Numbers 4:13
in Numbers 4Then they shall remove the ashes from the bronze altar, spread a purple cloth over it,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
KJV
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
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This verse in Numbers 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThe altar - Hence we may conclude, that they did offer sacrifices at other times, though not so constantly and diligently, as they did in Canaan. Moreover the taking away of the ashes only doth sufficiently imply that the fire was preserved, which as it came down from heaven, Lev. ix, 24.
This site's exposition
cover the candlestick of the light
on Numbers 4:9-14
The packing runs outward from the ark: the table, then the candlestick, then the golden altar of incense, then the ministering vessels, then the brasen altar out in the court. The candlestick and the loose instruments go on a bar, because only the ark, the table and the two altars were built with rings and staves of their own. Matthew Henry reads verse 13 as a purple cloth spread over ashes in which the holy fire was banked and preserved, so the fire that Leviticus 6:12-13 forbade to go out kept burning while the altar moved. Blue, purple and scarlet are the three colours of the tabernacle hangings at Exodus 26:1, and here they are the colours of its packing.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The coverings of badgers' skins, being thick and strong, would keep out wet; and, while we are in our passage through the wilderness of this world, it concerns us to be fenced for all weathers, Isa. iv. 5, 6 . [2.] For decency and ornament. Most of these things had a cloth of blue, or purple, or scarlet, spread outmost; and the ark was covered with a cloth wholly of blue (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
shall take away the ashes from the altar, &c.--The necessity of removing ashes from the altar plainly implies that sacrifices were offered in the wilderness (compare Ex 18:12;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
But when the cloud removed from the tabernacle, the sanctuary might be entered by the common priests, as to them was reserved the exclusive privilege of packing the sacred utensils; and it was not till the holy things were thus ready for carriage, that the Kohathites were allowed to approach.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְדִשְּׁנ֖וּ | vedishenu | and they will take away [the] ashes from | H1878 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ | hamizbeach | the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| וּפָרְשׂ֣וּ | ufaresu | and they will spread out | H6566 → | 67 times |
| עָלָ֔יו | ʾalav | over it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בֶּ֖גֶד | beged | a covering of | H899 → | 217 times |
| אַרְגָּמָֽן׃ | ʾargaman | purple cloth | H713 → |
וְדִשְּׁנ֖וּand they will take away [the] ashes from
vedishenuH1878 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַthe altar
hamizbeachH4196 →401 times
וּפָרְשׂ֣וּand they will spread out
ufaresuH6566 →67 times
עָלָ֔יוover it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
בֶּ֖גֶדa covering of
begedH899 →217 times
אַרְגָּמָֽן׃purple cloth
ʾargamanH713 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 39:1From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, as well as the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
it leads to
- Exodus 31:10
as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 35:23
Everyone who had blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen, goat hair, ram skins dyed red, or articles of fine leather, brought them.
- Exodus 35:19
and the woven garments for ministering in the holy place—both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.”
- Hebrews 9:12
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.
- Hebrews 9:25
Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
- Exodus 31:10
Through
Exodus 39:41and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.
it leads to
- Exodus 28:2
Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.
- Exodus 39:1
From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, as well as the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Exodus 28:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.