1
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר.
Jehová habló a Moisés y a Aarón, diciendo:
2
נָשֹׂא, אֶת-רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי קְהָת, מִתּוֹךְ, בְּנֵי לֵוִי--לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם.
Haz un recuento de los hijos de Coat de entre los hijos de Leví, por sus clanes, por las casas de sus padres,
3
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, וְעַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה--כָּל-בָּא, לַצָּבָא, לַעֲשׂוֹת מְלָאכָה, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, todos los que entran en el servicio, para hacer la obra en el tabernáculo de reunión.
4
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת בְּנֵי-קְהָת, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד--קֹדֶשׁ, הַקֳּדָשִׁים.
This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things.
noteEste es el servicio de los hijos de Coat en el tabernáculo de reunión: las cosas santísimas.
5
וּבָא אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, בִּנְסֹעַ הַמַּחֲנֶה, וְהוֹרִדוּ, אֵת פָּרֹכֶת הַמָּסָךְ; וְכִסּוּ-בָהּ--אֵת, אֲרֹן הָעֵדֻת.
And when the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall come, and they shall take down the
veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it;
noteY cuando el campamento se ponga en marcha, vendrán Aarón y sus hijos, y quitarán el velo de la cortina, y cubrirán con él el arca del testimonio;
6
וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו, כְּסוּי עוֹר תַּחַשׁ, וּפָרְשׂוּ בֶגֶד-כְּלִיל תְּכֵלֶת, מִלְמָעְלָה; וְשָׂמוּ, בַּדָּיו.
and they shall put on it a covering of
tachash skins, and spread a cloth all of blue on top of it, and put in its poles.
notey pondrán sobre ella una cubierta de pieles de
tajash, y extenderán encima un paño todo de azul, y pondrán sus varas.
7
וְעַל שֻׁלְחַן הַפָּנִים, יִפְרְשׂוּ בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת, וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו אֶת-הַקְּעָרֹת וְאֶת-הַכַּפֹּת וְאֶת-הַמְּנַקִּיֹּת, וְאֵת קְשׂוֹת הַנָּסֶךְ; וְלֶחֶם הַתָּמִיד, עָלָיו יִהְיֶה.
And over the table of the presence they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put on it the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the jars for the drink offering; and the regular bread shall be on it.
noteY sobre la mesa de la presencia extenderán un paño de azul, y pondrán sobre ella los platos, las cucharas, los tazones y las copas para la libación; y el pan regular estará sobre ella.
8
וּפָרְשׂוּ עֲלֵיהֶם, בֶּגֶד תּוֹלַעַת שָׁנִי, וְכִסּוּ אֹתוֹ, בְּמִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ; וְשָׂמוּ, אֶת-בַּדָּיו.
And they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet, and cover it with a covering of tachash skins, and put in its poles.
noteY extenderán sobre ellas un paño de escarlata, y lo cubrirán con una cubierta de pieles de tajash, y pondrán sus varas.
9
וְלָקְחוּ בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת, וְכִסּוּ אֶת-מְנֹרַת הַמָּאוֹר וְאֶת-נֵרֹתֶיהָ, וְאֶת-מַלְקָחֶיהָ, וְאֶת-מַחְתֹּתֶיהָ; וְאֵת כָּל-כְּלֵי שַׁמְנָהּ, אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ-לָהּ בָּהֶם.
And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the lampstand of the light, and its lamps, and its tongs, and its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.
noteY tomarán un paño de azul, y cubrirán el candelabro de la luz, y sus lámparas, y sus despabiladeras, y sus platillos, y todos sus vasos de aceite, con que le sirven.
10
וְנָתְנוּ אֹתָהּ וְאֶת-כָּל-כֵּלֶיהָ, אֶל-מִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ; וְנָתְנוּ, עַל-הַמּוֹט.
And they shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of tachash skins, and put it on the carrying-frame.
noteY lo pondrán a él y a todos sus utensilios dentro de una cubierta de pieles de tajash, y lo pondrán sobre las parihuelas.
11
וְעַל מִזְבַּח הַזָּהָב, יִפְרְשׂוּ בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת, וְכִסּוּ אֹתוֹ, בְּמִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ; וְשָׂמוּ, אֶת-בַּדָּיו.
