Numbers 4:5-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 4:1-20

We have here a second muster of the tribe of Levi. As that tribe was taken out of all Israel to be God's peculiar, so the middle-aged men of that tribe were taken from among the rest to be actually employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now observe, I. Who were to be taken into this number. All the males from thirty years old to fifty. Of the other tribes, those that were numbered to go forth to war were from twenty years old and upward, but of the Levites only from thirty to fifty; for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:5

And when the camp setteth forward ,.... Upon the cloud's removing and the trumpets blowing: Aaron shall come, and his sons ; into the holy place: and they shall take down the covering vail : the vail that divided between the holy and the most holy place, which covered all in the holy of holies out of sight: and cover the ark of testimony with it ; together with the mercy seat and cherubim on it, that they might not be seen nor touched by the Levites when they carried them. Now... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:6

And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins ,.... Not that which covered the tabernacle, for that was committed to the Gershonites, Numbers 4:25 ; but a covering made of these on purpose for the present use, to preserve the ark from rain and dust; and this covering was put not immediately upon the ark, but upon the other coverings that were over the ark, and so preserved the vail as well as the ark: and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue ; it is a matter of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:7

And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue ,.... That that also might not be seen nor touched by the Levites: and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the covers to cover withal : all which belonged to the shewbread table; the use of which; see Gill on Exodus 25:29 ; these seem to be put not immediately upon the table, but upon the blue cloth spread over the table: and the continual bread shall be thereon : the shewbread is called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:8

And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet ,.... Upon the dishes and other vessels belonging to the shewbread table, and on the shewbread itself: and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins ; this was clearly the outward covering, and seems to confirm the observation made in Numbers 4:6 ; that the same sort of covering was the outermost covering of the ark: and shall put in the staves thereof ; which belonged to the table, and were made to carry it with on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:9

And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps ,.... Which had lamps in it, and were continually lighted, and gave light in the holy place: and his tongs, and his snuff dishes, and all the oil vessels thereof , wherewith they minister unto it ; by supplying the lamps with oil, and snuffing and trimming them. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:10

And they shall put it, and all the vessels thereof, within a covering of badgers' skins ,.... Which here also was the outermost covering; the ark and the shewbread table had three coverings, but the candlestick only two, they being more sacred than that, especially the ark: and shall put it upon a bar ; the word "mot" perhaps signifies a kind of mat or mattress, on which the candlestick and its vessels, bundled together in the covering of the badgers' skins, were laid and carried... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:11

And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue ,.... The altar of incense, which was overlaid with gold, and therefore called a golden one, to which the allusion is in Revelation 8:3 , and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins ; after the cloth of blue was spread upon it: and shall put to the staves thereof ; into the rings, both made to bear and carry it, upon occasion, from place to place. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:12

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 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 4:13

And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon. Having cleared the holy of holies, and the holy place, they were to come forth from thence into the court of the tabernacle, where stood the altar of burnt offering, which is here meant, and on which sacrifices being daily burnt, there were always ashes to be removed; and which at this time was highly necessary to be done, when the tabernacle was taken down, and all belonging to it to be carried away; and... read more

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