Numbers 4 9

Numbers 4:9 kjv

And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:

Numbers 4:9 nkjv

And they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it.

Numbers 4:9 niv

"They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it.

Numbers 4:9 esv

And they shall take a cloth of blue and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its tongs, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied.

Numbers 4:9 nlt

"Next they must cover the lampstand with a blue cloth, along with its lamps, lamp snuffers, trays, and special jars of olive oil.

Numbers 4 verses

Numbers 4 9 Meaning

Numbers 4:9 details the divine command for the Levites, specifically the Kohathite clan, concerning the Lampstand and its associated implements during the Tabernacle's movement. It specifies that these sacred objects—the Lampstand itself, its lamps, tongs, snuffdishes, and all oil vessels—must be covered with a special cloth of blue before being transported. This instruction emphasizes the sacredness of the Lampstand and its accessories, ensuring their protection from damage and unauthorized gaze, thereby maintaining the strict purity and reverence required for the items of God's holy dwelling.

Numbers 4 9 Context

This verse is part of the extensive and highly detailed instructions in Numbers chapter 4, which outlines the specific duties of the Levitical families regarding the transportation of the Tabernacle and its sacred contents during Israel's wilderness wanderings. Chapters 1-3 primarily focus on the census and initial arrangement of the camp. Chapter 4 narrows in on the Kohathites, who were specifically charged with carrying the most holy items from the Tabernacle's inner sanctuary (the Holy Place and Holy of Holies). The instructions here for the Lampstand immediately follow similar directives for the Ark of the Covenant and the Table of Showbread. The historical context is Israel as a nomadic people, journeying through the desert with God's portable dwelling among them. The strict protocols for dismantling, covering, and carrying these objects emphasized their immense holiness, safeguarded them from defilement or inappropriate viewing by the unqualified, and prevented sacrilege that could result in death. These precise regulations highlighted God's specific demands for His presence and service, distinguishing Israel's reverence from the common treatment of pagan idols.

Numbers 4 9 Word analysis

• And they shall take: The verb here (לָקַח, laqach) denotes an active reception or assumption of duty, a commanded action, emphasizing divine instruction for handling.

• a cloth of blue: (בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת, beged tekhelet).

  • Beged: A general term for a garment or cloth. Its simplicity highlights the focus on the type of cloth.
  • Tekhelet: A specific, rare, and highly valued deep blue dye, believed to be extracted from a marine snail. It was costly and primarily reserved for the Tabernacle furnishings, curtains, and the garments of the High Priest and other priestly items. Symbolically, tekhelet is understood to represent the heavens, holiness, divinity, and royalty, signifying the transcendent nature of the objects it covered. Its presence elevated the covering from mere protection to an act of holy veneration.

• and cover: (וְכִסּוּ, vekhissu). From the verb כָּסָה (kasah), meaning "to cover," "to conceal," or "to clothe." This action serves a dual purpose: practical protection of the precious articles during transport and a theological imperative to obscure these holy objects from common sight, preserving their sanctity and reverence. The covering maintained a necessary barrier between the holy and the common.

• the lampstand of the light: (מְנֹרַת הַמָּאוֹר, menorat ha'maor).

  • Menorat: The Lampstand, a central feature of the Holy Place, made of pure, solid gold with seven lamps. It symbolized God's illuminating presence, the light of His Word, spiritual wisdom, and revelation. It perpetually cast light in the Holy Place.
  • Ha'maor: Literally "the light." This specific designation emphasizes its function as the source of illumination within the Tabernacle, underscoring its spiritual significance beyond mere function.

• and his lamps: (נֵרֹתֶיהָ, neroteiha). The individual lamps that held the oil and wick on the Lampstand. This demonstrates the precision of the divine command, indicating that not only the main structure but every component, even the smallest parts, was sacred and required the same dignified handling.

• and his tongs: (מֶלְקָחֶיהָ, melkakheiha). Instruments used for tending the wicks of the lamps, such as trimming them. This detail highlights that every tool associated with the sacred service was consecrated and shared in the holiness of the main object, emphasizing the holistic nature of divine holiness.