And over the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of tachash skins, and put in its poles.
noteY sobre el altar de oro extenderán un paño de azul, y lo cubrirán con una cubierta de pieles de tajash, y pondrán sus varas.
12
וְלָקְחוּ אֶת-כָּל-כְּלֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ-בָם בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, וְנָתְנוּ אֶל-בֶּגֶד תְּכֵלֶת, וְכִסּוּ אוֹתָם, בְּמִכְסֵה עוֹר תָּחַשׁ; וְנָתְנוּ, עַל-הַמּוֹט.
And they shall take all the vessels of service with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of tachash skins, and put them on the carrying-frame.
noteY tomarán todos los utensilios del servicio con que ministran en el santuario, y los pondrán en un paño de azul, y los cubrirán con una cubierta de pieles de tajash, y los pondrán sobre las parihuelas.
13
וְדִשְּׁנוּ, אֶת-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; וּפָרְשׂוּ עָלָיו, בֶּגֶד אַרְגָּמָן.
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a cloth of purple over it;
noteY quitarán la ceniza del altar, y extenderán sobre él un paño de púrpura;
14
וְנָתְנוּ עָלָיו אֶת-כָּל-כֵּלָיו אֲשֶׁר יְשָׁרְתוּ עָלָיו בָּהֶם, אֶת-הַמַּחְתֹּת אֶת-הַמִּזְלָגֹת וְאֶת-הַיָּעִים וְאֶת-הַמִּזְרָקֹת--כֹּל, כְּלֵי הַמִּזְבֵּחַ; וּפָרְשׂוּ עָלָיו, כְּסוּי עוֹר תַּחַשׁ--וְשָׂמוּ בַדָּיו.
and they shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it — the fire pans, the forks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread over it a covering of tachash skins, and put in its poles.
notey pondrán sobre él todos sus utensilios con que ministran alrededor de él —los braseros, los garfios, las paletas y los tazones, todos los utensilios del altar—; y extenderán sobre él una cubierta de pieles de tajash, y pondrán sus varas.
15
וְכִלָּה אַהֲרֹן-וּבָנָיו לְכַסֹּת אֶת-הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶת-כָּל-כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ, בִּנְסֹעַ הַמַּחֲנֶה, וְאַחֲרֵי-כֵן יָבֹאוּ בְנֵי-קְהָת לָשֵׂאת, וְלֹא-יִגְּעוּ אֶל-הַקֹּדֶשׁ וָמֵתוּ; אֵלֶּה מַשָּׂא בְנֵי-קְהָת, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the vessels of the sanctuary, when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the holy thing, lest they die. These are the burdens of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
noteY cuando Aarón y sus hijos acaben de cubrir el santuario y todos los utensilios del santuario, al ponerse en marcha el campamento, después vendrán los hijos de Coat para cargarlo; pero no tocarán la cosa santa, para que no mueran. Esta es la carga de los hijos de Coat en el tabernáculo de reunión.
16
וּפְקֻדַּת אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן, שֶׁמֶן הַמָּאוֹר וּקְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים, וּמִנְחַת הַתָּמִיד, וְשֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה: פְּקֻדַּת, כָּל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְכָל-אֲשֶׁר-בּוֹ, בְּקֹדֶשׁ, וּבְכֵלָיו. {פ}
And the
charge of
Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, and the fragrant incense, and the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil — the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, of the sanctuary and its vessels.
{פ}noteY el
encargo de
Eleazar, hijo de Aarón el sacerdote, será el aceite para la luz, el incienso aromático, la ofrenda de grano regular y el aceite de la unción —el encargo de todo el tabernáculo, y de todo lo que hay en él, del santuario y de sus utensilios.
{פ}
17
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל-אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés y a Aarón, diciendo:
18
אַל-תַּכְרִיתוּ, אֶת-שֵׁבֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי, מִתּוֹךְ, הַלְוִיִּם.
Do not cut off the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites from among the Levites.
noteNo cortéis la tribu de los clanes de los coatitas de entre los levitas.
19
וְזֹאת עֲשׂוּ לָהֶם, וְחָיוּ וְלֹא יָמֻתוּ, בְּגִשְׁתָּם, אֶת-קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים: אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו, יָבֹאוּ, וְשָׂמוּ אוֹתָם אִישׁ אִישׁ עַל-עֲבֹדָתוֹ, וְאֶל-מַשָּׂאוֹ.
