Parallel Verses
Youngs Literal Translation
'And they have kept thy charge, and the charge of all the tent; only, unto the vessels of the sanctuary and unto the altar they do not come near, and they die not, either they or you;
New American Standard Bible
And they shall thus attend to your obligation and the obligation of all the tent, but
King James Version
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
Holman Bible
They are to perform duties for you and for the whole tent. They must not come near the sanctuary equipment or the altar; otherwise, both they and you will die.
International Standard Version
They are to take care of your concerns and all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But they're not to approach the holy vessels or the altar. That way, neither you nor they will die.
A Conservative Version
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tent. Only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor ye.
American Standard Version
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the Tent: only they shall not come nigh unto the vessels of the sanctuary and unto the altar, that they die not, neither they, nor ye.
Amplified
And the Levites shall attend to your duty [as assistants] and to the duties of all the tent (tabernacle); only they shall not approach the articles of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.
Bible in Basic English
They are to do your orders and be responsible for the work of the Tent; but they may not come near the vessels of the holy place or the altar, so that death may not overtake them or you.
Darby Translation
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of the whole tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they may not die, and you as well as they.
Julia Smith Translation
And they watched thy watches, and the watches of all the tent: but to the vessels of the holy place, and to the altar they shall not come near, and they shall not die, also they, also ye.
King James 2000
And they shall keep your duties, and the duties of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor you also, die.
Lexham Expanded Bible
They will keep your responsibility and the responsibility of all the tent, only they may not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so both you and they will not die.
Modern King James verseion
And they shall keep your charge and the charge of all the tabernacle. Only they shall not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, so that neither they nor you also may die.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
And let them wait upon thee and upon all the tabernacle: only let them not come nigh the holy vessels and the altar, that both they and ye also die not.
NET Bible
They must be responsible to care for you and to care for the entire tabernacle. However, they must not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.
New Heart English Bible
They shall keep your commands, and the duty of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you.
The Emphasized Bible
So shall they keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tent, - only, unto the vessels of the sanctuary, and unto the altar, shall they not come near, lest they die - both they, and ye.
Webster
And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
World English Bible
They shall keep your commands, and the duty of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you.
Themes
exclusion Admission » Exclusion » From holy places (tabernacle and temple)
Altar of burnt-offering » The priests » Alone to serve
Christian ministers » Charge delivered to
Exclusion » From holy places (tabernacle and temple)
Levites » Functions of » Had charge of the tabernacle in the encampments and on the march
the Levites » Services of » Keeping the charge of the sanctuary
the Levites » Punished with death for encroaching on the priestly office
Tabernacle » the Levites » Appointed over, and had charge of
Interlinear
Shamar
Mishmereth
Qarab
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Numbers 18:3
Verse Info
Context Readings
Provision For The Priesthood
2 and also thy brethren, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring near with thee, and they are joined unto thee, and serve thee, even thou and thy sons with thee, before the tent of the testimony. 3 'And they have kept thy charge, and the charge of all the tent; only, unto the vessels of the sanctuary and unto the altar they do not come near, and they die not, either they or you; 4 and they have been joined unto thee, and have kept the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; and a stranger doth not come near unto you;
Names
Cross References
Numbers 4:15
And Aaron hath finished -- his sons also -- covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, in the journeying of the camp, and afterwards do the sons of Kohath come in to bear it, and they do not come unto the holy thing, that they have died; these things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
Numbers 3:25
And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting is the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the vail at the opening of the tent of meeting,
Numbers 3:31
And their charge is the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they serve, and the vail, and all its service.
Numbers 3:36
And the oversight -- the charge of the sons of Merari -- is the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and all its vessels, and all its service,
Numbers 4:19-20
but this do to them, and they have lived, and do not die in their drawing nigh the holy of holies: -- Aaron and his sons go in, and have set them, each man to his service, and unto his burden,
Numbers 16:40
a memorial to the sons of Israel, so that a stranger who is not of the seed of Aaron doth not draw near to make a perfume before Jehovah, and is not as Korah, and as his company, -- as Jehovah hath spoken by the hand of Moses to him.
Numbers 1:51
'And in the journeying of the tabernacle, the Levites take it down, and in the encamping of the tabernacle, the Levites raise it up; and the stranger who is coming near is put to death.'
Numbers 18:7
and thou, and thy sons with thee, do keep your priesthood, for everything of the altar, and within the vail, and ye have served; a service of gift I make your priesthood; and the stranger who is coming near is put to death.'