Lexham English Bible

Numbers 4:12-21 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

12. They will take all the vessels of the cultic service with which they serve in the sanctuary and put them on a blue cloth, and they will cover them with a covering of fine leather; and they will put them on the carrying frame.

13. They will remove the fat-soaked ashes from the altar and spread a purple cloth over it;

14. they will put on it all the vessels with which they serve, the fire pans, forks, shovels, and bowls—all the vessels of the altar. They will spread on it a covering of fine leather; and they will place its poles.

15. And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary when the camp sets out, the descendants of Kohath will come after to carry these, but they must not touch the sanctuary, or they will die. These are the load of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of assembly.

16. “Eleazar son of Aaron the priest is to supervise the oil of the light source, the incense, the regular grain offering, the oil of anointment, the supervision of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its vessels.”

17. Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

18. “You must not cut off the tribe of the clan of the Kohathites from the midst of the Levites.

19. Do this to them and they will live and not die when they come near the most holy things. Aaron and his sons will go and appoint them, each one to his task and burden.

20. But they must not go and look for a moment at the holy objects.”

21. Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,