Numbers 4:1
New International Version
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron:

New Living Translation
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

English Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

King James Bible
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

New King James Version
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

NASB 1995
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

NASB 1977
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron: “

American Standard Version
And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The LORD told Moses and Aaron:

English Revised Version
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

Good News Translation
The LORD told Moses

International Standard Version
The LORD told Moses and Aaron,

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

NET Bible
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron:

New Heart English Bible
The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

World English Bible
Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH speaks to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, and unto Aaron, saying,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will speak to Moses, and to Aaron, saying,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord spoke to Moses, and Aaron, saying:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

New American Bible
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron:

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
AND the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH spoke with Moshe and with Ahron and said to them:
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Duties of the Kohathites
1Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2“Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families,…

Cross References
Exodus 6:16-20
These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years. / The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans. / The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years. ...

Numbers 3:5-10
Then the LORD said to Moses, / “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. / They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle. ...

Numbers 8:5-26
Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, / “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean. / This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves. ...

1 Chronicles 23:24-32
These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD. / For David had said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to His people and has come to dwell in Jerusalem forever. / So now the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the articles for its service.” ...

1 Chronicles 6:48-49
Their fellow Levites were assigned to every kind of service of the tabernacle, the house of God. / But Aaron and his sons did all the work of the Most Holy Place. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

1 Chronicles 23:3-5
The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000. / “Of these,” said David, “24,000 are to oversee the work of the house of the LORD, 6,000 are to be officers and judges, / 4,000 are to be gatekeepers, and 4,000 are to praise the LORD with the instruments I have made for giving praise.”

1 Chronicles 23:13-14
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever. / As for Moses the man of God, his sons were named among the tribe of Levi.

1 Chronicles 24:1-19
These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. / But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests. / With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech, David divided them according to the offices of their service. ...

1 Chronicles 26:12-19
These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their chief men, had duties for ministering in the house of the LORD, just as their relatives did. / They cast lots for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike. / The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. ...

2 Chronicles 29:11
Now, my sons, do not be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, to minister before Him, and to burn incense.”

Hebrews 9:6-10
When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties. / But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. / By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. ...

Hebrews 7:11-28
Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? / For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well. / He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. ...

Hebrews 8:1-6
The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, / and who ministers in the sanctuary and true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. / And since every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, it was necessary for this One also to have something to offer. ...

Hebrews 9:1-5
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. / A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place. / Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, ...

Hebrews 9:11-14
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation. / He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. / For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean, ...


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

Jump to Previous
Aaron Moses Speaketh
Jump to Next
Aaron Moses Speaketh
Numbers 4
1. The age at which the Levites were to serve, and the duration of the service
4. The duty of the Kohathites
16. The charge of Eleazar
17. The office of the priests
21. The duty of the Gershonites
29. Of the Merarites
34. The number of the Kohathites
38. Of the Gershonites
42. And of the Merarites














Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
This phrase indicates direct communication from God, emphasizing the divine authority behind the instructions that follow. In the context of the Pentateuch, God frequently speaks to Moses, who serves as the primary mediator between God and the Israelites. Aaron, as the high priest, is also included, highlighting his leadership role in the priestly duties. This divine communication underscores the importance of the instructions, as they pertain to the organization and duties of the Levites, specifically the Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites, in the service of the Tabernacle.

The phrase reflects the theocratic nature of Israel's governance, where God directly guides the leaders. This is consistent with other instances in the Torah where God provides specific instructions for worship, law, and community organization (e.g., Exodus 25:1, Leviticus 1:1). The inclusion of Aaron alongside Moses signifies the partnership in leadership and the shared responsibility in guiding the people according to God's will.

In a broader biblical context, this communication foreshadows the New Testament revelation through Jesus Christ, who is described as the ultimate mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). Just as Moses and Aaron received and conveyed God's instructions, Jesus embodies and fulfills God's word, providing a direct connection to the divine for believers.
Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD
The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who is the central figure in the account, giving instructions to His chosen leaders.

2. Moses
The prophet and leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness.

3. Aaron
The brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel, who serves alongside Moses in leading the people.

4. The Israelites
The chosen people of God, who are being organized and instructed for their journey and service in the wilderness.

5. The Tabernacle
Although not mentioned directly in this verse, it is the central place of worship and the focus of the duties being assigned in the surrounding context.
Teaching Points
Divine Communication
God speaks directly to His chosen leaders, emphasizing the importance of divine guidance in leadership. We should seek God's direction in our own leadership roles.

Roles and Responsibilities
The specific mention of Moses and Aaron highlights the importance of understanding and fulfilling our God-given roles. We should be diligent in our responsibilities, knowing they are part of God's plan.

Unity in Leadership
Moses and Aaron work together under God's command, illustrating the need for unity and cooperation among leaders. In our communities, we should strive for harmony and collaboration.

Preparation for Service
The context of this verse involves preparing the Levites for their service. We should prepare ourselves spiritually and practically for the tasks God assigns us.THE DUTIES OF THE LEVITES (chapter 4).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר (way·ḏab·bêr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses
מֹשֶׁ֥ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

and Aaron,
אַהֲרֹ֖ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses


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OT Law: Numbers 4:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron (Nu Num.)
Numbers 3:51
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