« | Numbers 4 | » |
1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron:
2 "Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families.
3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
4 "This is the work of the Kohathites at the tent of meeting: the care of the most holy things.
5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and put it over the ark of the covenant law.
6 Then they are to cover the curtain with a durable leather, spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
7 "Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it.
8 They are to spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.
9 "They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the olive oil used to supply it.
10 Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of the durable leather and put it on a carrying frame.
11 "Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with the durable leather and put the poles in place.
12 "They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with the durable leather and put them on a carrying frame.
13 "They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it.
14 Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of the durable leather and put the poles in place.
15 "After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.
16 "Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."
17 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
18 "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites.
19 So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.
20 But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."
21 The LORD said to Moses,
22 "Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans.
23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
24 "This is the service of the Gershonite clans in their carrying and their other work:
25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, that is, the tent of meeting, its covering and its outer covering of durable leather, the curtains for the entrance to the tent of meeting,
26 the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard, the ropes and all the equipment used in the service of the tent. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things.
27 All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry.
28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.
29 "Count the Merarites by their clans and families.
30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the tent of meeting.
31 As part of all their service at the tent, they are to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases,
32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry.
33 This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the tent of meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest."
34 Moses, Aaron and the leaders of the community counted the Kohathites by their clans and families.
35 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,
36 counted by clans, were 2,750.
37 This was the total of all those in the Kohathite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command through Moses.
38 The Gershonites were counted by their clans and families.
39 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,
40 counted by their clans and families, were 2,630.
41 This was the total of those in the Gershonite clans who served at the tent of meeting. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command.
42 The Merarites were counted by their clans and families.
43 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to serve in the work at the tent of meeting,
44 counted by their clans, were 3,200.
45 This was the total of those in the Merarite clans. Moses and Aaron counted them according to the LORD's command through Moses.
46 So Moses, Aaron and the leaders of Israel counted all the Levites by their clans and families.
47 All the men from thirty to fifty years of age who came to do the work of serving and carrying the tent of meeting
48 numbered 8,580.
49 At the LORD's command through Moses, each was assigned his work and told what to carry. Thus they were counted, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Today’s New International Version (TNIV)
Today’s New International Version (TNIV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that was first published in its complete form in 2005 by the International Bible Society, now known as Biblica. The TNIV is a revision of the New International Version (NIV), which was initially released in 1978. The primary goal of the TNIV was to update the language and address gender inclusivity while maintaining the readability and accuracy that made the NIV popular. The translation aimed to reflect contemporary English usage and to be accessible to a broad audience, including both men and women.
One of the key features of the TNIV is its commitment to gender-inclusive language. The translators sought to avoid gender-specific terms where the original texts did not explicitly require them, thereby making the text more inclusive and reflective of modern linguistic sensibilities. For example, where the original Greek or Hebrew text used terms that referred to both men and women, the TNIV translated them in a gender-neutral manner. This approach aimed to make the Bible more accessible and relatable to all readers, ensuring that no one felt excluded by the language used.
The TNIV also made several other updates to enhance clarity and readability. The translators incorporated the latest biblical scholarship and linguistic research to ensure that the translation accurately conveyed the meaning of the original texts. They aimed to strike a balance between maintaining the formal equivalence of the original languages and using dynamic equivalence to make the text more understandable for contemporary readers. This involved updating archaic words and phrases, improving sentence structures, and clarifying ambiguous passages without losing the essence of the original scriptures.
Despite its strengths, the TNIV faced significant controversy and criticism, particularly from conservative Christian groups and scholars. Critics argued that the gender-inclusive language could potentially distort the intended meaning of the biblical texts and that the changes were driven more by cultural trends than by faithful adherence to the original manuscripts. The debate over the TNIV’s translation choices led to its eventual discontinuation, with Biblica deciding to focus on updating the NIV instead. However, the TNIV’s influence can still be seen in subsequent revisions of the NIV, which have incorporated some of the gender-inclusive principles and linguistic updates introduced by the TNIV.