Numbers 4:6

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.

King James Version
And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.

Lexham English Bible
They will put on it a covering of fine leather, and they will spread a cloth of perfect blue over it, and they will place its poles.

New Century Version
Over this they must put a covering made from fine leather, then spread the solid blue cloth over that, and put the poles in place.

New English Translation
Then they must put over it a covering of fine leather and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue, and then they must insert its poles.

Amplified Bible
and they shall put on it a covering of porpoise skin (fine leather), and shall spread over that a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert the carrying poles of the ark.

New American Standard Bible
and they shall place a covering of fine leather on it, and spread over it a cloth of pure violet, and insert its carrying poles.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And they shall put thereon a couering of badgers skinnes, and shall spread vpon it a cloth altogether of blewe silke, and put to the barres thereof:

Legacy Standard Bible
and they shall put a covering of porpoise skin on it and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue and shall insert its poles.

Contemporary English Version
and then with a piece of fine leather, and cover it all with a solid blue cloth. After this they will put the carrying poles in place.

Complete Jewish Bible
On that they are to place a covering of fine leather, and on top of that spread an all-blue cloth. Then they are to insert the carrying-poles.

Darby Translation
and shall put thereon a covering of badgers' skin, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put its staves [to it].

Easy-to-Read Version
Then they must cover all of this with covering made from fine leather. Then they must spread the solid blue cloth over the leather and put the poles in the rings on the Holy Box.

English Standard Version
Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.

George Lamsa Translation
And shall put on it the covering of badgers skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the poles thereof.

Good News Translation
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Christian Standard Bible®
They are to place over this a covering made of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth on top, and insert its poles.

Literal Translation
And he shall put a covering of dugong skins on it, and shall spread a garment entirely of blue on top, and shall put in its staves.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and laye the couerynge of doo skynnes vpon it, and sprede a whole yalowe clothe aboue theron, and put his staues therin.

American Standard Version
and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.

Bible in Basic English
And putting over it the leather cover and over that a blue cloth; and putting its rods in place.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And shall put thereon a coueryng of Badgers skinnes, and shall spreade vppon it a cloth that is altogether of blew silke, and put in the barres therof.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall set the staves thereof.

King James Version (1611)
And shall put thereon the couering of badgers skinnes, & shall spread ouer it a cloth wholly of blew, and shall put in the staues thereof.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they shall put on it a cover, even a blue skin, and put on it above a garment all of blue, and shall put the staves through the rings.

English Revised Version
and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and thei schulen hile eft with a veil of `skynnys of iacynt, and thei schulen stretche forth aboue a mentil al of iacynt, and thei schulen putte in barris `on the schuldris of the bereris.

Young's Literal Translation
and have put on it a covering of badger skin, and have spread a garment completely of blue above, and have placed its staves.

Update Bible Version
and shall put thereon a covering of sealskin, and shall spread over it a cloth of all blue, and shall put in the poles thereof.

Webster's Bible Translation
And shall put on it the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staffs of it.

World English Bible
and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.

New King James Version
Then they shall put on it a covering of badger skins, and spread over that a cloth entirely of blue; and they shall insert its poles.

New Living Translation
Then they must cover the inner curtain with fine goatskin leather and spread over that a single piece of blue cloth. Finally, they must put the carrying poles of the Ark in place.

New Life Bible
Then they will lay a covering of badgers' skins on it, and spread a pure blue cloth over that. And they will put in the long pieces of wood to carry it.

New Revised Standard
then they shall put on it a covering of fine leather, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put its poles in place.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and put thereon a covering of badgers skin, and spread a complete wrapper of blue over above, - and put in the staves thereof.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And shall cover it again with a cover of violet skins, and shall spread over it a cloth all of violet, and shall put in the bars.

Revised Standard Version
then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and they shall lay a covering of porpoise skin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth of pure blue, and shall insert its poles.

Contextual Overview

¹Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ²"Take a census of the Kohathites among the Levites by their clans and families, ³men from thirty to fifty years old-everyone who is qualified to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. ⁴This service of the Kohathites at the Tent of Meeting regards the most holy things. ⁵Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the Ark of the Testimony with it. ⁶They are to place over this a covering of fine leather, spread a solid blue cloth over it, and insert its poles.⁷Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it. ⁸And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles. ⁹They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand used for light, together with its lamps, wick trimmers, and trays, as well as the jars of oil with which to service it. ¹⁰Then they shall place it with all its utensils inside a covering of fine leather and put it on the carrying frame.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

badgers' skins: This was not the covering of badgers' skins made for the tabernacle, which was carried by the Gershonites - Numbers 4:24, and Numbers 4:25, but one made for the purpose of concealing and sheltering the ark when it was to be carried.

a cloth: Numbers 4:7, Numbers 4:8, Numbers 4:11-13, Exodus 35:19, Exodus 39:1, Exodus 39:41

and shall put: Wesamoo baddaiv, rather, "and adjust the staves thereof;" i.e., dispose them rightly under the covering, that they might be laid on their shoulders: for the staves were never taken out of the rings.

the staves: Exodus 25:13-15, 1 Kings 8:7, 1 Kings 8:8

Reciprocal: Numbers 4:10 - General Numbers 4:13 - General 1 Chronicles 15:15 - bare the ark 2 Chronicles 5:8 - the staves

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man," she said.

Genesis 4:3
So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the LORD,

Genesis 4:4
while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,

Genesis 4:5
but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.

Genesis 4:8
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:11
Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

Genesis 4:13
But Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear.

Job 5:2
For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.

Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.

Jeremiah 2:5
This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins,.... Not that which covered the tabernacle, for that was committed to the Gershonites, Numbers 4:25; but a covering made of these on purpose for the present use, to preserve the ark from rain and dust; and this covering was put not immediately upon the ark, but upon the other coverings that were over the ark, and so preserved the vail as well as the ark:

and shall spread over [it] a cloth wholly of blue; it is a matter of question, whether this was over the covering of badgers' skins also; if over the latter, as one would think it should be, by the order of the text, how could that be a shelter from the rain and dust, which seems to be the use of it, and therefore should be the outermost, as one of the same kind was the outermost covering of the tabernacle? Aben Ezra observes, there were some that say it was over the covering of badger's skin, but it is right in mine eyes, says he, that it was spread over the covering vail; if indeed it was for the sake of honour and dignity, the first is right, but the badger's skin was on account of rain and dust:

and shall put in the staves thereof: having been removed while the ark was covering, as Aben Ezra observes, or otherwise they always remained in their rings, and were never taken out, Exodus 25:14; but on this occasion they might, and then be put in again for the carrying of the ark, which was the use of them; though he also remarks, that there are some that say the sense is, they put the staves on the shoulders of them that carried it, which is not a despicable sense; unless rather it is to be understood of putting the staves through holes made in the coverings of the ark, and disposing and fitting them in them, for the better carriage of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

wholly of blue - Compare Exodus 25:4 note. The third and external covering of the ark only was to be of this color. The table of showbread had Numbers 4:8 an outer wrapping of scarlet; the altar Numbers 4:13 one of purple.

Put in the staves - Probably, “put the staves in order.” These were never taken out of the golden rings by which the ark was to be borne (see Exodus 25:14-15), but would need adjustment.