Bible Strands
Numbers 3:38
Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses and Aaron direct the Israelite community on camp placement as they organize the perimeter of the mobile sanctuary.
The words — The participle חֹנִים (cho.Nim) identifies those who encamp, while קֵדְמָה (Ke.de.ma) and מִזְרָחָה (miz.Ra.cha) both specify the eastward direction toward the sunrise.
The thread — This boundary protocol recurs in Numbers 1:53, which commands Levites to camp around the tabernacle to prevent wrath, and Numbers 3:10, which restricts sanctuary duties to Aaron’s lineage. The eastward camp alignment matches the standard arrangement detailed in Numbers 2:3.
Why it lands — The text states that Aaron and his sons alone perform sanctuary service on Israel’s behalf, and any unauthorized approach to the holy space results in execution. It requires readers to accept a rigid separation between consecrated duties and lay proximity without exception.
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
But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Cross-references
- Numbers 1:53 But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
- Numbers 3:10 So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”
- Numbers 2:3 On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon son of Amminadab,
- 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 3:7 They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.
- Numbers 3:23 The Gershonite clans were to camp on the west, behind the tabernacle,
- Numbers 3:29 The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,
- Numbers 3:35 The leader of the families of the Merarites was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.
- Numbers 18:1 So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.
- 1 Chronicles 6:48 Their fellow Levites were assigned to every kind of service of the tabernacle, the house of God.