translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: NUM

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “lift up the head.” The form נָשֹׂא ( naso ’) is the Qal infinitive absolute functioning here as a pure verb form. This serves to emphasize the basic verbal root idea (see GKC 346 §113. bb ). sn The census of chapter was to register all male Levites from a month old and up. It arranged the general duties of each of the tribes. The second census of Levites now will focus on those between 30 and 50 years of age, those who were actually in service. These are the working Levites. The duties here will be more specific for each of the families. The Kohathites, although part of the ordinary ministry of Levites, were a special group chosen to handle the most holy furnishings. J. Milgrom shows three aspects of their service: (1) skilled labor ( מְלָאכָה , mÿla ’ khah ) or “work,” (2) physical labor ( עֲבֹדָה , ‘avodah ) or “service,” and (3) assisting the priests ( שָׁרֵת , sharet ) or “ministering” (see his Studies in Levitical Terminology , 1:60-70).


text: The word “company” is literally “host, army” ( צָבָא , tsava ’). The repetition of similar expressions makes the translation difficult: Heb “all [who] come to the host to do work in the tent.”


text: The Hebrew text simply has “the holy of holies,” or “the holy of the holy things” ( קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים , qodesh haqqodashim ). The context indicates that this refers to all the sacred furnishings.


text: The Hebrew text uses the infinitive construct in an adverbial clause of time; literally it says “in the journeying of the camp.” The genitive in such constructions is usually the subject. Here the implication is that people would be preparing to transport the camp and its equipment.


text: The exact meaning of the Hebrew word here is difficult to determine. The term תַּחַשׁ ( takhash ) has been translated “badgers’ [skins]” by KJV. ASV has “sealskin” while RSV uses “goatskin”; NEB and NASB have “porpoise skin,” and NIV has “hides of sea cows.” This is close to “porpoise,” and seems influenced by the Arabic. The evidence is not strong for any of these meanings, and some of the suggestions would be problematic. It is possible the word is simply used for “fine leather,” based on the Egyptian ths . This has been followed by NRSV (“fine leather”) and NLT (“fine goatskin leather”) along with the present translation. See further HALOT 1720-21 s.v. תַּחַשׁ .


text: The Greek has “violet” instead of blue. This is also the case in vv. 8, 10, and 14 .


text: The “pole” or “bar” ( מוֹט , mot ) is of a different style than the poles used for transporting the ark. It seems to be a flexible bar carried by two men with the implements being transported tied to the bar. The NEB suggests the items were put in a bag and slung over the bar, but there is no indication of the manner.


label: NET textual note

text: The Greek text has “and he must place the cover upon the altar” instead of “and they must take away the ashes from the altar.” The verb is the Piel form; its nuance seems to be privative, i.e., stating that the object is deprived of the material – the ashes are removed. This is the main altar in the courtyard.


text: For this passage the Greek and Smr have a substantial addition concerning the purple cloth for the laver and its base, and a further covering of skin (see D. W. Gooding, “On the Use of the LXX for Dating Midrashic Elements in the Targums,” JTS 25 [1974]: 1-11).


text: The verb form is the Piel perfect with a vav ( ו ) consecutive; it continues the future sequence, but in this verse forms a subordinate clause to the parallel sequential verb to follow.


text: The Piel infinitive construct with the preposition serves as the direct object of the preceding verbal form, answering the question of what it was that they finished.


text: Heb “after this.”


text: The form is the Qal infinitive construct from נָשָׂא ( nasa ’, “to lift, carry”); here it indicates the purpose clause after the verb “come.”


text: The imperfect tense may be given the nuance of negated instruction (“they are not to”) or negated obligation (“they must not”).


text: Here the article expresses the generic idea of any holy thing (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax , 19, §92).


text: The verb is the perfect tense with a vav ( ו ) consecutive, following the imperfect tense warning against touching the holy thing. The form shows the consequence of touching the holy thing, and so could be translated “or they will die” or “lest they die.” The first is stronger.


text: The word מַשָּׂא ( massa ’) is normally rendered “burden,” especially in prophetic literature. It indicates the load that one must carry, whether an oracle, or here the physical responsibility.


text: This is supplied to the line to clarify “appointed.”


text: Heb “and.”


text: The word order is different in the Hebrew text: Do this…and they will live. Consequently, the verb “and they will live” is a perfect tense with a vav ( ו ) consecutive to express the future consequence of “doing this” for them.


text: The perfect tense with vav ( ו ) consecutive continues the instruction for Aaron.


text: The distributive sense is obtained by the repetition, “a man” and “a man.”


text: In the Hebrew text the verse has as the subject “they,” but to avoid confusion the antecedent has been clarified in the translation.


text: The two forms are the infinitive construct and then the noun: “to serve and for the burden.” They are to serve and they are to take the responsibility. The infinitive is explaining the verb.


text: This whole clause is not in the Greek text; it is likely missing due to homoioteleuton.


text: The work of these people would have been very demanding, since the size and weight of the various curtains and courtyard hangings would have been great. For a detailed discussion of these, see the notes in the book of Exodus on the construction of the items.


text: The term “whether” is supplied to introduce the enumerated parts of the explanatory phrase.


text: Here again is the use of the noun “burden” in the sense of the loads they were to carry (see the use of carts in Num 7:7 ).


text: The expression is literally “upon/at the mouth of” ( עַל־פִּי , ’ al-pi ); it means that the work of these men would be under the direct orders of Aaron and his sons.


text: Or “burden.”


text: Or “the direction” (NASB, TEV); Heb “under/by the hand of.” The word “hand” is often used idiomatically for “power” or “authority.” So also in vv. 33, 37, 45, 48 .


text: Heb “you shall assign by names the vessels of the responsibility of their burden.”


text: The text multiplies the vocabulary of service here in the summary. In the Hebrew text the line reads literally: “everyone who came to serve the service of serving, and the service of burden.” The Levites came into service in the shrine, and that involved working in the sanctuary as well as carrying it from one place to the next.


text: The verb is the simple perfect tense – “he numbered them.” There is no expressed subject; therefore, the verb can be rendered as a passive.


text: Or “his burden.”


text: The passive form simply reads “those numbered by him.” Because of the cryptic nature of the word, some suggest reading a preterite, “and they were numbered.” This is supported by the Greek, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate. It would follow in the emendation that the relative pronoun be changed to “just as” ( כַּאֲשֶׁר , ka ’ asher ). The MT is impossible the way it stands; it can only be rendered into smooth English by adding something that is missing.