Numbers 4:3
in Numbers 4men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified 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 even until fifty years old, all that enter upon the service, to do the work in the tent of meeting.
KJV
From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
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This verse in Numbers 4
Commentary
5 notes on this verseFrom thirty years old - In Num 8:24, the Levites are ordered to enter on the service of the tabernacle at the age of twenty-five years; and in 1Ch 23:24, they were ordered to commence that work at twenty years of age. How can these different times be reconciled? 1. At the time of which Moses speaks here, the Levitical service was exceedingly severe, and consequently required men full grown, strong, and stout, to perform it; the age therefore of thirty years was appointed as the period for commencing this service, the weightier part of which is probably here intended.
This site's exposition
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron
on Numbers 4:1-4
Kohath is counted before Gershon, the elder at 3:17, so the order follows the load. This count takes only the men “from thirty to fifty years old”. Albert Barnes notes that the Hebrew for their service is military language.
This site's exposition
men from thirty to fifty years old
John Wesley gives two reasons for the age of thirty, full strength of body for the carrying and ripe judgment for handling holy things. He adds that John the Baptist and Jesus began their ministries at that age, and Luke 3:23 gives Jesus as about thirty.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
From thirty - This age was prescribed, as the age of full strength of body, and therefore most proper for their labourious work of carrying the parts and vessels of the tabernacle, and of maturity of judgment, which is necessary for the right management of holy services. Whence even John and Christ entered not upon their ministry till that age.
From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old,....
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מִבֶּ֨ן | miben | from a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים | sheloshim | thirty | H7970 → | 172 times |
| שָׁנָה֙ | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| וָמַ֔עְלָה | vama'lah | and up -wards | H4605 → | 140 times |
| וְעַ֖ד | vead | and to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | a son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים | chamishim | fifty | H2572 → | 163 times |
| שָׁנָ֑ה | shanah | year[s] | H8141 → | 877 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בָּא֙ | ba' | [one who] comes | H935 → | 2568 times |
| לַצָּבָ֔א | latzava' | for the service | H6635 → | 485 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | laasot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| מְלָאכָ֖ה | melakhah | work | H4399 → | 167 times |
| בְּאֹ֥הֶל | beohel | in [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵֽד׃ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
מִבֶּ֨ןfrom a son of
mibenH1121 →4930 times
שְׁלֹשִׁ֤יםthirty
sheloshimH7970 →172 times
שָׁנָה֙year[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
וָמַ֔עְלָהand up -wards
vama'lahH4605 →140 times
וְעַ֖דand to
veadH5704 →1261 times
בֶּן־a son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
חֲמִשִּׁ֣יםfifty
chamishimH2572 →163 times
שָׁנָ֑הyear[s]
shanahH8141 →877 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
בָּא֙[one who] comes
ba'H935 →2568 times
לַצָּבָ֔אfor the service
latzava'H6635 →485 times
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתto do
laasotH6213 →2628 times
מְלָאכָ֖הwork
melakhahH4399 →167 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
Luke 3:23Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
it leads to
- Luke 4:22
All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
- Matthew 13:55
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
- John 6:42
They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
- Acts 1:1
In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,
- Mark 6:3
Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- Luke 4:22
Through
Numbers 4:23from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 10:3–5
For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
- 2 Timothy 2:3–4
Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
- Ephesians 6:10–19
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- 2 Corinthians 10:3–5
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; 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.