The Meaning of Numbers 4:18 Explained

Numbers 4:18

KJV: Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:

YLT: 'Ye do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathite from the midst of the Levites;

Darby: Ye shall not cut off the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites,

ASV: Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Cut ye not off  the tribe  of the families  of the Kohathites  from among  the Levites: 

What does Numbers 4:18 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 4:18 mean?

not do cut off - the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites
אַל־ תַּכְרִ֕יתוּ אֶת־ שֵׁ֖בֶט מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת הַקְּהָתִ֑י מִתּ֖וֹךְ הַלְוִיִּֽם

תַּכְרִ֕יתוּ  do  cut  off 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
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.
שֵׁ֖בֶט  the  tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֣ת  of  the  families 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּחָה  
Sense: clan, family.
הַקְּהָתִ֑י  of  the  Kohathites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: קְהָתִי  
Sense: the descendants of Kohath, the 2nd son of Levi.
מִתּ֖וֹךְ  from  among 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַלְוִיִּֽם  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.