• and his snuffdishes: (מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ, machtoteiha). Pans or receptacles for collecting ashes or burnt wick remnants. Like the tongs, these mundane-seeming items, by their association with the holy Lampstand and its maintenance, were elevated to sacred status and required equally respectful treatment and covering.

• and all the oil vessels thereof: (וְאֶת־כָּל־כְּלֵי שֶׁמְנָהּ, ve'et-kol-k'ley sh'menah).

  • K'ley: Vessels or instruments.
  • Sh'menah: Oil, specifically the pure olive oil used to fuel the Lampstand. The inclusion of the oil vessels demonstrates that even the "fuel" or sustenance for the sacred function was consecrated, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the sacred.

• wherewith they minister unto it: (אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ־בָהּ אֹתוֹ, asher yeshartu-vah oto). From the verb שָׁרַת (sharat), meaning "to minister," "to serve," or "to attend upon." This phrase clarifies the purpose of all these associated instruments: they are not arbitrary tools but specifically designed and dedicated for the solemn, priestly service of the Lampstand. It underscores that all the items, from the grand Menorah to the smallest snuffdish, exist solely for the consecrated worship of God.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "a cloth of blue, and cover": This pairing emphasizes the purposeful, holy veiling of the divine light. The blue, representing the heavenly, is precisely the material chosen to shroud what symbolizes divine revelation on earth, indicating both protection and the sacred distinction.
  • "the lampstand of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof": This comprehensive list is crucial. It underlines that holiness is not confined merely to the primary holy object (the Menorah) but extends unequivocally to all its auxiliary instruments and even the vessels holding its supply. This totality reinforces the sanctity and precise requirements of God's worship, leaving no room for presumption or carelessness with anything related to His presence.
  • "wherewith they minister unto it": This phrase ties all the enumerated items back to their ultimate function: the sacred, consecrated service within the Tabernacle. It signifies that their very purpose is for holy ministry, thereby defining their sacred status and the meticulous handling they demand.

Numbers 4 9 Bonus section

The repeated emphasis on covering the most holy articles of the Tabernacle before their removal (Numbers 4:5-15) highlights a significant principle: God's presence, while central to Israel, was always shrouded in holiness and mystery, protected from direct, unauthorized human sight. Even in transit, the Tabernacle's objects were to remain "veiled." This temporary veiling for transport echoes the more permanent veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, underscoring that while God makes Himself accessible, He also remains utterly transcendent. This reverence for "seeing" the holy is a crucial lesson, extending to understanding God's Word and His Spirit today – we approach with humility, not casual curiosity. The costly tekhelet (blue cloth) specified for this mundane act of covering reinforces the profound value God places on His sanctuary and all its contents, a value so immense that even the act of wrapping it in travel necessitated a rare, symbolic, and precious material, indicating divine glory, splendor, and inherent worth, rather than just practical utility.

Numbers 4 9 Commentary

Numbers 4:9 provides a window into the meticulously ordered reverence God required for His Tabernacle and its furnishings. The command to cover the Lampstand, symbolizing divine illumination and the presence of God's revelation, with a cloth of blue—a color representing the heavenly, sacred, and regal—was not merely for practical protection during transit. It underscored the profound holiness of these items, shielding them from the eyes of those not authorized to behold them. The extension of this meticulous covering to all the Lampstand's accompanying implements—lamps, tongs, snuffdishes, and oil vessels—reveals that holiness permeated every single object used in divine service. No detail was too small for God's specific command; every component associated with the ministration to the "light" shared in its consecration and demanded identical reverence and protection. This adherence to precise, divinely instituted protocols ensured the maintenance of proper boundaries between the holy and the common, teaching Israel profound lessons about God's majesty, the seriousness of His presence, and the strict demands for service in His sanctuary, foreshadowing the ultimate, pure worship in Spirit and truth offered through Christ.