But do this for them, that they may live and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall come and appoint each one of them to his own service and to his own burden;
notePero haced esto con ellos, para que vivan y no mueran, cuando se acerquen a las cosas santísimas: vendrán Aarón y sus hijos, y asignarán a cada uno de ellos su propio servicio y su propia carga;
20
וְלֹא-יָבֹאוּ לִרְאוֹת כְּבַלַּע אֶת-הַקֹּדֶשׁ, וָמֵתוּ. {פ}
but they shall not go in to see the holy things, even for a moment, lest they die.
{פ}notepero no entrarán a ver las cosas santas, ni siquiera por un instante, para que no mueran. {פ}
21
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying:
noteJehová habló a Moisés, diciendo:
22
נָשֹׂא, אֶת-רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן--גַּם-הֵם: לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם.
Take a census also of the sons of
Gershon, by their fathers' houses, by their clans;
noteHaz también un recuento de los hijos de
Gersón, por las casas de sus padres, por sus clanes;
23
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, עַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה--תִּפְקֹד אוֹתָם: כָּל-הַבָּא לִצְבֹא צָבָא, לַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, you shall number them: all who enter to perform the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, los contarás: todos los que entran a realizar el servicio, para hacer la obra en el tabernáculo de reunión.
24
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת, מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי--לַעֲבֹד, וּלְמַשָּׂא.
This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and in carrying:
noteEste es el servicio de los clanes de los gersonitas, en el servir y en el cargar:
25
וְנָשְׂאוּ אֶת-יְרִיעֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וְאֶת-אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, מִכְסֵהוּ, וּמִכְסֵה הַתַּחַשׁ אֲשֶׁר-עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה; וְאֶת-מָסַךְ--פֶּתַח, אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting, its covering, and the covering of tachash that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting;
notecargarán las cortinas del tabernáculo, y el tabernáculo de reunión, su cubierta, y la cubierta de tajash que está encima de él, y la cortina de la entrada del tabernáculo de reunión;
26
וְאֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר וְאֶת-מָסַךְ פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר, אֲשֶׁר עַל-הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְעַל-הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סָבִיב, וְאֵת מֵיתְרֵיהֶם, וְאֶת-כָּל-כְּלֵי עֲבֹדָתָם; וְאֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר יֵעָשֶׂה לָהֶם, וְעָבָדוּ.
and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar all around, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service; and whatever needs to be done with them, they shall serve.
notey las cortinas del atrio, y la cortina de la entrada de la puerta del atrio, que está junto al tabernáculo y junto al altar en derredor, y sus cuerdas, y todos los utensilios de su servicio; y todo lo que sea necesario hacer con ellos, eso servirán.
27
עַל-פִּי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו תִּהְיֶה, כָּל-עֲבֹדַת בְּנֵי הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי, לְכָל-מַשָּׂאָם, וּלְכֹל עֲבֹדָתָם; וּפְקַדְתֶּם עֲלֵהֶם בְּמִשְׁמֶרֶת, אֵת כָּל-מַשָּׂאָם.
At the word of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden, and in all their service; and you shall appoint to them, as a
charge, all their burden.
noteA la orden de Aarón y de sus hijos estará todo el servicio de los hijos de los gersonitas, en toda su carga y en todo su servicio; y les asignaréis como encargo toda su carga.
28
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת, מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי--בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד; וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּם--בְּיַד אִיתָמָר, בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן. {ס}
This is the service of the clans of the sons of the Gershonites in the tent of meeting; and their charge shall be under the direction of
Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
{ס}noteEste es el servicio de los clanes de los hijos de los gersonitas en el tabernáculo de reunión; y su encargo estará bajo la dirección de
Itamar, hijo de Aarón el sacerdote.
{ס}
29
בְּנֵי, מְרָרִי--לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית-אֲבֹתָם, תִּפְקֹד אֹתָם.
As for the sons of
Merari, you shall number them by their clans, by their fathers' houses;
noteEn cuanto a los hijos de
Merari, los contarás por sus clanes, por las casas de sus padres;
30
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, וְעַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה--תִּפְקְדֵם: כָּל-הַבָּא, לַצָּבָא, לַעֲבֹד, אֶת-עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, you shall number them, all who enter the service, to do the work of the tent of meeting.
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, los contarás, todos los que entran en el servicio, para hacer la obra del tabernáculo de reunión.
