Numbers 4:23
in Numbers 4from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to wait upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
KJV
From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
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This verse in Numbers 4
Commentary
3 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
enter in to perform the service - literally, as in the margin, “to war the warfare,” or, as the same phrase in part is rendered, Num 4:3, “enter into the host to do the work.” The language is military. The service of God is a sacred warfare (Num 8:24-25 marginal reading).
This site's exposition
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying
on Numbers 4:21-28
Gershon is the eldest of Levi's three sons and his families are numbered second, and their charge is the fabric of the tent, the curtains, the coverings, the hanging at the door, the hangings of the court and the cords. Verse 24 calls it to serve, and for burdens, and verse 26 closes so shall they serve, so one word covers the standing work and the carrying work alike. Every load is assigned by Aaron and his sons, and verse 27 says ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens, so each man received his piece from the priests. Gershon answers to Ithamar, the younger son of Aaron, who had already kept the account of the tabernacle's materials at Exodus 38:21.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old, shalt thou number them,.... Take an account how many there are of that age, and so fit for service (a); See Gill on Num 4:3, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation; as the rest of the Levites; see Num 4:3; (a) לצבא צבא "ad militandum militiam", Montanus, Drusius.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִבֶּן֩ | miben | from a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים | sheloshim | thirty | H7970 → | 172 times |
| שָׁנָ֜ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| וָמַ֗עְלָה | vama'lah | and up -wards | H4605 → | 140 times |
| עַ֛ד | ʾad | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים | chamishim | fifty | H2572 → | 163 times |
| שָׁנָ֖ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| תִּפְקֹ֣ד | tifkod | you will enroll | H6485 → | 303 times |
| אוֹתָ֑ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַבָּא֙ | haba' | <the> [one who] goes | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לִצְבֹ֣א | litzvo' | to serve | H6633 → | 14 times |
| צָבָ֔א | tzava' | service | H6635 → | 485 times |
| לַעֲבֹ֥ד | laavod | to serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| עֲבֹדָ֖ה | ʾavodah | service | H5656 → | 145 times |
| בְּאֹ֥הֶל | beohel | in [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵֽד׃ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
מִבֶּן֩from a son of
mibenH1121 →4930 times
שְׁלֹשִׁ֨יםthirty
sheloshimH7970 →172 times
שָׁנָ֜הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
וָמַ֗עְלָהand up -wards
vama'lahH4605 →140 times
עַ֛דto
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
בֶּן־a son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
חֲמִשִּׁ֥יםfifty
chamishimH2572 →163 times
שָׁנָ֖הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
תִּפְקֹ֣דyou will enroll
tifkodH6485 →303 times
אוֹתָ֑ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הַבָּא֙<the> [one who] goes
haba'H935 →2568 times
לִצְבֹ֣אto serve
litzvo'H6633 →14 times
צָבָ֔אservice
tzava'H6635 →485 times
לַעֲבֹ֥דto serve
laavodH5647 →288 times
עֲבֹדָ֖הservice
ʾavodahH5656 →145 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
5 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 4:3men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
it leads to
- Luke 3:23
Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- 2 Kings 11:4–12
Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them…
- Ephesians 6:10–18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Numbers 8:24–26
“This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
- 1 Chronicles 23:3–5
The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.
- Luke 3:23
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Numbers

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763).
