The Meaning of Numbers 4:20 Explained

Numbers 4:20

KJV: But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.

YLT: and they go not in to see when the holy thing is swallowed, that they have died.'

Darby: but they shall not go in and see for a moment the holy things, lest they die.

ASV: but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But they shall not go in  to see  when the holy things  are covered,  lest they die. 

What does Numbers 4:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Num 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 4:20 mean?

but not they shall go in to watch while are being covered - the holy things and lest they die -
וְלֹא־ יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־ הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ פ

וְלֹא־  but  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָבֹ֧אוּ  they  shall  go  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִרְא֛וֹת  to  watch 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כְּבַלַּ֥ע  while  are  being  covered 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּלַע 
Sense: to swallow down, swallow up, engulf, eat up.
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.
הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ  the  holy  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וָמֵֽתוּ  and  lest  they  die 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation