Numbers 4:5

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:

Complete Jewish Bible:

when the time comes to break camp, Aharon is to go in with his sons, take down the curtain which serves as a screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it.

Berean Standard Bible:

Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.

American Standard Version:

when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it,

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And when the camp^{H4264} setteth forward^{H5265}, Aaron^{H175} shall come^{H935}, and his sons^{H1121}, and they shall take down^{H3381} the covering^{H4539} vail^{H6532}, and cover^{H3680} the ark^{H727} of testimony^{H5715} with it:

Cross-References (KJV):

Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:

BibleHub.com BibleRef.com

Commentary for Numbers 4:5

1. Themes:
- **Divine Presence and Protection**: The verse emphasizes the sacredness of the Ark of the Covenant, which symbolizes God's presence among the Israelites. The careful handling of the Ark and its coverings signifies the importance of safeguarding the divine presence.
- **Priestly Responsibility**: The role of Aaron and his sons, the priests, is highlighted, showing their duty in overseeing the sacred objects and rituals. Their active involvement in the preparation for travel underscores their priestly responsibilities.
- **Order and Ritual Purity**: The detailed instructions for covering the Ark reflect the importance of order and ritual purity in the Israelite worship practices. This attention to detail is emblematic of the broader theme of maintaining holiness in the camp.

2. Historical Context:
- **The Exodus Journey**: Numbers 4:5 is set within the context of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness following their exodus from Egypt. The book of Numbers outlines the organization and travel of the Israelite camp.
- **The Tabernacle**: The verse pertains to the Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary that served as the center of worship for the Israelites during their wanderings. The Ark of the Covenant was housed within the Tabernacle's Most Holy Place.
- **Preparation for Travel**: The instructions given in this verse are part of a larger set of directives concerning the transportation of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings whenever the camp moved. These instructions were crucial for the preservation of holy items during travel.
- **Time Period**: The events described in Numbers likely occurred around the 13th century BCE, during the time when the Israelites were led by Moses and Aaron through the Sinai Peninsula towards the Promised Land.

In summary, Numbers 4:5 reflects the themes of divine presence, priestly duty, and ritual purity within the historical context of the Israelites' wilderness journey, focusing on the meticulous procedures for protecting the Ark of the Covenant during the nation's travels.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H4264
   There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מַחֲנֶה
   Transliteration: machăneh
   Pronunciation: makh-an-eh'
   Description: from חָנָה; an encampment (of travellers or troops); hence, an army, whether literal (of soldiers) or figurative (of dancers, angels, cattle, locusts, stars; or even the sacred courts); army, band, battle, camp, company, drove, host, tents.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5265
   There are 140 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָסַע
   Transliteration: nâçaʻ
   Pronunciation: naw-sah'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to pull up, especially the tent-pins, i.e. start on ajourney; cause to blow, bring, get, (make to) go (away, forth, forward, onward, out), (take) journey, march, remove, set aside (forward), [idiom] still, be on his (go their) way.
   
3. Strong's Number: H175
   There are 480 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אַהֲרוֹן
   Transliteration: ʼAhărôwn
   Pronunciation: a-har-one'
   Description: of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of Moses; Aaron.
   
4. Strong's Number: H935
   There are 2307 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בּוֹא
   Transliteration: bôwʼ
   Pronunciation: bo
   Description: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications); abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat, [phrase] employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, [phrase] follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, [phrase] have, [idiom] indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, [idiom] (well) stricken (in age), [idiom] surely, take (in), way.
   
5. Strong's Number: H1121
   There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: בֵּן
   Transliteration: bên
   Pronunciation: bane
   Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
   
6. Strong's Number: H3381
   There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָרַד
   Transliteration: yârad
   Pronunciation: yaw-rad'
   Description: a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications); [idiom] abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, [idiom] indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.
   
7. Strong's Number: H4539
   There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָסָךְ
   Transliteration: mâçâk
   Pronunciation: maw-sawk'
   Description: from סָכַךְ; a cover, i.e. veil; covering, curtain, hanging.
   
8. Strong's Number: H6532
   There are 23 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: פֹּרֶכֶת
   Transliteration: pôreketh
   Pronunciation: po-reh'-keth
   Description: feminine active participle of the same as פֶּרֶךְ; a separatrix, i.e. (the sacred) screen; vail.
   
9. Strong's Number: H3680
   There are 149 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: כָּסָה
   Transliteration: kâçâh
   Pronunciation: kaw-saw'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to plump, i.e. fill up hollows; by implication, to cover (for clothing or secrecy); clad self, close, clothe, conceal, cover (self), (flee to) hide, overwhelm. Compare כָּשָׂה.
   
10. Strong's Number: H727
    There are 467 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָרוֹן
    Transliteration: ʼârôwn
    Pronunciation: aw-rone'
    Description: or אָרֹן; from אָרָה (in the sense of gathering); a box; ark, chest, coffin.
    
11. Strong's Number: H5715
    There are 57 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עֵדוּת
    Transliteration: ʻêdûwth
    Pronunciation: ay-dooth'
    Description: feminine of עֵד; testimony; testimony, witness.