41 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron , saying , 2 "Take a census of the descendants of Kohath from among the sons of Levi , by their families , by their fathers' households , 3 from thirty years and upward , even to fifty years old , all who enter the service to do the work in the tent of meeting . 4 "This is the work of the descendants of Kohath in the tent of meeting , concerning the most holy things . 5 "When the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and they shall take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it; 6 and they shall lay a covering of porpoise skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue , and shall insert its poles . 7 "Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall also spread a cloth of blue and put on it the dishes and the pans and the sacrificial bowls and the jars for the drink offering , and the continual bread shall be on it. 8 "They shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet material, and cover the same with a covering of porpoise skin , and they shall insert its poles . 9 "Then they shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light , along with its lamps and its snuffers , and its trays and all its oil vessels , by which they serve it; 10 and they shall put it and all its utensils in a covering of porpoise skin , and shall put it on the carrying bars . 11 "Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth and cover it with a covering of porpoise skin , and shall insert its poles ; 12 and they shall take all the utensils of service , with which they serve in the sanctuary , and put them in a blue cloth and cover them with a covering of porpoise skin , and put them on the carrying bars . 13 "Then they shall take away the ashes from the altar , and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 "They shall also put on it all its utensils by which they serve in connection with it: the firepans , the forks and shovels and the basins , all the utensils of the altar ; and they shall spread a cover of porpoise skin over it and insert its poles . 15 "When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all the furnishings of the sanctuary , when the camp is to set out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them, so that they will not touch the holy objects and die . These are the things in the tent of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 4:1-15
Commentary on Numbers 4:1-3
(Read Numbers 4:1-3)
The middle-aged men of the tribe of Levi, all from thirty years old to fifty, were to be employed in the service of the tabernacle. The service of God requires the best of our strength, and the prime portion of our time, which cannot be better spent than to the honour of Him who is the First and Best. And the service of God should be done when we are most lively and active. Those do not consider this who put off repentance to old age, and so leave the best work to be done in the worst time.
Commentary on Numbers 4:4-20
(Read Numbers 4:4-20)
The Kohathites were to carry the holy things of the tabernacle. All the holy things were to be covered; not only for security and respect, but to keep them from being seen. This not only marked the reverence due to holy things, but the mystery of the things signified by those types, and the darkness of the dispensation. But now, through Christ, the case is altered, and we are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace.