Parallel Verses
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.
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.
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.
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;
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 But bring with you also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father (ancestor), so that they may join with you and serve you [as assistants], while you and your sons with you are before the Tent of the Testimony [the Holy Place where only priests may go, and the Most Holy Place which only the high priest may enter]. 3 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. 4 They shall join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting—all the service of the tent—and no stranger [no layman, anyone who is not a Levite] may approach you [and your sons].
Names
Cross References
Numbers 4:15
When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all its furniture, as the camp sets out, after all that [is done, but not before], the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them [using the poles], so that they do not touch the holy things, and die. These are the things in the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) which the sons of Kohath are to carry.
Numbers 3:25
Now the responsibilities of the sons of Gershon in the Tent of Meeting involved the tabernacle and the tent, its covering, and the curtain for the doorway of the Tent of Meeting,
Numbers 3:31
Now their responsibilities involved the ark, the table [on which the bread of the Presence was placed], the lampstand, the altars, the utensils of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the curtain, and all the service concerning them.
Numbers 3:36
Now the appointed responsibilities of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, its bars, its pillars, its sockets or bases, and all the equipment, and all the service concerning them,
Numbers 4:19-20
But deal with them in this way, so that they may live and not die when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his [specific] work and to his load [to be carried on the march].
Numbers 16:40
as a reminder to the sons of Israel so that no layman—that is, one who is not of the descendants of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the Lord; so that he will not become like Korah and as his company—just as the Lord had said to him through Moses.
Numbers 1:51
When the tabernacle is to go forward, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to [be set up for] camp, the Levites shall set it up. But the layman (non-Levite) who approaches the tabernacle shall be put to death.
Numbers 18:7
Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar [of burnt offering and the altar of incense] and [of the Holy of Holies] within the veil, and you are to serve. I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the stranger (outsider, layman) who approaches shall be put to death.”