The Meaning of Numbers 3:7 Explained

Numbers 3:7

KJV: And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.

YLT: and kept his charge, and the charge of all the company before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle;

Darby: and they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole assembly, before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.

ASV: And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they shall keep  his charge,  and the charge  of the whole congregation  before  the tabernacle  of the congregation,  to do  the service  of the tabernacle. 

What does Numbers 3:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 3:1-13 - 44-51, The Substitute For The First-Born
The Levites were taken, instead of the firstborn sons of Israel, to perform the service of the Tabernacle. There were nearly as many Levites as first-born, and the difference was made good by the payment of redemption money on the part of the overplus, Numbers 3:45-48. So each of us has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb to belong to God and to minister to Him! Aaron's family provided the priesthood, Leviticus 3:9-10. The rest of the tribe performed the more irksome duties of ministry and transport.
The Gershonites, as eldest, pitched westward of the Tabernacle, and cared for the hangings and curtains. The Kohathites, because related to Aaron, pitched southward, and had charge of the sacred vessels. The Merarites pitched northward, and had charge of the boards and sockets. It was enough for each to know that his place and charge were God-appointed. Even to carry a pin became honorable, when God had allotted that to a man as his share. [source]

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 3:7 mean?

And they shall attend to - his needs and the needs of whole the congregation before the tabernacle of meeting to do the work of the tabernacle
וְשָׁמְר֣וּ אֶת־ מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ וְאֶת־ מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙ כָּל־ הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד לַעֲבֹ֖ד עֲבֹדַ֥ת הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן

וְשָׁמְר֣וּ  And  they  shall  attend  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִשְׁמַרְתּ֗וֹ  his  needs 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
מִשְׁמֶ֙רֶת֙  the  needs 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁמֶרֶת  
Sense: guard, charge, function, obligation, service, watch.
כָּל־  of  whole 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָ֣עֵדָ֔ה  the  congregation 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדָה  
Sense: congregation, gathering.
לִפְנֵ֖י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֹ֣הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֑ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
לַעֲבֹ֖ד  to  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
עֲבֹדַ֥ת  the  work 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲבֹדָה  
Sense: labour, service.
הַמִּשְׁכָּֽן  of  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁכָּן  
Sense: dwelling place, tabernacle.