Sedra Ba Midbar ends at verse 20; Sedra 2, Naso, begins at verse 21; hence my splitting of this chapter into two. The sedra as a whole contains Numbers 4:21 – 5:31.
Chapter 4 (cont)
4:21 VA YEDABER YHVH EL MOSHEH LEMOR
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר
KJ (King James translation): And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
BN (BibleNet translation): Then YHVH spoke to Mosheh, saying:
4:22 NASO ET ROSH BENEY GERSHON GAM HEM LE VEIT AVOTAM LE MISHPECHOTAM
נָשֹׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן גַּם הֵם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם
KJ: Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
BN: Take the sum of the Beney Kehat as well; by their families, by their clans.
NASO ET ROSH: See my comments at Numbers 4:2.
NASO ET ROSH: See my comments at Numbers 4:2.
4:23 MI BEN SHELOSHIM SHANAH VA MA'LAH AD BEN CHAMISHIM SHANAH TIPHKOD OTAM KAL HA BA LITSVO TSAVA LA'AVOD AVODAH BE OHEL MO'ED
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה עַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה תִּפְקֹד אוֹתָם כָּל הַבָּא לִצְבֹא צָבָא לַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
BN: From thirty years old and upward, until the age of fifty, you shall count them, every one who is being recruited into service, to undertake the work in the Tent of Meeting
The Beney Kehat were also counted up to age 50 (Numbers 4:3) - was this then the compulsory retirement age in those days? Life expectancy was much shorter, though Methuselah managed rather more years than this, and 80 is the Biblical optimum expectation.
4:24 ZOT AVODAT MISHPECHOT HA GERSHUNI LA'AVOD U LE MASA
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי לַעֲבֹד וּלְמַשָּׂא
KJ: This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:
BN: These are the appointed tasks of the Gershuni clan, their duties and their responsibilities.
I really don't like the KJ translation of LA'AVOD, in this context, as "to serve", nor MASA as "burdens". This is their "Job Description", not their "terms of slavery".
HA GERSHUNI: The eponym is definitely Gershon - see verse 22. But the name of the Guild acquires a definite article, which the Beney Kehat did not do, and the Beney Merari will not either in the verses that follow these. And having acquired that definite article, why does it need the BENEY, which doubles the meaning?
HA GERSHUNI: The eponym is definitely Gershon - see verse 22. But the name of the Guild acquires a definite article, which the Beney Kehat did not do, and the Beney Merari will not either in the verses that follow these. And having acquired that definite article, why does it need the BENEY, which doubles the meaning?
4:25 VE NASU ET YERIYOT HA MISHKAN VE ET OHEL MO'ED MICHSEHU U MICHSEH HA TACHASH ASHER ALAV MI LEMA'LAH VE ET MASACH PETACH OHEL MO'ED
וְנָשְׂאוּ אֶת יְרִיעֹת הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְאֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד מִכְסֵהוּ וּמִכְסֵה הַתַּחַשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָלָיו מִלְמָעְלָה וְאֶת מָסַךְ פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
BN: They shall carry the curtains of the Mishkan and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, and the covering of badgers' skins that is over the top of it, and the hanging for the door of the Tent of Meeting.
4:26 VE ET KAL'EY HE CHATSER VE ET MASACH PETACH SHA'AR HE CHATSER ASHER AL HA MISHKAN VE AL HA MIZBE'ACH SAVIV VE ET MEYTREYHEM VE ET KOL KELEY AVODATAM VE ET KOL ASHER YE'ASEH LAHEM VE AVADU
וְאֵת קַלְעֵי הֶחָצֵר וְאֶת מָסַךְ פֶּתַח שַׁעַר הֶחָצֵר אֲשֶׁר עַל הַמִּשְׁכָּן וְעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סָבִיב וְאֵת מֵיתְרֵיהֶם וְאֶת כָּל כְּלֵי עֲבֹדָתָם וְאֵת כָּל אֲשֶׁר יֵעָשֶׂה לָהֶם וְעָבָדוּ
KJ: And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
BN: And the hangings for the courtyard, and the hangings for the door in the gate to the courtyard - the one beside the Mishkan - and the hangings around the altar, and their cords, and all the instruments used in their service, and everything that has been made for them: these are their tasks.