31
וְזֹאת מִשְׁמֶרֶת מַשָּׂאָם, לְכָל-עֲבֹדָתָם בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד: קַרְשֵׁי, הַמִּשְׁכָּן, וּבְרִיחָיו, וְעַמּוּדָיו וַאֲדָנָיו.
And this is the charge of their burden, for all their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets,
noteY este es el encargo de su carga, para todo su servicio en el tabernáculo de reunión: los marcos del tabernáculo, y sus barras, y sus postes, y sus basas,
32
וְעַמּוּדֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב וְאַדְנֵיהֶם, וִיתֵדֹתָם וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם, לְכָל-כְּלֵיהֶם, וּלְכֹל עֲבֹדָתָם; וּבְשֵׁמֹת תִּפְקְדוּ, אֶת-כְּלֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מַשָּׂאָם.
and the pillars of the court all around, and their sockets, and their pegs, and their cords, with all their equipment, and all their service; and you shall assign by name the vessels of the charge of their burden.
notey los postes del atrio en derredor, y sus basas, y sus estacas, y sus cuerdas, con todos sus utensilios, y todo su servicio; y por nombre asignaréis los utensilios del encargo de su carga.
33
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת, מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי מְרָרִי, לְכָל-עֲבֹדָתָם, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד--בְּיַד, אִיתָמָר, בֶּן-אַהֲרֹן, הַכֹּהֵן.
This is the service of the clans of the sons of Merari, for all their service, in the tent of meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
noteEste es el servicio de los clanes de los hijos de Merari, para todo su servicio, en el tabernáculo de reunión, bajo la dirección de Itamar, hijo de Aarón el sacerdote.
34
וַיִּפְקֹד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּנְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה, אֶת-בְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִי, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, וּלְבֵית אֲבֹתָם.
And Moses and Aaron and the chieftains of the congregation mustered the sons of the Kohathites, by their clans, and by their fathers' houses,
noteY Moisés y Aarón y los jefes de la congregación reclutaron a los hijos de los coatitas, por sus clanes, y por las casas de sus padres,
35
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, וְעַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה--כָּל-הַבָּא, לַצָּבָא, לַעֲבֹדָה, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, all who entered the service, for work in the tent of meeting;
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, todos los que entraron en el servicio, para la obra en el tabernáculo de reunión;
36
וַיִּהְיוּ פְקֻדֵיהֶם, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם--אַלְפַּיִם, שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים.
and those mustered of them, by their clans, were two thousand seven hundred fifty.
notey los reclutados de ellos, por sus clanes, fueron dos mil setecientos cincuenta.
37
אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי, כָּל-הָעֹבֵד בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, עַל-פִּי יְהוָה בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה. {ס}
These are those mustered of the clans of the Kohathites, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron mustered at the command of Jehovah, by the hand of Moses.
{ס}noteEstos son los reclutados de los clanes de los coatitas, todos los que sirvieron en el tabernáculo de reunión, a quienes reclutaron Moisés y Aarón, por orden de Jehová, por mano de Moisés. {ס}
38
וּפְקוּדֵי, בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן, לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם, וּלְבֵית אֲבֹתָם.
And those mustered of the sons of Gershon, by their clans, and by their fathers' houses,
noteY los reclutados de los hijos de Gersón, por sus clanes, y por las casas de sus padres,
39
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, וְעַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה--כָּל-הַבָּא, לַצָּבָא, לַעֲבֹדָה, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, all who entered the service, for work in the tent of meeting;
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, todos los que entraron en el servicio, para la obra en el tabernáculo de reunión;
40
וַיִּהְיוּ, פְּקֻדֵיהֶם, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם--אַלְפַּיִם, וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים.
those mustered of them, by their clans, by their fathers' houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.
notelos reclutados de ellos, por sus clanes, por las casas de sus padres, fueron dos mil seiscientos treinta.
41
אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי, מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן, כָּל-הָעֹבֵד, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד--אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, עַל-פִּי יְהוָה.
These are those mustered of the clans of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron mustered at the command of Jehovah.
noteEstos son los reclutados de los clanes de los hijos de Gersón, todos los que sirvieron en el tabernáculo de reunión, a quienes reclutaron Moisés y Aarón, por orden de Jehová.
