The Meaning of Numbers 4:15 Explained

Numbers 4:15

KJV: And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.

YLT: 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.

Darby: And when Aaron and his sons have ended covering the sanctuary, and all the utensils of the sanctuary, when the camp setteth forward, then afterwards the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. This is what the sons of Kohath have to carry in the tent of meeting.

ASV: And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp is set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when Aaron  and his sons  have made an end  of covering  the sanctuary,  and all the vessels  of the sanctuary,  as the camp  is to set forward;  after  that, the sons  of Kohath  shall come  to bear  [it]: but they shall not touch  [any] holy thing,  lest they die.  These [things are] the burden  of the sons  of Kohath  in the tabernacle  of the congregation. 

What does Numbers 4:15 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 4

1  The age at which the Levites were to serve, and the duration of the service
4  The duty of the Kohathites
16  The charge of Eleazar
17  The office of the priests
21  The duty of the Gershonites
29  Of the Merarites
34  The number of the Kohathites
38  Of the Gershonites
42  And of the Merarites

What do the individual words in Numbers 4:15 mean?

And when have finished Aaron and his sons covering - the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary when is set to go the camp and then shall come the sons of Kohath to carry [them] but not they shall touch unto any holy thing and lest they die These [are] the things which are to carry the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of meeting
וְכִלָּ֣ה אַֽהֲרֹן־ וּ֠בָנָיו לְכַסֹּ֨ת אֶת־ הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ וְאֶת־ כָּל־ כְּלֵ֣י הַקֹּדֶשׁ֮ בִּנְסֹ֣עַ הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒ וְאַחֲרֵי־ כֵ֗ן יָבֹ֤אוּ בְנֵי־ קְהָת֙ לָשֵׂ֔את וְלֹֽא־ יִגְּע֥וּ אֶל־ הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵ֑תוּ אֵ֛לֶּה מַשָּׂ֥א בְנֵֽי־ קְהָ֖ת בְּאֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד

וְכִלָּ֣ה  And  when  have  finished 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
אַֽהֲרֹן־  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
וּ֠בָנָיו  and  his  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לְכַסֹּ֨ת  covering 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
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.
הַקֹּ֜דֶשׁ  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
כְּלֵ֣י  the  furnishings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הַקֹּדֶשׁ֮  of  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
בִּנְסֹ֣עַ  when  is  set  to  go 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָסַע  
Sense: to pull out, pull up, set out, journey, remove, set forward, depart.
הַֽמַּחֲנֶה֒  the  camp 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
יָבֹ֤אוּ  shall  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
בְנֵי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קְהָת֙  of  Kohath 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קְהָת  
Sense: the 2nd of the 3 sons of Levi and progenitor of a family in the tribe of Levi.
לָשֵׂ֔את  to  carry  [them] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
וְלֹֽא־  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִגְּע֥וּ  they  shall  touch 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ  any  holy  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וָמֵ֑תוּ  and  lest  they  die 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אֵ֛לֶּה  These  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
מַשָּׂ֥א  the  things  which  are  to  carry 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַשָּׂא 
Sense: load, bearing, tribute, burden, lifting.
בְנֵֽי־  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קְהָ֖ת  of  Kohath 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קְהָת  
Sense: the 2nd of the 3 sons of Levi and progenitor of a family in the tribe of Levi.
בְּאֹ֥הֶל  in  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵֽד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.