the verse, embedding it firmly in the narrative of divine authority and human obedience. Every detail—the census itself, the specific assignment of duties (service), and the particular items and weights each group was to carry (burden)—was precisely ordained by YHWH and meticulously carried out by Moses. This isn't just about administrative efficiency; it underscores profound theological principles: God is a God of order, not chaos; His service requires specific, obedient compliance rather than human invention; and sacred duties, no matter how physically demanding, are ultimately divine appointments. This concept of ordered service, with specific gifts and burdens assigned, finds its echo in the New Testament concept of the body of Christ, where each member has distinct functions and responsibilities for the building up of the church, as appointed by God through the Spirit (e.g., Rom 12; 1 Cor 12; Eph 4).