Commentaria in Numeros
Chapter 4
The Levites from the thirtieth year are numbered, 8,580, to carry the vessels of the tabernacle when the camp is to be moved: and to the Caathites are assigned both altars, the ark, the table and the candlestick; to the Gersonites the veils and curtains, verse 24; to the Merarites the boards, pillars and sockets, verse 31.
1. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2. Take the sum of the sons of Caath from the midst of the Levites, by their houses and families, 3. from thirty years old and upward, to fifty years old, of all that go in to stand and to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant. 4. This is the service of the sons of Caath: The tabernacle of the covenant, and the Holy of Holies, 5. Aaron and his sons shall go in, when the camp is to be moved, and shall take down the veil that hangs before the door, and shall wrap up the ark of the testimony in it, 6. and shall cover it again with a covering of violet-coloured skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the bars. 7. They shall wrap up also the table of proposition in a cloth of blue, and shall put with it the censers and little mortars, the cups and bowls to pour out the libations: the loaves shall be always on it; 8. and they shall spread over it a cloth of scarlet, which they shall cover again with a covering of violet-coloured skins, and shall put in the bars.
9. They shall take also a cloth of blue wherewith they shall cover the candlestick with its lamps and its tongs and snuffers and all the oil vessels which are necessary for the dressing of the lamps; 10. and over all they shall put a covering of violet-coloured skins, and shall put in the bars. 11. They shall wrap up also the golden altar in a garment of blue, and shall spread over it a covering of violet-coloured skins, and shall put in the bars. 12. All the vessels wherewith they minister in the Sanctuary they shall wrap in a cloth of blue, and spread over them a covering of violet-coloured skins, and put in the bars. 13. They shall also cleanse the altar from the ashes, and shall wrap it up in a purple garment, 14. and shall put with it all the vessels which they use in the ministry thereof, that is, firepans, fleshhooks and forks, hooks and shovels. All the vessels of the altar they shall cover together with a covering of violet-coloured skins, and shall put in the bars. 15. And when Aaron and his sons have wrapped up the Sanctuary and all its vessels at the removing of the camp, then the sons of Caath shall enter in to carry the things wrapped up; and they shall not touch the vessels of the Sanctuary, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Caath in the tabernacle of the covenant: 16. over whom shall be Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, to whose charge pertains the oil to dress the lamps, and the sweet incense, and the sacrifice which is always offered, and the oil of unction, and whatsoever belongs to the service of the tabernacle, and of all the vessels that are in the Sanctuary.
17. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: 18. Destroy not the people of Caath from the midst of the Levites; 19. but do this to them, that they may live and not die, by touching the Holies of Holies. Aaron and his sons shall go in, and they shall appoint every man his work, and shall divide the burdens. 20. Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the Sanctuary before they be wrapped up: otherwise they shall die. 21. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 22. Take the sum also of the sons of Gerson, by their houses and families and kindreds, 23. from thirty years old and upward, to fifty years. Number all that go in and minister in the tabernacle of the covenant. 24. This is the service of the family of the Gersonites, 25. to carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the roof of the covenant, the other covering, and over all the violet-coloured veil, and the hanging that hangs in the entrance of the tabernacle of the covenant, 26. the curtains of the court, and the veil in the entrance which is before the tabernacle. All things that pertain to the altar, the cords and the vessels of the ministry, 27. at the bidding of Aaron and his sons, the sons of Gerson shall carry: and they shall know every one to what burden they must be assigned.
28. This is the service of the family of the Gersonites in the tabernacle of the covenant, and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 29. The sons of Merari also by their families and the houses of their fathers thou shalt number, 30. from thirty years old and upward, to fifty years, all that go in to the office of their ministry, and the service of the covenant of the testimony. 31. These are their burdens: They shall carry the boards of the tabernacle and the bars thereof, the pillars and the sockets of them, 32. the pillars also of the court round about with their sockets and pins and cords. All the vessels and furniture they shall receive by number, and so shall carry them. 33. This is the office of the family of the Merarites and their ministry in the tabernacle of the covenant; and they shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 34. Moses therefore and Aaron and the princes of the synagogue numbered the sons of Caath by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers, 35. from thirty years old and upward, to the fiftieth year, all that go in to the ministry of the tabernacle of the covenant: 36. and there were found two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37. This is the number of the people of Caath that enter into the tabernacle of the covenant: these Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 38. The sons of Gerson also were numbered by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers, 39. from thirty years old and upward, to the fiftieth year, all that go in to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant: 40. and there were found two thousand six hundred and thirty. 41. This is the people of the Gersonites, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord. 42. The sons of Merari also were numbered by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers, 43. from thirty years old and upward, to the fiftieth year, all that go in to fulfil the rites of the tabernacle of the covenant: 44. and there were found three thousand two hundred. 45. This is the number of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses. 46. All that were numbered of the Levites, and whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel caused to be numbered by name, by their kindreds and the houses of their fathers, 47. from thirty years old and upward, to the fiftieth year, that go in to the ministry of the tabernacle and to carry the burdens, 48. were in all eight thousand five hundred and eighty. 49. According to the word of the Lord Moses numbered them, every one according to his office and burdens, as the Lord had commanded him.
Verses 2 and 3. TAKE THE SUM OF THE SONS OF CAATH, etc., FROM THIRTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD TO FIFTY, OF ALL THAT GO IN TO STAND AND MINISTER IN THE TABERNACLE.