4:27 AL PI AHARON U VANAV TIHEYEH KOL AVODAT BENEY HA GERSHUNI LE CHOL MASA'AM U LE CHOL AVODATAM U PHEKADETEM ALEYHEM BE MISHMERET ET KOL MASA'AM
עַל פִּי אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו תִּהְיֶה כָּל עֲבֹדַת בְּנֵי הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי לְכָל מַשָּׂאָם וּלְכֹל עֲבֹדָתָם וּפְקַדְתֶּם עֲלֵהֶם בְּמִשְׁמֶרֶת אֵת כָּל מַשָּׂאָם
KJ: At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
BN: All the tasks of the Beney ha Gershuni, and all their duties, and all their service shall be at the instruction of Aharon and his sons: and you shall oversee them in the carrying out of all their tasks.
AL PI: Tiers of management. Mosheh as CEO does their annual evaluation and contract renewal negotiation, but daily details are down to Aharon. Yitro would be delighted (see Exodus 18:13 ff)!
And actually it is even better than that - v29 will make Itamar ben Aharon the formal supervisor, and Aharon merely the man from senior management who draws up the daily schedules and doles out the work orders.
PHEKADETEM: Again the double usage, sometimes as "count", sometimes as "appoint".
And actually it is even better than that - v29 will make Itamar ben Aharon the formal supervisor, and Aharon merely the man from senior management who draws up the daily schedules and doles out the work orders.
PHEKADETEM: Again the double usage, sometimes as "count", sometimes as "appoint".
4:28 ZOT AVODAT MISHPECHOT BENEY HA GERSHUNI BE OHEL MO'ED U MISHMARTAM BE YAD ITAMAR BEN AHARON HA KOHEN
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי הַגֵּרְשֻׁנִּי בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּמִשְׁמַרְתָּם בְּיַד אִיתָמָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
BN: This is the job description of the families of the Beney ha Gershuni in the Tent of Meeting: and their charge shall be under the supervision of Itamar ben Aharon the Kohen.
This constant use of the word AVODAH in a manner that clearly is not "slavery", must cause us to reconsider the status of the Habiru in Mitsrayim previously.
4:29 BENEY MERARI LE MISHPECHOTAM LE VEIT AVOTAM TIPHKOD OTAM
בְּנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם תִּפְקֹד אֹתָם
KJ: As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
BN: As for the Beney Merari, you shall count them by their families, by their clans;
4:30 MI BEN SHELOSHIM SHANAH VA MA'LAH VE AD BEN CHAMISHIM SHANAH TIPHKEDEM KOL HA BA LA TSAVA LA'AVOD ET AVODAT OHEL MO'ED
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה תִּפְקְדֵם כָּל הַבָּא לַצָּבָא לַעֲבֹד אֶת עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Rather more maintenance than janitorial.
BN: From thirty years old and upward, until the age of fifty, you shall count them, every one who is being recruited into service, to undertake the work in the Tent of Meeting.
4:31 VE ZOT MISHMERET MASA'AM LE CHOL AVODATAM BE OHEL MO'ED KARSHEY HA MISHKAN U VERICHAV VE AMUDAV VA ADANAV
וְזֹאת מִשְׁמֶרֶת מַשָּׂאָם לְכָל עֲבֹדָתָם בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד קַרְשֵׁי הַמִּשְׁכָּן וּבְרִיחָיו וְעַמּוּדָיו וַאֲדָנָיו
KJ: And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
BN: And this is the rota of their duties, for every aspect of their service in the Tent of Meeting; the boards of the Mishkan, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets.
Rather more maintenance than janitorial.
4:32 VE AMUDEY HE CHATSER SAVIV VE ADNEYHEM VI YITEDOTAM U MEYTREYHEM LE CHOL KELEYHEM U LE CHOL AVODATAM U VE SHEMOT TIPHKEDU ET KELEY MISHMERET MASA'AM
וְעַמּוּדֵי הֶחָצֵר סָבִיב וְאַדְנֵיהֶם וִיתֵדֹתָם וּמֵיתְרֵיהֶם לְכָל כְּלֵיהֶם וּלְכֹל עֲבֹדָתָם וּבְשֵׁמֹת תִּפְקְדוּ אֶת כְּלֵי מִשְׁמֶרֶת מַשָּׂאָם
KJ: And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
BN: And the pillars that surround the court, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all every aspect of their maintenance: and you shall keep an updated inventory of all the equipment needed for the fulfilment of these tasks.
As per my very different translation from the traditional, I think that this last is a requirement to have a checklist, so that items can be signed off to confirm they have been completed, and tools logged, to be sure they have been returned, or replaced when broken or damaged. I am not sure precisely how this would have been achieved in a world before alphabets and without papyrus, but I also cannot imagine that human supervisors of slaves and soldiers and craftsmen hadn't found a way.
