Numbers 4:12
in Numbers 4They are to take all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary, place them in a blue cloth, cover them with fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.
KJV
And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put them on a bar:
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This verse in Numbers 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
cover the lampstand used for light
on Numbers 4:9-14
The packing runs outward from the ark. The lampstand and loose utensils go on “the carrying frame”, since only the ark, the table and the two altars had poles of their own.
This site's exposition
all the utensils for serving in the sanctuary
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, citing Exodus 31:10, take these as the priests' official dress, and John Wesley and John Gill read them the same way. Gill says they were bundled in one cloth and carried on a frame like the lampstand's. The priests' clothing traveled with the holy things.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For safety, that these holy things might not be filled by rain, or tarnished by the sun. For decency, most of them had a cloth of blue, or purple, or scarlet over them; the ark, a cloth wholly of blue, perhaps an emblem of the azure skies, which are spread between us and the Majesty on high; It was a fit sign of the darkness of that dispensation.
And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary,.... The garments in which the priests, ministered in the sanctuary, which were laid up in proper places, and which they only wore when in service: and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins; all wrapped up in one bundle: and shall put them on a bar; the same sort of carriage on which the candlestick and its vessels were borne; see Gill on Num 4:10.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלָקְחוּ֩ | velakechu | and they will take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| כְּלֵ֨י | kelei | [the] articles of | H3627 → | 325 times |
| הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת | hasharet | <the> service | H8335 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֧ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־ | yesharetu- | they will serve | H8334 → | 97 times |
| בָ֣ם | vam | by <the> them | ||
| בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ | bakodesh | in the holy place | H6944 → | 469 times |
| וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ | venatenu | and they will put [them] | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | into | H413 → | 5510 times |
| בֶּ֣גֶד | beged | a covering of | H899 → | 217 times |
| תְּכֵ֔לֶת | tekhelet | violet stuff | H8504 → | 49 times |
| וְכִסּ֣וּ | vekhisu | and they will cover | H3680 → | 152 times |
| אוֹתָ֔ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה | bemikhseh | with a covering of | H4372 → | 16 times |
| ע֣וֹר | or | skin of | H5785 → | 99 times |
| תָּ֑חַשׁ | tachash | dolphin | H8476 → | 14 times |
| וְנָתְנ֖וּ | venatenu | and they will put [them] | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַמּֽוֹט׃ | hamot | the carrying frame | H4132 → | 6 times |
וְלָקְחוּ֩and they will take
velakechuH3947 →966 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
כְּלֵ֨י[the] articles of
keleiH3627 →325 times
הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת<the> service
hasharetH8335 →
אֲשֶׁ֧רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־they will serve
yesharetu-H8334 →97 times
בָ֣םby <the> them
vam
בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁin the holy place
bakodeshH6944 →469 times
וְנָֽתְנוּ֙and they will put [them]
venatenuH5414 →2011 times
אֶל־into
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
בֶּ֣גֶדa covering of
begedH899 →217 times
תְּכֵ֔לֶתviolet stuff
tekheletH8504 →49 times
וְכִסּ֣וּand they will cover
vekhisuH3680 →152 times
אוֹתָ֔ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
בְּמִכְסֵ֖הwith a covering of
bemikhsehH4372 →16 times
ע֣וֹרskin of
orH5785 →99 times
תָּ֑חַשׁdolphin
tachashH8476 →14 times
וְנָתְנ֖וּand they will put [them]
venatenuH5414 →2011 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַמּֽוֹט׃the carrying frame
hamotH4132 →6 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
Exodus 25:9You must make the tabernacle and design all its furnishings according to the pattern I show you.
it leads to
- Exodus 25:40
See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
- Hebrews 8:5
The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you…
- Acts 7:44
Our fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
- Hebrews 9:9
It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.
- 1 Chronicles 28:11–19
Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, storehouses, upper rooms, inner rooms, and the room for the mercy seat.
- Exodus 25:40
Through
1 Chronicles 9:29Others were put in charge of the furnishings and other articles of the sanctuary, as well as the fine flour, wine, oil, frankincense, and spices.
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 23:29
as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size.
- Exodus 30:23–38
“Take the finest spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half that amount (250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant cane,
- 1 Chronicles 23:29
Through
Numbers 4:7Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread…
it leads to
- Leviticus 24:5–8
You are also to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf,
- Leviticus 24:5–8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers

This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; 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.
