HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 495
NUM B ER S 5
page 125
24 “These Gershonite clans will be responsible
for general service and carrying loads. 25 They
must carry the curtains of the Tabernacle, the
Tabernacle itself with its coverings, the outer
covering of fine goatskin leather, and the curtain for the Tabernacle entrance. 26 They are also
to carry the curtains for the courtyard walls that
surround the Tabernacle and altar, the curtain
across the courtyard entrance, the ropes, and
all the equipment related to their use. The Gershonites are responsible for all these items.
27 Aaron and his sons will direct the Gershonites
regarding all their duties, whether it involves
moving the equipment or doing other work.
They must assign the Gershonites responsibility
for the loads they are to carry. 28 So these are the
duties assigned to the Gershonite clans at the
Tabernacle. They will be directly responsible to
Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
Duties of the Merarite Clan
29 “Now record the names of the members of the
clans and families of the Merarite division of the
tribe of Levi. 30 List all the men between the ages
of thirty and fifty who are eligible to serve in the
Tabernacle.
31 “Their only duty at the Tabernacle will be
to carry loads. They will carry the frames of the
Tabernacle, the crossbars, the posts, and the
bases; 32 also the posts for the courtyard walls
with their bases, pegs, and ropes; and all the
accessories and everything else related to their
use. Assign the various loads to each man by
name. 33 So these are the duties of the Merarite
clans at the Tabernacle. They are directly responsible to Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”
Summary of the Registration
34 So Moses, Aaron, and the other leaders of the
community listed the members of the Kohathite
division by their clans and families. 35 The list
included all the men between thirty and fifty
years of age who were eligible for service in
the Tabernacle, 36 and the total number came to
2,750. 37 So this was the total of all those from the
Kohathite clans who were eligible to serve at the
Tabernacle. Moses and Aaron listed them, just
as the Lord had commanded through Moses.
38 The Gershonite division was also listed by
its clans and families. 39 The list included all the
men between thirty and fifty years of age who
were eligible for service in the Tabernacle, 40 and
the total number came to 2,630. 41 So this was the
total of all those from the Gershonite clans who
were eligible to serve at the Tabernacle. Moses
and Aaron listed them, just as the Lord had
commanded.
42 The Merarite division was also listed by its
clans and families. 43 The list included all the
men between thirty and fifty years of age who
5:2 Traditionally rendered leprosy. The Hebrew word used here
describes various skin diseases.
were eligible for service in the Tabernacle, 44 and
the total number came to 3,200. 45 So this was
the total of all those from the Merarite clans
who were eligible for service. Moses and Aaron
listed them, just as the Lord had commanded
through Moses.
46 So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel
listed all the Levites by their clans and families.
47 All the men between thirty and fifty years of
age who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle and for its transportation 48 numbered
8,580. 49 When their names were recorded, as
the Lord had commanded through Moses,
each man was assigned his task and told what
to carry.
And so the registration was completed, just
as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Purity in Israel’s Camp
The Lord gave these instructions to Moses:
2 “Command the people of Israel to remove
from the camp anyone who has a skin disease*
or a discharge, or who has become ceremonially
unclean by touching a dead person. 3 This command applies to men and women alike. Remove
them so they will not defile the camp in which
I live among them.” 4 So the Israelites did as
the Lord had commanded Moses and removed
such people from the camp.
5 Then the Lord said to Moses, 6 “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If
any of the people—men or women—betray the
Lord by doing wrong to another person, they
are guilty. 7 They must confess their sin and
make full restitution for what they have done,
adding an additional 20 percent and returning
it to the person who was wronged. 8 But if the
person who was wronged is dead, and there
are no near relatives to whom restitution can
be made, the payment belongs to the Lord and
5
• Sin
N U M B E R S 5:5-6
Why does it hurt God when we hurt
another person? God said that we
betray him when we do wrong to another
person. What we do to others truly affects
how we relate to God. Since God created
us to be in relationship with him and with
others, any break in a human relationship
causes a break in our relationship with
God. For example, how can you lie to a
friend and then pray to God, the author
of truth? Wrongdoing reaches to the very
heart of God because God loves each
person and feels betrayed when we sin
against those he loves.