Numbers 4:29
Numbers 4:29 in Multiple Translations
As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families,
¶ As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them by their families, by their fathers’ houses;
The sons of Merari are to be numbered by families, in the order of their fathers' houses;
Register the descendants of Merari, according to their family and father's line.
Thou shalt nomber the sonnes of Merari by their families, and by the houses of their fathers:
'The sons of Merari, by their families, by the house of their fathers, thou dost number them;
“As for the sons of Merari, you shall count them by their families, by their fathers’ houses;
As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
Thou shalt reckon up the sons of Merari also by the families and houses of their fathers,
Count also the men who belong to the clans descended from Levi’s son Merari.
Berean Amplified Bible — Numbers 4:29
BAB
Word Study
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Numbers 4:29 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
בְּנֵ֖י
מְרָרִ֑י
לְ/מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥/ם
לְ/בֵית
אֲבֹתָ֖/ם
תִּפְקֹ֥ד
אֹתָֽ/ם
בְּנֵ֖י
bên
H1121
son
N-mp
מְרָרִ֑י
Mᵉrârîy
H4847
Merari
N-proper
לְ/מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥/ם
mishpâchâh
H4940
family
Prep | N-fp | Suff
לְ/בֵית
bayith
H1004
place
Prep | N-ms
אֲבֹתָ֖/ם
ʼâb
H1
father
N-mp | Suff
תִּפְקֹ֥ד
pâqad
H6485
to reckon
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
אֹתָֽ/ם
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Numbers 4:29
בְּנֵ֖י
bên
H1121
"son"
N-mp
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Definition: : child/son
Usage: Occurs in 3653 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 23:3; Genesis 34:18.
מְרָרִ֑י
Mᵉrârîy
H4847
"Merari"
N-proper
Merari was a man in the Bible, the third son of Levi and head of a family of Levites. His name means 'bitter' and he's mentioned in Genesis as an ancestor of the tribe of Levi.
Definition: A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Gen.46.11; son of: Levi (H3878); brother of: Gershon (H1648), Kohath (H6955) and Jochebed (H3115); father of: Mahli (H4249), Mushi (H4187) and Jaaziah (H3269) Also named: me.ra.ri (מְרָרִי "Merari" H4848) § Merari = "bitter" the 3rd son of Levi and head of a Levitical family
Usage: Occurs in 38 OT verses. KJV: Merari. See also H4848 (מְרָרִי). See also: Genesis 46:11; 1 Chronicles 6:1; Ezra 8:19.
לְ/מִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֥/ם
mishpâchâh
H4940
"family"
Prep | N-fp | Suff
This word refers to a family or clan, and can also mean a tribe or nation, such as the people of Israel, emphasizing the importance of family ties.
Definition: 1) clan, family 1a) clan 1a1) family 1a2) tribe 1a3) people, nation 1b) guild 1c) species, kind 1d) aristocrats
Usage: Occurs in 224 OT verses. KJV: family, kind(-red). See also: Genesis 8:19; Numbers 26:41; Esther 9:28.
לְ/בֵית
bayith
H1004
"place"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word for house refers to a dwelling place, including a family home, temple, or even the human body. It appears in various contexts, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the household of a family. In the Bible, it is often used to describe a place of worship or a family's living space.
Definition: nm place, origin, between
Usage: Occurs in 1712 OT verses. KJV: court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web, [phrase] within(-out). See also: Genesis 6:14; Exodus 8:5; Numbers 1:45.
אֲבֹתָ֖/ם
ʼâb
H1
"father"
N-mp | Suff
In Hebrew, this word means father, whether literal or figurative. It is used to describe God as the father of his people, as well as human fathers like Abraham. The word is about a paternal relationship or authority.
Definition: 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
Usage: Occurs in 1060 OT verses. KJV: chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'. See also: Genesis 2:24; Genesis 42:37; Leviticus 19:3.
תִּפְקֹ֥ד
pâqad
H6485
"to reckon"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms
This word means to visit or oversee, and can imply a range of actions, from friendly to hostile. It is used in various contexts, including appointing, avenging, or delivering something into someone's care. The KJV translates it in many ways, including appoint, avenge, or commit.
