“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,
Parallel Translations
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“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,
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Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
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'Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' houses,
Cross-references (2)
Passages linked to Numbers 4:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Numbers 3:19 The sons of Kohath by their families: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
- Numbers 3:27 Of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, the family of the Izharites, the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites. These are the families of the Kohathites.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (4 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Num 4:2 Take the sum of the sons of…
Num 4:2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
Ver. 2. Of the sons of Kohath.] Kohath was not Levi’s firstborn, but Gershom: and yet he hath the pre-eminence, and chief charge, as of the ark, tables, candlestick, altars, &c., {Num 3:31} perhaps because Moses and Aaron were of that family.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from…
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi,.... They were to begin with them first, and number them:
after their families, by the house of their fathers; as many as were of the age after mentioned; and the reason why they began with Kohath, and not Gershon, the eldest son, as in the former numbering, was; not as Aben Ezra suggests, because of Moses and Aaron, who sprung from him, for that, if it had any strength in it, would have held good before; but rather, as Chaskuni and others, because the Kohathites carried the ark and other holy things; though the true reason seems to be, because of the order observed in taking down the tabernacle, and removing the parts of it, and the things in it; and it was most proper and reasonable, when they were about to take it down, first to take out the ark, table, &c. which was the business of the Kohathites to carry; next to take down the curtains, coverings, and hangings for the tabernacle and court, and the doors thereof, which were the charge of the Merarites; wherefore, in this order the sum out of each of them fit for business were ordered to be numbered.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (2) Of the sons of Kohath . . .…
IV.
(2) Of the sons of Kohath . . . —Kohath appears to have been the second son of Levi (Num_3:17), but the Kohathites here stand first because Moses and Aaron belonged to them, and it was their office to bear the Ark.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Take the sum of the sons of Kohath. The…
Take the sum of the sons of Kohath. The Levites having been separated from the other tribes, the Kohathites are now to be separated from amongst the other Levites for the most honourable and sacred duties. To them the preference was given presumably because the priests were Kohathites.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.