The Meaning of Numbers 4:12 Explained

Numbers 4:12

KJV: And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:

YLT: and have taken all the vessels of ministry wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and have put them unto a garment of blue, and have covered them with a covering of badger skin, and have put them on the bar,

Darby: And they shall take all the instruments of service, wherewith they serve in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skin, and shall put them upon a pole.

ASV: and they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they shall take  all the instruments  of ministry,  wherewith they minister  in the sanctuary,  and put  [them] in a cloth  of blue,  and cover  them with a covering  of badgers'  skins,  and shall put  [them] on a bar: 

What does Numbers 4:12 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 4:12 mean?

And they shall take - all the utensils of service which they minister in the sanctuary and put [them] in a cloth blue and cover them with a covering of skins badger and put [them] on a carrying beam
וְלָקְחוּ֩ אֶת־ כָּל־ כְּלֵ֨י הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־ בָ֣ם בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ וְנָֽתְנוּ֙ אֶל־ בֶּ֣גֶד תְּכֵ֔לֶת וְכִסּ֣וּ אוֹתָ֔ם בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה ע֣וֹר תָּ֑חַשׁ וְנָתְנ֖וּ עַל־ הַמּֽוֹט

וְלָקְחוּ֩  And  they  shall  take 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
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.
כְּלֵ֨י  the  utensils 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כְּלִי  
Sense: article, vessel, implement, utensil.
הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת  of  service 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁרֵת  
Sense: ministry, religious ministry, service in the tabernacle.
יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־  they  minister 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁרַת  
Sense: (Piel) to minister, serve, minister to.
בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ  the  sanctuary 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness.
וְנָֽתְנוּ֙  and  put  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
בֶּ֣גֶד  a  cloth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
תְּכֵ֔לֶת  blue 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּכֵלֶת  
Sense: violet, violet stuff.
וְכִסּ֣וּ  and  cover 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
בְּמִכְסֵ֖ה  with  a  covering 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִכְסֶה  
Sense: a covering.
ע֣וֹר  of  skins 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹור  
Sense: skin, hide.
תָּ֑חַשׁ  badger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תַּחַשׁ  
Sense: a kind of leather, skin, or animal hide.
וְנָתְנ֖וּ  and  put  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הַמּֽוֹט  a  carrying  beam 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹוט  
Sense: a shaking, wavering, pole, bar of yoke.