Numbers 4:31

Verse

This 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,

American Standard Version (1901)

And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof,

Bible in Basic English

And this is their part in the work of the Tent of meeting: the transport of the boards and the rods of the Tent, with the pillars and their bases;

Free Bible Version

This is how they will serve in handling the Tent of Meeting: they are to carry the frames of the Tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and stands,

King James (Authorized) Version

And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,

One Unity Resource Bible

This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

Translation for Translators

Their work will be to carry the frames that hold up the tent, the crossbars, the posts that hold up the curtains, and the bases.

Unlocked Literal Bible

This is their responsibility and their work in all their service for the tent of meeting. They must care for the framing of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and sockets,

Noah Webster Bible

And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,

World English Bible

This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

Young's Literal Translation

'And this [is] the charge of their burden, of all their service in the tent of meeting; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,

Context

The Duties of the Merarites

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,³²and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes, including all their equipment and everything related to their use. You shall assign by name the items that they are responsible to carry.

Summary

In Numbers 4:31, the verse describes the duties of the Kohathites, a clan of the Levites, in the tabernacle. They were responsible for carrying the most sacred items of the tabernacle, such as the ark of the covenant. However, they were not to touch these holy objects directly, as doing so would result in death. This verse underscores the reverence and sanctity of the items used in worship, highlighting the importance of following God's specific instructions to avoid harm and show respect for His presence.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Num 4:31 and Num 4:32, like Num 3:36 and Num 3:37. "The charge of their burden" (their carrying), i.e., the things which it was their duty to carry.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And Moses and Aaron, and the chief of the congregation, numbered the sons of the Kohathites,.... Perhaps these chiefs were the same with those who were concerned with Moses and Aaron in numbering all the tribes whose names were given, Num 1:5; the Kohathites are begun with, according to the divine direction, and then the Gershonites and Merarites in their order; and in Num 4:34 is only an account of the numbering of each of them, as ordered by the Lord, and this account is expressed in the same terms in them all; there remains nothing to be observed but the particular sums of each of them, the number of the Kohathites from thirty years old even to fifty, men able and fit for business, were 2750, Num 4:36; whereas their number from a month old were 8600, Num 3:28; so that not a third part of them were at an age for service: the number of the Gershonites were 2630, Num 4:40; whose number of males in all were 7500, Num 3:22; so that they were rather more than a third part who were able-bodied then and fit for business; and the number of the Merarites were 3200, Num 4:44; and as the number of males of a month old and upwards were 6200, Num 3:34; there were more than half of them able and fit men for service; in which, as Ainsworth observes, may be seen the wisdom of divine Providence, that whereas the service of the Kohathites and Gershonites were the lightest, and what was committed to them the easiest of carriage, they had the fewer hands of able men to be employed, though their numbers of individuals were the greatest; and the Merarites, who had the smallest number of males, yet having the heaviest work to do in carrying burdens, loading and unloading wagons, were superior to the rest in their number of able bodied men; and thus God makes good his promise, that as the day of his people is, their strength shall be; whatever work and service God calls men to, he will fit them for it: the sum total of the Levites, in the several divisions of them, who were between: thirty and fifty years of age, in which they performed their office, was 8580, Num 4:48; a small number, as the above writer observes, of such as warred the spiritual warfare in the sanctuary of God, when the tribe of Judah afforded 74,600 for the outward warfare. after their families, and after the house of their fathers; See Gill on Num 4:2.

Numbers 4:31

The Duties of the Merarites

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

This 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,

American Standard Version (1901)

And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tent of meeting: the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof,

Bible in Basic English

And this is their part in the work of the Tent of meeting: the transport of the boards and the rods of the Tent, with the pillars and their bases;

Free Bible Version

This is how they will serve in handling the Tent of Meeting: they are to carry the frames of the Tabernacle with its crossbars, posts, and stands,

King James (Authorized) Version

One Unity Resource Bible

This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

Translation for Translators

Their work will be to carry the frames that hold up the tent, the crossbars, the posts that hold up the curtains, and the bases.

Unlocked Literal Bible

This is their responsibility and their work in all their service for the tent of meeting. They must care for the framing of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts, and sockets,

Noah Webster Bible

And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,

World English Bible

This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

Young's Literal Translation

'And this [is] the charge of their burden, of all their service in the tent of meeting; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,

Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Num 4:31 and Num 4:32, like Num 3:36 and Num 3:37. "The charge of their burden" (their carrying), i.e., the things which it was their duty to carry.

John Gill Bible Commentary