4:33 ZOT AVODAT MISHPECHOT BENEY MERARI LE CHOL AVODATAM BE OHEL MO'ED BE YAD ITAMAR BEN AHARON HA KOHEN
זֹאת עֲבֹדַת מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי מְרָרִי לְכָל עֲבֹדָתָם בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בְּיַד אִיתָמָר בֶּן אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵן
KJ: This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
BN: These are the duties of the clans of the Beney Merari, the full inventory of their tasks, in the Tent of Meeting, under the supervision of Itamar ben Aharon the Kohen.
4:34 VA YIPHKOD MOSHEH VE AHARON U NESIYEH HA EDAH ET BENEY HA KEHATI LE MISHPECHOTAM U LE VEIT AVOTAM
וַיִּפְקֹד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּנְשִׂיאֵי הָעֵדָה אֶת בְּנֵי הַקְּהָתִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם וּלְבֵית אֲבֹתָם
KJ: And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
BN: And Mosheh and Aharon and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Beney Kehat by their families, and by their clans.
4:35 MI BEN SHELOSHIM SHANAH VA MA'LAH VE AD BEN CHAMISHIM SHANAH KOL HA BA LA TSAVA LA AVODAH BE OHEL MO'ED
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה כָּל הַבָּא לַצָּבָא לַעֲבֹדָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:
BN: From thirty years old and upward, until the age of fifty, every one who entered into service for the work of the congregation in the Tent of Meeting.
4:36 VA YIHEYU PHEKUDEYHEM LE MISHPECHOTAM ALAPHAYIM SHEVA ME'OT VA CHAMISHIM
וַיִּהְיוּ פְקֻדֵיהֶם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם אַלְפַּיִם שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים
KJ: And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
BN: And the total number by their families: two thousand, seven hundred and fifty.
Which really does seem like an unnecessarily large number of people for what is essentially a very low-level job. Even sharing out all the individual tasks, and rotating them on a daily basis... What were these Leviyim doing for the remainder of their time? Studying Torah? Swanning about like dissolute gentry? They clearly do not have any other priestly duties, and these are occasional pastimes, however "holy" and "sacred" the purpose - today's equivalent would be serving on the Board of your local shul, one meeting every quarter, and an expectation of attendance at prayer services.
4:37 ELEH PHEKUDEY MISHPECHOT HA KEHATI KOL HA OVED BE OHEL MO'ED ASHER PAKAD MOSHEH VE AHARON AL PI YHVH BE YAD MOSHEH
אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי מִשְׁפְּחֹת הַקְּהָתִי כָּל הָעֹבֵד בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל פִּי יְהוָה בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה
KJ: These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
BN: This was the total counted among the Beney Kehat, all who were eligible to undertake service in the Tent of Meeting, who Mosheh and Aharon counted, on the instruction of YHVH, under the supervision of Mosheh.
4:38 U PHEKUDEY BENEY GERSHON LE MISHPECHOTAM U LE VEIT AVOTAM
וּפְקוּדֵי בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן לְמִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם וּלְבֵית אֲבֹתָם
KJ: And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
BN: And those that were counted from the Beney Gershon, by their families, by their clans...
4:39 MI BEN SHELOSHIM SHANAH VA MA'LAH VE AD BEN CHAMISHIM SHANAH KOL HA BA LA TSAVA LA AVODAH BE OHEL MO'ED
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה כָּל הַבָּא לַצָּבָא לַעֲבֹדָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
BN: From thirty years old and upward, until the age of fifty, every one who entered into service for the work of the congregation in the Tent of Meeting.
4:40 VA YIHEYU PEKUDEYHEM LE MISHPECHOTAM LE VEIT AVOTAM ALPAYIM VE SHESH ME'OT U SHELOSHIM
וַיִּהְיוּ פְּקֻדֵיהֶם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם אַלְפַּיִם וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים
KJ: Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.
BN: And the total number by their families, by their clans: two thousand, six hundred and thirty.
4:41 ELEH PHEKUDEY MISHPECHOT BENEY GERSHON KOL HA OVED BE OHEL MO'ED ASHER PAKAD MOSHEH VE AHARON AL PI YHVH
אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי גֵרְשׁוֹן כָּל הָעֹבֵד בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל פִּי יְהוָה
KJ: These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.