Definition: : list/count 1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pay attention to, observe 1a2) to attend to 1a3) to seek, look about for 1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack 1a5) to visit 1a6) to visit upon, punish 1a7) to pass in review, muster, number 1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking 1b2) to be visited 1b3) to be visited upon 1b4) to be appointed 1b5) to be watched over 1c) (Piel) to muster, call up 1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer 1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit 1f) (Hophal) 1f1) to be visited 1f2) to be deposited 1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted 1g) (Hithpael) numbered 1h) (Hothpael) numbered
Usage: Occurs in 269 OT verses. KJV: appoint, [idiom] at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overseer, have (the) oversight, punish, reckon, (call to) remember(-brance), set (over), sum, [idiom] surely, visit, want. See also: Genesis 21:1; Numbers 26:47; Psalms 8:5.
אֹתָֽ/ם
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM | Suff
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
Study Notes — Numbers 4:29
Show Verse Quote Highlights
Context — The Duties of the Merarites
27All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.
28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
29As for the sons of Merari, you are to number them by their clans and families,
30from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting. 31This is the duty for all their service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and bases,Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 3:33–35 | From Merari came the clans of the Mahlites and Mushites; these were the Merarite clans. The number of all the males a month old or more was 6,200. The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. |
Numbers 4:29 Summary
In Numbers 4:29, God instructs Moses to number the sons of Merari by their clans and families, so they can serve at the Tent of Meeting. This means that each family and clan had specific tasks and responsibilities, similar to how the church is described in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Just like the sons of Merari, we all have a role to play in serving the Lord and others, and we should strive to work together and use our skills and abilities to achieve this goal, as seen in Ephesians 4:11-16. By following God's instructions and working together, we can build a strong and effective community, just like the Israelites did in the wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are the sons of Merari being numbered in Numbers 4:29?
The sons of Merari are being numbered to determine their role in serving at the Tent of Meeting, as seen in Numbers 4:30 and Numbers 4:31, which outlines their specific duties and responsibilities, similar to the instructions given to the Levites in Exodus 38:21 and Numbers 3:6-10.
What is the significance of numbering the sons of Merari by their clans and families?
Numbering the sons of Merari by their clans and families helps to organize and assign their tasks more efficiently, as each family and clan had specific skills and abilities, as noted in Numbers 4:31-33, and is in line with the Lord's instructions for the organization of the Levites in Exodus 6:16-25 and Leviticus 25:32-34.
How does this verse relate to the broader context of the book of Numbers?
This verse is part of the larger narrative of the book of Numbers, which focuses on the organization and preparation of the Israelites for their journey to the Promised Land, as seen in Numbers 1:1-4 and Numbers 33:1-56, and is consistent with the instructions given by God to Moses in Exodus 18:13-27 and Deuteronomy 1:9-18.
What can we learn from the way the Israelites organized their tasks and responsibilities?
We can learn the importance of organization, teamwork, and division of labor from the way the Israelites assigned tasks to the different clans and families, as seen in Numbers 4:29-31 and Exodus 18:13-27, and this principle is also applicable to the church, as noted in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 and Ephesians 4:11-16.
Reflection Questions
- What role do I play in the 'tent of meeting' of my local church, and how can I serve others more effectively?
- How can I apply the principle of organization and division of labor in my own life and ministry, as seen in Numbers 4:29-31?
- What are some ways I can work together with others to achieve a common goal, as the sons of Merari did in Numbers 4:29-31?
- How can I ensure that I am using my skills and abilities to serve the Lord and others, as the Israelites were instructed to do in Exodus 35:30-35 and Numbers 18:1-7?
Gill's Exposition on Numbers 4:29
As for the sons of Merari,.... The third and youngest son of Levi: thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; which is the form of expression used of them all; [See comments on Numbers 4:2].
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 4:29
As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; As for the sons of Merari.
Cambridge Bible on Numbers 4:29
29–33. The Merarites and their duties. They carry (in wagons Numbers 7:8) the wooden framework of the Dwelling, and everything else of wood—bars, pillars and pins (or rather pegs)—the silver bases (R.V. ‘sockets’) of the framework and the bronze bases of the pillars of the court.
Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 4:29
SERVICE OF THE SONS OF GERSHON, Numbers 4:21-28.The special service assigned to this great family of Levites was the transportation of the cloth and skin coverings of the tabernacle, with its