Numbers 1:53

But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

World English Bible

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Other translations

WEBBE

But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel. The Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”

BSB

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.”

KJV

But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

ASV

But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of the testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.

BBE

But the tents of the Levites are to be round the Tent of meeting, so that wrath may not come on the children of Israel: the Tent of meeting is to be in the care of the Levites.

Original Hebrew

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וְהַלְוִיִּם ve·hal·vi·yim and the Levites H3881 יַחֲנוּ ya·cha·nu they will encamp H2583 סָבִיב sa·viv around H5439 לְמִשְׁכַּן le·mish·kan (to) [the] tabernacle of H4908 הָעֵדֻת ha·'e·dut the testimony H5715 וְלֹא־ ve·lo'- and not H3808 יִהְיֶה yih·yeh it will be H1961 קֶצֶף ke·tzef wrath H7110 עַל־ 'al- towards H5921 עֲדַת 'a·dat [the] congregation of H5712 בְּנֵי be·nei [the] people H1121 יִשְׂרָאֵל yis·ra·'el Israel H3478 וְשָׁמְרוּ ve·sha·me·ru and they will keep H8104 הַלְוִיִּם hal·vi·yim the Levites H3881 אֶת־ 'et- (marks the object) H853 מִשְׁמֶרֶת mish·me·ret [the] duty of H4931 מִשְׁכַּן mish·kan [the] tabernacle of H4908 הָעֵדוּת ha·'e·dut the testimony H5715

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 47–54

Care is here taken to distinguish the tribe of Levi, which, in the matter of the golden calf, had distinguished itself. Singular services shall be recompensed by singular honours. It was to the honour of the Levites, that to them was committed the care of the tabernacle and its treasures, in their camps and in their marches. It was for the honour of the holy things that none should see them, or touch them, but those who were called of God to the service. We all are unfit and unworthy to have fellowship with God, till called by his grace into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and so, being the spiritual seed of that great High Priest, we are made priests to our God. Great care must be taken to prevent sin, for preventing sin is preventing wrath. Being a holy tribe, they were not reckoned among other Israelites. They that minister about holy things, should neither entangle themselves, nor be entangled, in worldly affairs. And let every believer seek to do what the Lord has commanded.

Read Matthew Henry on Numbers 1 →

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Israel

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.