Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.” New Living Translation The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.” English Standard Version but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.” Berean Standard Bible But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.” King James Bible But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. New King James Version But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.” New American Standard Bible but they shall not come in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.” NASB 1995 but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.” NASB 1977 but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, lest they die.” Legacy Standard Bible but they shall not go in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.” Amplified Bible But the Kohathites shall not go in to see the holy things, even for an instant, or they will die.” Christian Standard Bible The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects as they are covered or they will die.” Holman Christian Standard Bible The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.” American Standard Version but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And they shall not enter to see when the holy things are covered lest they die.” Brenton Septuagint Translation And so they shall by no means go in to look suddenly upon the holy things, and die. Douay-Rheims Bible Let not others by any curiosity see the things that are in the sanctuary before they be wrapped up, otherwise they shall die. English Revised Version but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die. GOD'S WORD® Translation But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die." Good News Translation But if the Kohathites enter the Tent and see the priests preparing the sacred objects for moving, they will die." International Standard Version But they are not to go in to see the sanctuary as it is being covered, so they won't die." JPS Tanakh 1917 but they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die.' Literal Standard Version and they do not go in to see when the holy thing is swallowed, lest they have died.” Majority Standard Bible But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.” New American Bible but the Kohathites shall not go in to look upon the sacred objects even for an instant, or they will die. NET Bible But the Kohathites are not to go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, or they will die." New Revised Standard Version But the Kohathites must not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment; otherwise they will die. New Heart English Bible but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die." Webster's Bible Translation But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. World English Bible but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.” Young's Literal Translation and they go not in to see when the holy thing is swallowed, that they have died.' Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Duties of the Kohathites…19In order 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 in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry. 20But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.” Cross References Exodus 19:21 and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people not to break through to see the LORD, lest many of them perish. Leviticus 16:13 He is to put the incense on the fire before the LORD, and the cloud of incense will cover the mercy seat above the Testimony, so that he will not die. Numbers 4:15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting. Numbers 4:21 And the LORD said to Moses, 1 Samuel 6:19 But God struck down some of the people of Beth-shemesh because they looked inside the ark of the LORD. He struck down seventy men, and the people mourned because the LORD had struck them with a great slaughter. Treasury of Scripture But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die. they shall Numbers 4:15,19 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation… Exodus 19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish. Leviticus 10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. the holy things. 1 Kings 8:8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day. 2 Chronicles 5:9 And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. Jump to Previous Covered Death Die Died Fear Holy Kohathites Minute Moment Objects Sanctuary Swallowed ThemselvesJump to Next Covered Death Die Died Fear Holy Kohathites Minute Moment Objects Sanctuary Swallowed ThemselvesNumbers 4 1. The age at which the Levites were to serve, and the duration of the service4. 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 (20) But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered.--Better, But they shall not go in to see the holy things (or, the sanctuary) for a moment. The Levites were not per-mitted to enter the holy place in which the priests ministered, much less the Holy of Holies. Whether this rule was or was not relaxed at the time of the removal of the Tabernacle, as the prohibition against entrance into the Holy of Holies must have been in regard to the priests, the Levites were not permitted in any case to look upon the Ark and the other holy things until they were covered.Verse 20. - They shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered. This translation is disputed. The word rendered "are covered" is the Piel infinitive from bala, to swallow, and so to destroy. It may signify the extreme rapidity with which the most holy things were hidden from sight and removed from touch, so as to become, as it were, non-existent for the time. So the Syriac, Arabic, Samaritan, and the Targums of Onkelos and Palestine. On the other hand, it may be a proverbial expression, "in a swallow, at a gulp," i.e., "for an instant," as in Job 7:19. And so the Septuagint, ἐξάπινα, and most modern scholars. Whichever way, however, we take it, the phrase, "they shall not go in to see," seems to limit the prohibition under pain of death to the deliberate act of entering the tabernacle out of curiosity during the process of packing up the holy things. The case of the men of Bethshemesh, therefore (1 Samuel 6:19), does not fall within the letter of this law, although it does within its spirit. The command, thus limited, is no doubt an addition to the previous command not to touch, but it is altogether in keeping with it. If it was the will of God to hedge about these sacred symbols of his presence and his worship with an awful sanctity, it is obvious that he was as much bound to defend them against the irreverent prying of the eye as against the irreverent touch of the hand; and the prying here prohibited would have been distinctly willful and inexcusable. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew But [the Kohathites] are notוְלֹא־ (wə·lō-) Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no to go in יָבֹ֧אוּ (yā·ḇō·’ū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go and look לִרְא֛וֹת (lir·’ō·wṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 7200: To see at the holy objects, הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ (haq·qō·ḏeš) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6944: A sacred place, thing, sanctity even for a moment, כְּבַלַּ֥ע (kə·ḇal·la‘) Preposition-k | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct Strong's 1104: To swallow down, swallow up, engulf or they will die.” וָמֵֽתוּ׃ (wā·mê·ṯū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 4191: To die, to kill Links Numbers 4:20 NIVNumbers 4:20 NLT Numbers 4:20 ESV Numbers 4:20 NASB Numbers 4:20 KJV Numbers 4:20 BibleApps.com Numbers 4:20 Biblia Paralela Numbers 4:20 Chinese Bible Numbers 4:20 French Bible Numbers 4:20 Catholic Bible OT Law: Numbers 4:20 But they shall not go (Nu Num.) |
    |