BN: This was the total counted among the Beney Gershon, all who were eligible to undertake service in the Tent of Meeting, who Mosheh and Aharon counted, on the instruction of YHVH.
4:42 U PHEKUDEY MISHPECHOT BENEY MERARI LE MISHPECHOTAM LE VEIT AVOTAM
וּפְקוּדֵי מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי מְרָרִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם
KJ: And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
BN: And the total number of the families of the Beney Merari, by their families, by their clans...
4:43 MI BEN SHELOSHIM SHANAH VA MA'LAH VE AD BEN CHAMISHIM SHANAH KOL HA BA LA TSAVA LA AVODAT BE OHEL MO'ED
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה כָּל הַבָּא לַצָּבָא לַעֲבֹדָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
BN: From thirty years old and upward, until the age of fifty, every one who entered into service for the work of the congregation in the Tent of Meeting.
4:44 VA YIHEYU PHEKUDEYHEM LE MISHPECHOTAM SHELOSHET ALAPHIM U MATAYIM
וַיִּהְיוּ פְקֻדֵיהֶם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּמָאתָיִם
KJ: Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
BN: And the total number by their families, by their clans: three thousand, two hundred.
4:45 ELEH PHEKUDEY MISHPECHOT BENEY MERARI ASHER PAKAD MOSHEH VE AHARON AL PI YHVH BE YAD MOSHEH
אֵלֶּה פְקוּדֵי מִשְׁפְּחֹת בְּנֵי מְרָרִי אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל פִּי יְהוָה בְּיַדמֹשֶׁה
KJ: These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
BN: This was the total counted among the Beney Gershon, all who were eligible to undertake service in the Tent of Meeting, who Mosheh and Aharon counted, on the instruction of YHVH, under the supervision of Mosheh.
On this occasion the verse ends with BE YAD MOSHEH, where verse 41, for example, does not, but verse 37 does. It is not obvious why there is this difference.
4:46 KOL HA PEKUDIM ASHER PAKAD MOSHEH VE AHARON VE NESIYEY YISRA-EL ET HA LEVIYIM LE MISHPECHOTAM U LE VEIT AVOTAM
כָּל הַפְּקֻדִים אֲשֶׁר פָּקַד מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּנְשִׂיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַלְוִיִּם לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם וּלְבֵית אֲבֹתָם
KJ: All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
BN: The total number of the Leviyim, whom Mosheh and Aharon and the leaders of Yisra-El counted, by their families, and by their clans...
4:47 MI BEN SHELOSHIM SHANAH VA MA'LAH VE AD BEN CHAMISHIM SHANAH KOL HA BA LA'AVOD AVODAT AVODAH VA AVODAH MASA BE OHEL MO'ED
מִבֶּן שְׁלֹשִׁים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה וְעַד בֶּן חֲמִשִּׁים שָׁנָה כָּל הַבָּא לַעֲבֹד עֲבֹדַת עֲבֹדָה וַעֲבֹדַת מַשָּׂא בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד
KJ: From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation,
BN: From thirty years old and upward, until the age of fifty, every one who entered into service for the work and the worship of the congregation in the Tent of Meeting.
LA'AVOD AVODAT AVODAH VA AVODAH MASA:The work of the worship (of the service of the slavery); in the end this particular piece of word-play, irresistible even to so puritanical and straight-laced a figure as the Redactor, becomes so complex in its layers of meaning that the question of slavery in Mitsrayim (Egypt) achieves the apogee of its contraversial status, because here we can, without question, see all three meanings of the word: paid employment, slavery and worship.
4:48 VA YIHEYU PEKUDEYHEM SHEMONAT ALAPHIM VA CHAMESH ME'OT U SHEMONIM
וַיִּהְיוּ פְּקֻדֵיהֶם שְׁמֹנַת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁמֹנִים
KJ: Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
BN: The total number counted: eight thousand, five hundred and eighty.
4:49 AL PI YHVH PAKAD OTAM BE YAD MOSHEH ISH ISH AL AVODATO VE AL MASAV U PHEKUDAV ASHER TSIVAH YHVH ET MOSHEH
עַל פִּי יְהוָה פָּקַד אוֹתָם בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה אִישׁ אִישׁ עַל עֲבֹדָתוֹ וְעַל מַשָּׂאוֹ וּפְקֻדָיו אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶת מֹשֶׁה
KJ: According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.
BN: On the instruction of YHVH they were counted, under the supervision of Mosheh, every one according to his service, and according to his allocated tasks; thus were they numbered, as YHVH Lord instructed Mosheh.
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