NUM 4

Numbers 4:33

WEB

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

BSB

This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

KJV

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

Matthew Henry

Verses 21–33

Numbers 4:21–33

We have here the charge of the other two families of the Levites, which, though not so honourable as the first, yet was necessary, and was to be done regularly. 1. The Gershonites were charged with all the drapery of the tabernacle, the curtains, and hangings, and the coverings of badgers' skins, Num 4:22-26. These they were to take down when the cloud removed, and the ark and the rest of the holy things were carried away, to pack up and bring with them, and then to set up again, where the cloud rested. Aaron and his sons allotted to them their respective charge: "You shall take care of such a curtain, and you of such a hanging, that every one may know his work, and there may be no confusion," Num 4:27. Ithamar particularly was to take the oversight of them, Num 4:28. 2. The Merarites were charged with the heavy carriage, the boards and bars, the pillars and sockets, the pins and cords, and these were delivered to them by name, Num 4:31, Num 4:32. An inventory was given them of every particular, that it might be forthcoming, and nothing to seek, when the tabernacle was to be set up again. Though these seemed of less importance than the other things pertaining to the sanctuary, yet there was this care taken of them, to teach us with the greatest exactness to preserve pure and entire all divine institutions, and to take care that nothing be lost. It also intimates the care God takes of his church, and every member of it; the good Shepherd calls his own sheep by name, Joh 10:3. Here were thousands of men employed about these services, though a much less number would have served for the bearing of those burdens; but it was requisite that the tabernacle should be taken down, and set up, with great expedition, and many hands would make quick work, especially when every one knew his work. They had tents of their own to take care of, and to take along with them, but the young men under thirty, and the old men above fifty, might serve for them; nor is there any mention of them, for God's house must always be preferred before our own. Their care was preposterous who built and ceiled their own houses while God's house lay waste, Hag 1:4, Hag 1:9. The death of the saints is represented as the taking down of the tabernacle (Co2 5:1), and the putting of it off, Pe2 1:14. The immortal soul, like the most holy things, is first covered and taken away, carried by angels, unseen, under the inspection of the Lord Jesus, our Eleazar. Care is also taken of the body - the skin and flesh, which are as the curtains, the bones and sinews which are as the bars and pillars; none of these shall be lost; commandment is given concerning the bones, a covenant made with the dust; these are in safe custody, and shall all be produced in the great day, when this tabernacle shall be set up again, and these vile bodies made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ.

Cross-references: Num 4:22 · Num 4:27 · Num 4:28 · Num 4:31 · Num 4:32 · John 10:3 · Hag 1:4 · Hag 1:9 · 2Cor 5:1 · 2Pet 1:14

Hebrew interlinear

H2063

זֹאתzôʼth/zothe'/

d — this

Derivation: irregular feminine of 2088;

this (often used adverb)

KJV: hereby (-in, -with), it, likewise, the one (other, same), she, so (much), such (deed), that, therefore, these, this (thing), thus.

זֶה

demonstr.pron — this

זֶה demonstr.pron. and adv.; fem. זֹאת, once זֹאתָה; this, here

1. standing alone

2. In appos. to subst.

3. More oft. as pred.

4. It is attached enclitically, almost as an adv., to certain words, esp. interrog. pronouns, to impart, in a manner often not reproducible in Engl. idiom, directness and force, bringing the question or statement made into close relation with the speaker.

5. In poetry, as a relative pron. (rare)

6. With prefixes (in special senses)

H5656

עֲבֹדָהʻăbôdâh/ab-o-daw'/

n-f — work

Derivation: or עֲבוֹדָה; from 5647;

work of any kind

KJV: act, bondage, bondservant, effect, labour, ministering(-try), office, service(-ile, -itude), tillage, use, work, × wrought.

עֲבֹדָה

n.f — labour

עֲבֹדָה, and (Chr) עֲבוֹדָה 146 n.f. labour, service

1. labour, work

2. labour of servant or slave

3. labour, service of captives or subjects

4. service of God

H4940

מִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh/mish-paw-khaw'/

n-f — family, circle of relatives, class, species, sort, tribe, people

Derivation: from 8192 (compare 8198);

a family, i.e. circle of relatives; figuratively, a class (of persons), a species (of animals) or sort (of things); by extension a tribe or people

KJV: family, kind(-red).

