Bible Strands
Numbers 4:3
men from thirty to fifty years old—everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God instructs Moses to take a census of the Kohathite Levites by clans and families, designating which adult males are eligible to handle duties at the Tent of Meeting.
The words — The Hebrew construction מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה literally renders "from a son of thirty years and upwards to a son of fifty years," establishing a fixed chronological window for service.
The thread — This identical age bracket appears again in Numbers 4:23 for the wider Levite registration, while Numbers 8:24 later extends the baseline eligibility to twenty-five years old.
Why it lands — The verse sets a strict numerical boundary for sacred labor, requiring readers to accept that institutional service is governed by explicit qualifications rather than individual preference or readiness.
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
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.
Cross-references
- Numbers 4:23 from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 8:24 “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
- 2 Kings 11:4 Then in the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, and the guards, and had them brought into the house of the LORD. There he made a covenant with them and put them under oath. He showed them the king’s son
- 1 Chronicles 23:3 The Levites thirty years of age or older were counted, and the total number of men was 38,000.
- 1 Chronicles 23:24 These were the descendants of Levi by their families—the heads of families, registered individually by name—those twenty years of age or older who worked in the service of the house of the LORD.
- Luke 3:23 Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
- Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
- Genesis 41:46 Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.
- 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 4:30 from thirty to fifty years old, counting everyone who comes to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.