Numbers 4:13-15 New English Translation
13 Also, they must take away the ashes from the altar[a] and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they must place on it all its implements with which they serve there—the trays, the meat forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar—and they must spread on it a covering of fine leather, and then insert its poles.[b]
15 “When Aaron and his sons have finished[c] covering[d] the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is ready to journey, then[e] the Kohathites will come to carry them;[f] but they must not touch[g] any[h] holy thing, or they will die.[i] These are the responsibilities[j] of the Kohathites with the tent of meeting.
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- Numbers 4:13 tc The Greek text has “and he must place the cover upon the altar” instead of “and they must take away the ashes from the altar.” The verb is the Piel form; its nuance seems to be privative, i.e., stating that the object is deprived of the material—the ashes are removed. This is the main altar in the courtyard.
- Numbers 4:14 tc For this passage the Greek and Smr have a substantial addition concerning the purple cloth for the laver and its base, and a further covering of skin (see D. W. Gooding, “On the Use of the LXX for Dating Midrashic Elements in the Targums,” JTS 25 [1974]: 1-11).
- Numbers 4:15 tn The verb form is the Piel perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive; it continues the future sequence, but in this verse forms a subordinate clause to the parallel sequential verb to follow.
- Numbers 4:15 tn The Piel infinitive construct with the preposition serves as the direct object of the preceding verbal form, answering the question of what it was that they finished.
- Numbers 4:15 tn Heb “after this.”
- Numbers 4:15 tn The form is the Qal infinitive construct from נָשָׂא (nasaʾ, “to lift, carry”); here it indicates the purpose clause after the verb “come.”
- Numbers 4:15 tn The imperfect tense may be given the nuance of negated instruction (“they are not to”) or negated obligation (“they must not”).
- Numbers 4:15 tn Here the article expresses the generic idea of any holy thing (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 19, §92).
- Numbers 4:15 tn The verb is the perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive, following the imperfect tense warning against touching the holy thing. The form shows the consequence of touching the holy thing, and so could be translated “or they will die” or “lest they die.” The first is stronger.
- Numbers 4:15 tn The word מַשָּׂא (massaʾ) is normally rendered “burden,” especially in prophetic literature. It indicates the load that one must carry, whether an oracle, or here the physical responsibility.
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