Bible Strands
Numbers 18:3
And they shall attend to your duties and to all the duties of the Tent; but they must not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The LORD addresses Aaron, defining the operational boundaries for the Levites whom he is to bring as assistants to the Tent of Meeting.
The words — The text uses שָׁמְרוּ (sha.meru), literally "they will keep" or "attend to," and כְּלֵי (ke.lei), meaning "equipment" or "furnishings," to delineate permitted service from forbidden contact.
The thread — The prohibition against approaching sanctuary items and altars aligns with the covering procedures in Numbers 4:15 and the specific duty allocations recorded in Numbers 3:25 and 3:31.
Why it lands — The passage states that Levitical assistants must perform their required duties without crossing into the sanctuary's inner furnishings, warning that such proximity triggers death for both the priest and the helper.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
Cross-references
- Numbers 4:15 When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 3:25 The duties of the Gershonites at the Tent of Meeting were the tabernacle and tent, its covering, the curtain for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting,
- Numbers 3:31 Their duties were the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used with them, and the curtain—all the service for these items.
- Numbers 3:36 The duties assigned to the sons of Merari were the tabernacle’s frames, crossbars, posts, bases, and all its equipment—all the service for these items,
- Numbers 4:19 In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry.
- Numbers 16:40 just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.
- Numbers 1:51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to be pitched, the Levites are to set it up. Any outsider who goes near it must be put to death.
- Numbers 18:7 But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”