42
וּפְקוּדֵי, מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי מְרָרִי, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם.
And those mustered of the clans of the sons of Merari, by their clans, by their fathers' houses,
noteY los reclutados de los clanes de los hijos de Merari, por sus clanes, por las casas de sus padres,
43
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, וְעַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה--כָּל-הַבָּא, לַצָּבָא, לַעֲבֹדָה, בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, all who entered the service, for work in the tent of meeting;
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, todos los que entraron en el servicio, para la obra en el tabernáculo de reunión;
44
וַיִּהְיוּ פְקֻדֵיהֶם, לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם--שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים, וּמָאתָיִם.
those mustered of them, by their clans, were three thousand two hundred.
notelos reclutados de ellos, por sus clanes, fueron tres mil doscientos.
45
אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי, מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי מְרָרִי, אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, עַל-פִּי יְהוָה בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה.
These are those mustered of the clans of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron mustered at the command of Jehovah, by the hand of Moses.
noteEstos son los reclutados de los clanes de los hijos de Merari, a quienes reclutaron Moisés y Aarón, por orden de Jehová, por mano de Moisés.
46
כָּל-הַפְּקֻדִים אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן, וּנְשִׂיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל--אֶת-הַלְוִיִּם: לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם, וּלְבֵית אֲבֹתָם.
All those mustered, whom Moses and Aaron and the chieftains of Israel mustered, of the Levites, by their clans, and by their fathers' houses,
noteTodos los reclutados, a quienes reclutaron Moisés y Aarón y los jefes de Israel, de los levitas, por sus clanes, y por las casas de sus padres,
47
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה, וְעַד בֶּן-חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה: כָּל-הַבָּא, לַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדַת עֲבֹדָה וַעֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא--בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
from thirty years old and upward, even to fifty years old, all who entered to do the work of service, and the work of carrying, in the tent of meeting;
notede treinta años para arriba, hasta cincuenta años, todos los que entraron a hacer la obra del servicio, y la obra de cargar, en el tabernáculo de reunión;
48
וַיִּהְיוּ, פְּקֻדֵיהֶם--שְׁמֹנַת אֲלָפִים, וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁמֹנִים.
those mustered of them were eight thousand five hundred eighty.
notelos reclutados de ellos fueron ocho mil quinientos ochenta.
49
עַל-פִּי יְהוָה פָּקַד אוֹתָם, בְּיַד-מֹשֶׁה--אִישׁ אִישׁ עַל-עֲבֹדָתוֹ, וְעַל-מַשָּׂאוֹ; וּפְקֻדָיו, אֲשֶׁר-צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת-מֹשֶׁה. {פ}
At the command of Jehovah they were mustered, by the hand of Moses, each one according to his own service and according to his own burden; thus were they mustered by him, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
{פ}notePor orden de Jehová fueron reclutados, por mano de Moisés, cada uno según su propio servicio y según su propia carga; así fueron reclutados por él, como Jehová mandó a Moisés. {פ}
Numbers 4 meaning — a third age, and a promise finally kept
⚠ This chapter fixes a THIRD age-threshold for counting Israel, distinct from the two already established: twenty and up for the fighting men of Numbers 1 (already on these pages), one month and up for the Levites' general dedication in Numbers 3 (already on these pages), and now thirty to fifty specifically for the physical labor of carrying the tabernacle. The distinction is deliberate: Levite status was inherited at birth, but the heaviest, most dangerous work — hauling sacred furniture through the wilderness — belonged only to the years of a man's full strength. This is also the chapter Numbers 3's own closing note (already on these pages) already promised was coming.
Wrapped before it is touched — the ark disappears under its own coverings
⚠ Ten verses describe, object by object, a wrapping ritual performed entirely by Aaron and his sons — the Kohathites are not even present yet. Each holy thing gets a specific colored cloth (the ark in blue, the altar of incense in blue, the bronze altar in purple, marking rank by color) and then a layer of tachash, the same genuinely uncertain covering material this project has already flagged at Exodus 25:5 (already on these pages) — KJV still reading ‘badgers’ skins,’ NIV ‘durable leather’ with a ‘sea cow’ footnote, neither guess resolved by this chapter any more than by Exodus. The ark itself — the single most sacred object Israel possesses — is completely invisible by the time anyone is allowed to carry it; what the Kohathites actually lift is a shape under cloth, never the thing itself.
