Numbers 4
Bishops' Bible of 1568 Par ▾ 

The Duties of the Kohathites
(Numbers 3:27–32; 1 Chronicles 23:12–20)

1And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses and Aaron, saying: 2Take the summe of the chyldren of Caath fro among the sonnes of Leui, after their kinredes and houses of their fathers: 3From thirtie yeres and aboue, vntill fiftie, all that enter into the hoast for to do the worke in the tabernacle of the congregation. 4This shalbe the office of the chyldren of Caath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy.

5And when the hoast remoueth, Aaron and his sonnes shall come and take downe the couering vayle, and wrap the arke of wytnesse in it: 6And shall put thereon a coueryng of Badgers skinnes, and shall spreade vppon it a cloth that is altogether of blew silke, and put in the barres therof. 7And vpon the shewe table, they shall spreade abrode a cloth of blew silke, and put thereon the dishes, incense cuppes, and goblets, and pottes to powre with: and there shalbe bread thereon continually. 8And they shall spreade vpon them a couering of skarlet, and couer the same with a couering of Badgers skinnes, and put in the barres thereof. 9And they shall take a cloth of blewe silke, and couer the candelsticke of light, with his lampes, snuffers, and censars, and all the oyle vessels whiche they occupie about it. 10And they shall put both it and all the vessels thereof, within a coueryng of Badgers skinnes, and put it vpon a barre. 11And vpon the golden aulter, they shall spreade a cloth of blewe silke, and couer it with a couering of Badgers skinnes, and put to the barres therof. 12And they shall take all the instrumentes wherewith they minister in the sanctuarie, and put a cloth of blew silke vpon them, and couer them with a couering of Badgers skynnes, and put them on a barre. 13And they shall take away the asshes from the aulter, and spreade a purple cloth thereon. 14And put vpon it all the vessels thereof that they minister withall, euen the cole pannes, the fleshe hookes, the fire shouels, the basens, & the other vessels of the aulter: and they shall spreade vppon it a couering of Badgers skinnes, and put to the barres of it. 15And when Aaron & his sonnes haue made an ende of couering the sanctuarie, and all the vessels of the sanctuarie, agaynst that the hoast remoue, then the sonnes of Caath shall come in for to beare: but they shall not touche any holye thyng, lest they dye. And this is the charge of the sonnes of Caath, in the tabernacle of the congregation.

16And to the office of Eleasar the sonne of Aaron the priest, pertayneth the oyle for the light, the sweete incense, the daylye meate offering, and the annoyntyng oyle, and the ouersight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, both in the sanctuarie, and in all the vessels thereof.

17And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses and Aaron, saying: 18Ye shall not cut of the tribe of the kinred of the Caathites, from among the Leuites: 19But thus do vnto them, that they may lyue and not dye: when they go vnto the most holy thinges: let Aaron and his sonnes go in, and appoint them euerye one to his office, and to his charge. 20But let them not go in, to see when the holy thinges are folden vp, lest they dye.

The Duties of the Gershonites
(Numbers 3:21–26; 1 Chronicles 23:7–11)

21And the Lorde spake vnto Moyses, saying: 22Take also the summe of the chyldren of Gerson, throughout the houses of their fathers, and throughout their kinredes. 23From thirtie yeres olde, and aboue, vntill fiftie yeres, shalt thou number them, al that enter into the assemblie for to do seruice in the tabernacle of the congregation. 24And this is the seruice of the kinred of the Gersonites, to serue and to beare. 25They shall beare the curtaynes of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his couering, and the couering of Badgers skinnes that is an hye vpon it, and the vayle of the doore of the tabernacle of the congregation: 26And the curtaynes of the court, and the vayle that is in the entring in of the gate of the court, whiche is neare the tabernacle, and neare the aulter rounde about, with the cordes, and al the instrumentes that serue vnto them, & all that is made for them, and so shal they serue. 27At the mouth of Aaron & his sonnes, shal all the seruice of the chyldren of the Gersonites be done, in all their charges and in all their seruice: and ye shall appoynt vnto them all their burdens to kepe. 28And this is the seruice of the kinred of the chyldren of Gerson in the tabernacle of the cogregation, and their watche shalbe vnder the hand of Ithamar the sonne of Aaron the priest.

The Duties of the Merarites
(Numbers 3:33–37; 1 Chronicles 23:21–23)

29And thou shalt number the sonnes of Merari after their kinredes, and after the houses of their fathers: 30From thirtie yeres olde and aboue, vnto fiftie yeres shalt thou number them, euery one that enter into the assemblie, to do the seruice of the tabernacle of the congregation. 31And this is their office and charge, according to all their seruice in the tabernacle of the congregation: The borders of the tabernacle, with the barres, pyllers, and sockettes therof. 32And the pyllers that are round about the court, with their sockettes, pinnes, and cordes, & with all the instrumentes of it, for all their seruice: And by name ye shal recken the instrumentes of their office and charge. 33This is the seruice of the kinredes of the sonnes of Merari, accordyng to all their office in the tabernacle of the congregation, vnder the hand of Ithamar the sonne of Aaron the priest.

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

34And Moyses and Aaron and the princes of the multitude, numbred ye sonnes of the Caathites, after their kinredes and houses of their fathers, 35From thirtie yeres olde, and aboue, vnto fiftie yeres, all that enter into the assemblie, to do seruice in the tabernacle of the congregation. 36And the numbers of them throughout their kinredes, were two thousande, seuen hundred, and fiftie. 37This is the number of the kinredes of Caath, namely all that might do seruice in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moyses and Aaron did number, accordyng to the commaundement of the Lorde by the hande of Moyses.

38Also the numbers of the sonnes of Gerson throughout their kinredes and houses of their fathers: 39From thirtie yeres olde, & aboue, vnto fiftie yeres, all that enter into the assemblie for to do seruice in the tabernacle of the congregation. 40And the numbers of them throughout their kinredes, and houses of their fathers, were two thousande, sixe hundred, and thirtie. 41This is the number of the kinredes of the sonnes of Gerson, of all that dyd seruice in the tabernacle of the congregation, whiche Moyses and Aaron dyd number, accordyng to the commaundement of the Lorde.

42And the numbers of the kinredes of the sonnes of Merari throughout their kinredes and houses of their fathers: 43From thirtie yeres olde, and vp, vnto fiftie yeres, all that enter into the assemblie for the seruice of the tabernacle of the congregation. 44And the numbers of them after their kinredes, were three thousand and two hundred. 45These be the summes of the kinredes of the sonnes of Merari, which Moyses & Aaro numbred, according to the word of the Lorde, by the handes of Moyses.

46And so al the numbers of the Leuites, which Moyses, Aaron, and the Lordes of Israel numbred after their kinredes and housholdes of their fathers: 47From thirtie yeres olde and vp, vnto fiftie yeres, euery one that came to do his duetie, office, seruice, and charge in the tabernacle of the congregation. 48(4:47) So the numbers of them were seuen thousande, fiue hundred, and fourescore. 49(4:48) Accordyng to the worde of the Lorde dyd Aaron number them by the hande of Moyses, euery one according to their seruice and charge: Thus were they of that tribe numbred, as the Lorde commaunded Moyses.


Bishops' Bible of 1568

Section Headings Courtesy Berean Bible

Numbers 3
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