The Meaning of Numbers 3:31 Explained

Numbers 3:31

KJV: And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

YLT: 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.

Darby: And their charge was the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, and the curtain, and all that belongs to its service.

ASV: And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the screen, and all the service thereof.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And their charge  [shall be] the ark,  and the table,  and the candlestick,  and the altars,  and the vessels  of the sanctuary  wherewith they minister,  and the hanging,  and all the service  thereof. 

What does Numbers 3:31 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 3

1  The sons of Aaron
5  The Levites are given to the priests instead of the firstborn
14  Are numbered by their families
21  The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites
27  Of the Kohathites
33  Of the Merarites
38  The place and charge of Moses and Aaron
40  The firstborn are freed by the Levites
44  The balances are refunded

What do the individual words in Numbers 3:31 mean?

And their duty [included] the ark and the table and the lampstand and the altars and the utensils of the sanctuary which they ministered in and the screen and all the work relating to them
וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּ֗ם הָאָרֹ֤ן וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן֙ וְהַמְּנֹרָ֣ה וְהַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֔ת וּכְלֵ֣י הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשָׁרְת֖וּ בָּהֶ֑ם וְהַ֨מָּסָ֔ךְ וְכֹ֖ל עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ

וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּ֗ם  And  their  duty  [included] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
הָאָרֹ֤ן  the  ark 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֲרֹון  
Sense: chest, ark.
וְהַשֻּׁלְחָן֙  and  the  table 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֻׁלְחָן  
Sense: table.
וְהַמְּנֹרָ֣ה  and  the  lampstand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְנׄורָה  
Sense: lamp stand.
וְהַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֔ת  and  the  altars 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
וּכְלֵ֣י  and  the  utensils 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ  of  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
יְשָׁרְת֖וּ  they  ministered 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁרַת  
Sense: (Piel) to minister, serve, minister to.
וְהַ֨מָּסָ֔ךְ  and  the  screen 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָסָךְ  
Sense: covering, rag, screen.
וְכֹ֖ל  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲבֹדָתֽוֹ  the  work  relating  to  them 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֲבֹדָה  
Sense: labour, service.