מִשְׁפָּחָה

n.f — clan

מִשְׁפָּחָה 303 n.f. clan

1. clan

2. = guild

3. = species, kind

4. pl. = aristocrats

H1121

בֵּןbên/bane/

n-m — son

Derivation: from 1129;

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)

KJV: afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ( ) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, (young) bullock, (young) calf, × came up in, child, colt, × common, × corn, daughter, × of first, firstborn, foal, very fruitful, postage, × in, kid, lamb, ( ) man, meet, mighty, nephew, old, ( ) people, rebel, robber, × servant born, × soldier, son, spark, steward, stranger, × surely, them of, tumultuous one, valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

בֵּן

n.m — son

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

1. son, male child, born of a woman

2. children (male and female)

3. youth, young men

4. the young of animals

5. of plant shoots

6. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

7.

a. member of a guild, order or class

b. of animals son of (the) herd

8. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

9. n. relat. of age

בְּנוֹ

n.pr.m — his son

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

H4847

מְרָרִיMᵉrârîy/mer-aw-ree'/

n-pr-m — Merari

Derivation: from 4843; bitter;

Merari, an Israelite

KJV: Merari. See also 4848.

מְרָרִי

n.pr.m — Merari. See also

מְרָרִי n.pr.m. a son of Levi, and head of a chief Levit. family

H3605

כֹּלkôl/kole/

n-m — whole, all, any, every

Derivation: or (Jeremiah 33:8) כּוֹל; from 3634;

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

KJV: (in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-) thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).

כֹּל

n.m — the whole

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

1. with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

2. Absolutely:

a. without the art., all things, all

b. with the art. הַכֹּל

(a). where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

(b). in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

H168

אֹהֶלʼôhel/o'-hel/

n-m — tent

Derivation: from 166;

a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)

KJV: covering, (dwelling) (place), home, tabernacle, tent.

אֹ֫הֶל

n.m — Ohel

אֹ֫הֶל 343 n.m. tent

1. tent of nomad

2. dwelling, habitation

3. the sacred tent used in worship of God

H4150

מוֹעֵדmôwʻêd/mo-ade'/

n-m — appointment, time, festival, year, assembly, congregation, place of meeting, signal

Derivation: or מֹעֵד; or (feminine) מוֹעָדָה; (2 Chronicles 8:13), from 3259;

properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)

KJV: appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synogogue, (set) time (appointed).

מוֹעֵד

n.m — appointed time

מוֹעֵד 223 n.m. appointed time, place, meeting

1. appointed time

2. appointed meeting

3. appointed place

4. appointed sign, signal

5. tent of meeting

H3027

יָדyâd/yawd/

n-f — hand, open, power, means, direction, closed

Derivation: a primitive word;

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]

KJV: ( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, × presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.

יָד

n.f — hand

יָד 1604 n.f. hand

1. hand

2. Fig. = strength, power

3. Fig. = side

4. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—

a. sign, monument

b. part, fractional part or share

c. time, repetition

d. axle-trees

e. stays, supports for laver

f. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle

g. a (beckoning) hand

5. יַד with prep.

H385

אִיתָמָרʼÎythâmâr/eeth-aw-mawr'/

n-pr-m — Ithamar

Derivation: from 339 and 8558; coast of the palm-tree;

Ithamar, a son of Aaron

KJV: Ithamar.

אִיתָמָר

n.pr.m — Ithamar

אִיתָמָר n.pr.m. ((is) land of palms ?) youngest (4th) son of Aaron

H175

אַהֲרוֹןʼAhărôwn/a-har-one'/

n-pr-m — Aharon

Derivation: of uncertain derivation;

Aharon, the brother of Moses

KJV: Aaron.

אַהֲרֹן

n.pr.m — Aaron

אַהֲרֹן 346 n.pr.m. Aaron, elder brother of Moses

H3548

כֹּהֵןkôhên/ko-hane'/

n-m — officiating, priest, acting priest

Derivation: active participle of 3547;

literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)

KJV: chief ruler, × own, priest, prince, principal officer.

כֹּהֵן

n.m — priest

כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest

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