Numbers 4:5 kjv
And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
Numbers 4:5 nkjv
When the camp prepares to journey, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the covering veil and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.
Numbers 4:5 niv
When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law.
Numbers 4:5 esv
When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it.
Numbers 4:5 nlt
When the camp moves, Aaron and his sons must enter the Tabernacle first to take down the inner curtain and cover the Ark of the Covenant with it.
Numbers 4 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:10 | “They shall make an ark of acacia wood... with gold." | Instructions for building the Ark. |
| Exod 26:33 | “You shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark... inside the veil.” | The veil separating Holy from Most Holy Place. |
| Lev 16:2 | “Tell Aaron... not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil..." | Entry to Most Holy Place restricted. |
| Num 3:30-31 | "The chief of the fathers’ house of the Kohathites was Elizaphan... Their duty was the ark, table, etc." | Kohathites' primary duty for holy vessels. |
| Num 4:4 | "This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things." | Kohathites' general responsibility. |
| Num 4:15 | "And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects... the sons of Kohath shall come..." | Confirmation of priestly covering first. |
| Num 7:9 | "But to the sons of Kohath he gave no wagons... because the service of the holy things belonged to them..." | Kohathites carry by shoulder poles. |
| Num 18:3 | "They shall not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, lest they and you die." | Danger of unauthorized approach to holy things. |
| Deut 10:8 | "At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi... to carry the ark of the covenant..." | Levites appointed for Ark bearing. |
| 1 Sam 4:3-11 | "So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts..." | Ark's significance and its capture. |
| 2 Sam 6:6-7 | "And when they came to the threshing floor of Nachon, Uzzah put out his hand... and God struck him down." | Uzzah's death for touching the Ark. |
| 1 Chr 13:9-10 | "And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark..." | Parallel account of Uzzah's punishment. |
| Ps 78:60-61 | "He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind... And delivered his power into captivity." | Ark's role in divine presence and Israel's fate. |
| Ps 132:8 | "Arise, O LORD, to your resting place, you and the ark of your might." | The Ark as God's powerful presence. |
| Jer 3:16 | "In those days, when you multiply... they shall no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.'" | Prophecy of a future without the physical Ark. |
| Matt 27:51 | "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." | Symbol of direct access to God through Christ. |
| Mk 15:38 | "And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." | Gospel account of the torn veil. |
| Lk 23:45 | "while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two." | Gospel account of the torn veil. |
| Heb 9:3-4 | "Behind the second curtain was a tent called the Most Holy Place, having the golden altar of incense and the ark..." | Description of the Tabernacle layout and contents. |
| Heb 9:7-8 | "But into the second only the high priest goes, and that only once a year... Thus the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the Holy Place has not yet been opened." | Restricted access under the Old Covenant. |
| Heb 10:19-20 | "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way through the curtain, that is, through his flesh..." | New access to God through Christ, the 'curtain'. |
Numbers 4 verses
Numbers 4 5 Meaning
Numbers 4:5 delineates the initial, highly specific duty of Aaron and his sons, the high priests, when the Israelite camp prepares for travel. Before the Kohathite Levites could carry the holy items, the priests themselves had to enter the Most Holy Place, remove the inner veil, and then use it to cover the Ark of the Testimony, marking it as ready for transport. This procedure underscored the extreme sanctity of the Ark and the strict, divinely ordained protocol for its handling and protection from profane touch, even from authorized Levites.
Numbers 4 5 Context
Numbers chapter 4 meticulously details the specific duties of the Kohathite, Gershonite, and Merarite clans of the Levites regarding the transportation of the Tabernacle and its sacred contents. This follows earlier chapters that established the tribal census (Num 1), the camp arrangements (Num 2), and the general Levitical charge (Num 3). Numbers 4 focuses on the highly sensitive operation of disassembling and moving the sanctuary. Verse 5 initiates the instructions for the most sacred object, the Ark of the Testimony, which represented God's presence and throne among Israel. Historically, these detailed regulations were crucial for maintaining purity and order within the moving encampment of Israel, reflecting the holy nature of God who dwelt in their midst and the need for Israel to treat His dwelling with utmost reverence during their wilderness journey. These precise rules also served as a polemic against the often haphazard and idolatrous practices of surrounding pagan nations regarding their deities' shrines or images, highlighting Yahweh's transcendence and demand for exclusive, pure worship.
