Numbers 4:15
in Numbers 4When 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp is set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Numbers 4
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAnd when Aaron and his sons had made an end of covering the sanctuary,.... Not the holy place, nor the most holy place, for these were not covered by them; but "the holy things" in them, as the Septuagint version, the ark, shewbread table, &c. and all "the vessels of the sanctuary"; all appertaining to those holy things, which are before mentioned.
This site's exposition
made an end of covering
on Numbers 4:15-16
The Kohathites carry the holiest things in Israel and are forbidden to touch them, and the verse gives the penalty without softening it, lest they die. 2 Samuel 6:6-7 records the rule set aside when the ark went on a cart and Uzzah put out his hand to steady it, and Matthew Henry names that death in his comment here. Eleazar, the elder surviving son of Aaron, carries the oil, the incense, the daily meat offering and the anointing oil himself and holds the oversight of everything else, while verses 28 and 33 put Gershon and Merari under his brother Ithamar.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Uzza was struck dead for the breach of this law. Thus were the Lord's ministers themselves then kept in fear, and that was a dispensation of terror, as well as darkness; but now, through Christ, the case is altered; we have seen with our eyes, and our hands have handles, the word of life ( 1 John i. 1 ), and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.
Bear it - Upon their shoulders. Afterward the priests themselves, being multiplied, carried these things, though the Levites also were not excluded. They shall not touch - Before they are covered.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it, but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die--The mode of transport was upon the shoulders of the Levites (see on Nu 7:9), although afterwards wheeled vehicles were employed (2Sa 6:3; And it was allowed to touch the covering, but not the things covered, on the penalty of death, which was inflicted more than once (1Sa 6:19;
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
29 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְכִלָּ֣ה | vekhilah | and he will finish | H3615 → | 208 times |
| אַֽהֲרֹן־ | ʾaharon- | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| וּ֠בָנָיו | uvanav | and sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לְכַסֹּ֨ת | lekhasot | to cover | H3680 → | 152 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ | hakodesh | the holy place | H6944 → | 469 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כְּלֵ֣י | kelei | [the] articles of | H3627 → | 325 times |
| הַקֹּדֶשׁ֮ | hakodesh | the holy place | H6944 → | 469 times |
| בִּנְסֹ֣עַ | binsoa' | when sets out | H5265 → | 146 times |
| הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ | hamachaneh | the camp | H4264 → | 215 times |
| וְאַחֲרֵי־ | veacharei- | and after | H310 → | 715 times |
| כֵ֗ן | khen | thus | H3651 → | 771 times |
| יָבֹ֤אוּ | yavou | they will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְנֵי־ | venei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| קְהָת֙ | kehat | Kohath | H6955 → | 32 times |
| לָשֵׂ֔את | laset | to carry [them] | H5375 → | 656 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִגְּע֥וּ | yigeu | they will touch | H5060 → | 150 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | <to> | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ | hakodesh | the holy thing | H6944 → | 469 times |
| וָמֵ֑תוּ | vametu | and they will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| אֵ֛לֶּה | ʾeleh | these [things] | H428 → | 746 times |
| מַשָּׂ֥א | masa' | [are] [the] burden of | H4853 → | 66 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| קְהָ֖ת | kehat | Kohath | H6955 → | 32 times |
| בְּאֹ֥הֶל | beohel | in [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵֽד׃ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
וְכִלָּ֣הand he will finish
vekhilahH3615 →208 times
אַֽהֲרֹן־Aaron
ʾaharon-H175 →347 times
וּ֠בָנָיוand sons his
uvanavH1121 →4930 times
לְכַסֹּ֨תto cover
lekhasotH3680 →152 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁthe holy place
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
כְּלֵ֣י[the] articles of
keleiH3627 →325 times
הַקֹּדֶשׁ֮the holy place
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
בִּנְסֹ֣עַwhen sets out
binsoa'H5265 →146 times
הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒the camp
hamachanehH4264 →215 times
וְאַחֲרֵי־and after
veacharei-H310 →715 times
כֵ֗ןthus
khenH3651 →771 times
יָבֹ֤אוּthey will come
yavouH935 →2568 times
בְנֵי־[the] descendants of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
קְהָת֙Kohath
kehatH6955 →32 times
לָשֵׂ֔אתto carry [them]
lasetH5375 →656 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יִגְּע֥וּthey will touch
yigeuH5060 →150 times
אֶל־<to>
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁthe holy thing
hakodeshH6944 →469 times
וָמֵ֑תוּand they will die
vametuH4191 →839 times
אֵ֛לֶּהthese [things]
ʾelehH428 →746 times
מַשָּׂ֥א[are] [the] burden of
masa'H4853 →66 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] descendants of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
קְהָ֖תKohath
kehatH6955 →32 times
בְּאֹ֥הֶלin [the] tent of
beohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵֽד׃meeting
moedH4150 →223 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Numbers 7:9But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
it leads to
- Numbers 4:4–16
This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 15:13
It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.”
- 2 Samuel 6:13
When those carrying the ark of the LORD had advanced six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf.
- Numbers 3:31
Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.
- Numbers 4:4–16
Through
Numbers 10:21Then the Kohathites set out, transporting the holy objects; the tabernacle was to be set up before their arrival.
it leads to
- Numbers 10:17
Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites set out, transporting it.
- Numbers 7:9
But he did not give any to the Kohathites, since they were to carry on their shoulders the holy objects for which they were responsible.
- Numbers 10:17
Through
Deuteronomy 31:9So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel.
it leads to
- Joshua 3:3
and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, you are to set out from your positions and follow it.
- Deuteronomy 31:22–26
So that very day Moses wrote down this song and taught it to the Israelites.
- Joshua 3:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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 and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