Carry it, but do not touch it — and a separate charge for what fits in no wrapping
V15's warning is stated as flatly as this book ever states anything: touch the holy thing and die. The shelf does not soften it anywhere — ASV reads ‘lest they die,’ NWT ‘or they will die,’ and even The Living Bible, which paraphrases freely elsewhere, keeps the same stated consequence, ‘lest they die’ — a rare case of every version on this shelf agreeing that the danger belongs in the sentence itself, not softened into background color. The Kohathites carry the ark by its permanent poles, already fixed in their rings, precisely so that no hand ever needs to make contact with the thing itself. ⚠ V16 then hands Eleazar a charge that has nothing to do with carrying at all — the lamp oil, the incense, the regular grain offering, the anointing oil — the consumable, ongoing supplies that keep the whole system running day to day, as distinct from the furniture that only moves when the camp does.
‘Do not cut off’ — a warning built into the job description
⚠ V18's ‘do not cut off the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites’ is not a threat from Jehovah; it is an instruction to Moses and Aaron about how to keep the Kohathites alive doing an inherently lethal job. The danger is real enough that the text spells out the safety procedure twice, once in vv5-15 (wrap first, then let them approach) and again here (assign each man his specific task, and never let them see the holy things ‘even for a moment’ while uncovered). Holiness in this book is never depicted as gentle; nearness to it is a controlled risk, managed by exact procedure, not a comfort available casually.
Gershon and Merari: no wrapping instructions, because nothing they carry is holy enough to kill them
The contrast with Kohath is total. Gershon's curtains and Merari's frames get no colored cloths, no tachash coverings, no death warning — just a straightforward list of what to carry, ending in each case with the same line: under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. Eleazar supervises the one clan whose cargo can kill; Ithamar supervises the two clans whose cargo cannot. The chapter's own organization already tells the reader which duties were dangerous before a single verse says so directly.
Merari: the same charge repeated from a chapter ago, now with a headcount attached
Vv31-32 repeat, almost word for word, the list of frames, bars, pillars, and sockets this project's own note on Numbers 3:36-37 (already on these pages) already assigned to Merari's clan in general terms; this time the list closes on a detail chapter 3 never mentioned — the vessels of their charge must be counted ‘by name’ (v32), an inventory precise enough to name individual items, not just categories.
2,750 plus 2,630 plus 3,200 — a total that actually adds up
⚠ Unlike Numbers 3's own clan totals (already on these pages), which summed to 300 more than the chapter's own stated total, this chapter's arithmetic is exact: 2,750 Kohathites, plus 2,630 Gershonites, plus 3,200 Merarites, equal precisely the 8,580 stated as the grand total in v48. No gap, no rounding, nothing left for a later interpreter to explain. The difference is simple — this is a headcount of men actually fit for a specific job, ages thirty to fifty, not the broader dedication-census of every male from a month old that produced chapter 3's own harder puzzle.
Notes on this translation
Decisions. Hebrew and English Numbers 4 both run 1–49 — verified against the Masoretic text, no versification shift. Five Masoretic paragraphs divide it: open after v16, v20; closed after v28, v37; open after v49. No new dictionary entries this chapter; tachash and mishmeret are both reused from earlier chapters (already on these pages). New encyclopedia entry: Ithamar, Aaron's youngest son, supervisor of Gershon and Merari.
Echoes paid. Numbers 3's own closing promise (already on these pages) that this chapter would detail exactly how the Kohathites must wrap the sanctuary's holiest objects, now fulfilled; the tachash covering already flagged at Exodus 25:5 (already on these pages), reused eight times in a single wrapping procedure; Numbers 3:36-37's own list of Merari's charge (already on these pages), repeated here with an added inventory requirement; and Numbers 3's own 22,300-versus-22,000 discrepancy (already on these pages), thrown into relief by this chapter's own exact, gapless arithmetic.
Echoes planted. Numbers 8:23-26 (already on these pages), which sets a retirement age of fifty for Levite service — matching this chapter's own upper bound — but a lower entry age of twenty-five, not thirty, a genuine unresolved tension with this chapter's own threshold that the traditional harmonization reads as apprenticeship (twenty-five) versus full active duty (thirty).
⚠ A note on order: Numbers stands on these pages at chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, and now 34. Chapters 35–36 remain the open sequence.