Numbers 4 5 Word analysis
- When the camp sets out: This phrase refers to the commencement of the Israelite journey from one encampment to another. It signifies a transition, activating the specific protocol for the Ark's transport.
- Aaron and his sons: This specifies the priesthood (Moses' brother and his male descendants), distinguishing them from the broader Levite clan. This task was exclusive to the consecrated priests, highlighting their unique mediatorial role and special access to God's presence.
- shall go in: Indicates their entry into the Holy of Holies, a space usually off-limits to everyone but the High Priest on the Day of Atonement (Lev 16). For transportation, this restricted entry was exceptionally permitted and mandated for priests only.
- and take down: The verb implies careful, deliberate action in handling such sacred objects.
- the veil of the screen: This refers to
pārōḵeṯ(Hebrew: פָּרֹכֶת) combined withmassākh(Hebrew: מָסָךְ). Thepārōḵeṯis specifically the inner curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Themassākhcan refer to any screen or curtain but here clarifies which specific veil is meant—the one acting as a screen/partition to the Most Holy Place. This veil symbolized the barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity. Its temporary removal for travel under specific priestly care underscores the sanctity of the innermost sanctuary. - and cover: This verb (
kasah- Hebrew: כָּסָה) means to hide, conceal, or protect. It emphasizes the need to shield the Ark from any direct gaze, even by the Kohathites, further reinforcing its holiness and the potential danger of inappropriate sight (as seen with the men of Beth Shemesh in 1 Sam 6). - the ark of the testimony: Hebrew:
ʾārôn hāʿēḏuṯ(אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת). The Ark (ʾārôn) was the chest containing the two tablets of the covenant (thetestimonyorwitness,ʿēḏuṯ), signifying God's covenant with Israel. It was the holiest object in the Tabernacle, symbolizing God's throne and presence.
Numbers 4 5 Bonus section
The specific method of covering the Ark with the veil rather than one of the generic coverings specified for other items (Num 4:6-8) is highly significant. It implies that the very barrier separating God from man becomes the means by which His most sacred symbol is veiled from the unholy. This act transformed the symbolic barrier of separation into a practical layer of protection, further insulating the Ark from view and touch during transit. It prefigured the ultimate "veil" – Christ's flesh – through which humanity now accesses God, emphasizing a consistent divine theme of mediated access. The fact that the Kohathites, who were specifically tasked with carrying the Ark, were forbidden from even seeing it without the priestly covering (Num 4:15) reinforces the danger of direct encounter with unmitigated holiness for those not divinely authorized.
Numbers 4 5 Commentary
Numbers 4:5 establishes a profound truth: the extreme holiness of God requires precise adherence to His divine commands, especially concerning His presence. The seemingly minute detail of who covers the Ark, and with what, speaks volumes about divine order and the consequences of deviating from it. Aaron and his sons, the consecrated priests, were uniquely entrusted with the initial covering of the Ark, specifically with the veil that normally separated the Holy of Holies. This pre-action by the priesthood before the Levites could touch or carry any Tabernacle furniture underlines several key principles: God's inapproachable holiness without specific mediation, the non-transferable nature of sacred duties, and the severity of irreverence towards God's holy things. This strict protocol safeguarded both the Ark and the people, reminding all of the potentially deadly consequence of treating the sacred as common, a lesson tragically reinforced later by Uzzah's death (2 Sam 6). The veil, later torn at Christ's death (Matt 27:51), powerfully contrasts the old covenant's restricted access with the new covenant's direct access to God through the blood of Jesus.