Numbers 4 – NIV & JCB

New International Version

Numbers 4:1-49

The Kohathites

1The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2“Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

4“This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law. 6Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather,4:6 Possibly the hides of large aquatic mammals; also in verses 8, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 25 spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.

7“Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it. 8They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.

9“They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it. 10Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.

11“Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.

12“They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.

13“They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles in place.

15“After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

16“Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles.”

17The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 18“See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites. 19So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.”

The Gershonites

21The Lord said to Moses, 22“Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.

24“This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work: 25They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting, 26the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. 27All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. 28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.

The Merarites

29“Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting. 31As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. 33This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.”

The Numbering of the Levite Clans

34Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families. 35All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 36counted by clans, were 2,750. 37This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

38The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families. 39All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 40counted by their clans and families, were 2,630. 41This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command.

42The Merarites were counted by their clans and families. 43All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting, 44counted by their clans, were 3,200. 45This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

46So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families. 47All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting 48numbered 8,580. 49At the Lord’s command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry.

Thus they were counted, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Japanese Contemporary Bible

民数記 4:1-49

4

レビ人の各氏族の務め

1-3神はモーセとアロンに告げて言われました。「レビ人の中のケハテ族で、幕屋で働ける三十歳から五十歳までの男の数を調べなさい。 4彼らは、次のような最も神聖な仕事を行う。

5あなたがたが別の場所へ移動するときは、まずアロンとその子らが幕屋に入り、仕切りの垂れ幕をはずし、それで契約の箱を包む。 6それをさらに、じゅごんの皮と青い布で包み、最後にかつげるように棒を環に通す。

7次に、毎日供えるパンを置くためのテーブルに青い布を広げ、その上に皿、スプーン、椀、コップ、パンを置く。 8それに赤い布とじゅごんの皮の覆いをかけ、最後にテーブルに棒を通す。

9-10燭台、ともしび皿、芯切りばさみ、皿、オリーブ油のつぼを青い布とじゅごんの皮で包み、それをかつぐための台に載せる。

11それから、金の祭壇を青い布とじゅごんの皮で包み、祭壇に棒を通す。 12残りの用具はみな、青い布とじゅごんの皮で包んでから台に載せる。

13祭壇は灰を取り除いてから紫の布で覆い、 14祭壇で使う火皿、肉刺し、シャベル、鉢や、その他の容器はみなその上に置き、じゅごんの皮で覆う。こうして、最後に棒を通すのだ。 15別の場所に移動するときはいつでも、アロンとその子らが聖所と用具をみな包み終えたら、ケハテ族がそれを運ぶ。しかし彼らは、神聖な用具にさわることはできない。少しでもさわれば死ななければならない。以上がケハテ族の仕事である。

16アロンの子エルアザルが、明かり用の油、香り高い香、毎日の穀物の供え物、注ぎの油を管理する。つまり、幕屋全体とその中のすべての物について責任を持つ。」

17-19それから、主はモーセとアロンに命じました。「くれぐれも、ケハテの諸氏族が絶えてしまわないように注意しなさい。彼らは最も神聖なものを運ぶのだから、神聖なものに触れて死なないように気をつけるのだ。アロンとその子らがいっしょにいて、だれが何を運ぶかを指図しなさい。 20聖所に入り、うっかり神聖なものを見てしまったら死んでしまうからだ。」

21-23主はモーセに命じました。「レビ部族の中のゲルション族で、幕屋で働ける三十歳から五十歳までの男の数を調べなさい。 24彼らは次のような仕事を行う。

25幕屋の垂れ幕、幕屋とその覆い、それにかけるじゅごんの皮の覆いと幕屋の入口の垂れ幕、 26さらに、庭の柵にかける垂れ幕、天幕と祭壇を囲む庭の入口の垂れ幕を運ぶ仕事だ。綱と付属品類も全部運ぶ。これらの神聖な用具を運ぶのが彼らの仕事だ。 27アロンかその子なら、自由にゲルション族の者に指図できるが、 28直接彼らを監督するのは、アロンの子イタマルである。

29レビ人の中のメラリ族で、幕屋で奉仕できる三十歳から五十歳までの男の数を調べなさい。 30-31彼らは幕屋をよそへ移動するとき、幕屋の骨組み、横木、土台、 32庭の柵の骨組み、その土台、釘、細いひもなど、それを使ったり直したりするのに必要な物を全部運ぶ。だれが何を運ぶか、はっきり指図しなさい。 33メラリ族もイタマルが監督する。」

34そこで、モーセとアロンをはじめとする指導者たちは、ケハテ族の中で、 35幕屋の仕事ができる三十歳から五十歳までの男の数を調べました。 36全部で二、七五〇人でした。 37すべて主に命じられたとおりに行いました。 38-41同様にゲルション族は二、六三〇人、 42-45メラリ族は三、二〇〇人でした。 46-48こうして、幕屋を運んだり、奉仕したりできる三十歳から五十歳までのレビ人は、全部で八、五八〇人であることがわかりました。 49この調査は、主の命じられたとおりに行われました。