1. Adonai spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying,
2. “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families and by their ancestral households,
3. everyone from 30 years of age to 50, all who come to serve doing the work in the Tent of Meeting.
4. “This is the task of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting—the most holy things.
5. Whenever the camp is about to move out, Aaron and his sons are to take down the shielding curtain and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it.
6. Then they are to cover this with porpoise hide, then spread over it a cloth of solid blue. Then they are to put its poles in place.
7. “Then over the table of the Presence they are to spread a solid blue cloth, then lay on it the plates, ladles, bowls, and jars for the drink offering. The bread that is continually there is to remain there.
8. Over them they are to spread a solid scarlet cloth, cover it with a covering of porpoise hide, then install its poles.
9. “Then they are to take a blue cloth and cover the menorah for light, along with its lamps, tongs, snuffers and oil jars that they use to tend to it.
10. They then are to wrap it and all its accessories in a cover of porpoise hide and place it all on a carrying frame.
11. “Over the golden altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with a covering of porpoise hide, then put its poles in place.
12. “They are to take all the utensils used for the service of the ministry of the Sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover them with porpoise hide, and place them on a carrying frame.
13. “They are to remove the ashes from the altar, then spread over it a purple cloth.