Numbers 3:38

Aaron and Moses/I and Aaron’s sons were told to set up their/our tents in the area in front of the Sacred Tent, on the east side. Their/Our work was to supervise the work that would be done in and around the Sacred Tent, for the benefit of the Israeli people. Only the priests were permitted to do that. Yahweh declared that we should execute anyone else who went near the tent to do the work that the priests do.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

In Context

37Their work was also to take care of the posts that held up the curtains that formed the walls of the courtyard, and all the bases, tent pegs, and ropes that fastened those curtains.

39When Aaron and Moses/I counted all the males who were at least one month old, who belonged to the clans descended from Levi, the total was 22,000.

Read all of Numbers 3

Cross References

Numbers 1:53But the male descendants of Levi must set up their tents around the Sacred Tent, in order to protect the other Israeli people from being punished [MTY] by Yahweh for coming close to the Sacred Tent. The descendants of Levi are the ones who must stand around the Sacred Tent to guard it.”

Numbers 3:7They will serve Aaron and all the other Israeli people, while they do their work inside the Sacred Tent and outside it.

Numbers 3:23They were told to set up their tents on the west side of the Sacred Tent.

Numbers 3:35They were told to set up their tents on the north side of the Sacred Tent. The leader of those two clans was Zuriel, the son of Abihail.

1 Chronicles 6:48The other descendants of Levi were appointed to do other work in the sacred tent, the place where the people worshiped Yahweh.

Matthew Henry on Numbers 3:15-40

14 And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. 16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord , as he was commanded. 17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. 18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei. 19 And the sons of Kohath by their families;… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Numbers 3:38