Event

The Levites counted for service at the Tent of Meeting

회막에서 일할 레위인의 계수

Numbers 4:34–49: Moses, Aaron and the princes of the congregation count the Levites from thirty to fifty years old: 2,750 Kohathites, 2,630 Gershonites and 3,200 Merarites, 8,580 in all.

Directly connected entries 2

Direct relationships 2

Open in the full graph
Moses (Person)MosesAaron (Person)Aaron

Collected relationship evidence

Source-backed narrative relations; not independent historical verification. Legacy dates and coordinates are outside this review.

Collection & rights
Source evidence (1)

AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

  • NUM 4:34–49, engwebp

    34Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

    35from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting.

    36Those who were counted of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty.

    37These are those who were counted of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

    38Those who were counted of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

    39from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

    40even those who were counted of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.

    41These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD.

    42Those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

    43from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

    44even those who were counted of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred.

    45These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

    46All those who were counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

    47from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,

    48even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

    49According to the commandment of the LORD they were counted by Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden. Thus they were counted by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

AI-assisted, human review pending, 2026-09-24

Machine comparison on 2026-10-07: the wording raised none of the 3 rules against the passages this entry cites. No person has read it.

Unresolved interpretation: The age at which the Levites begin their work
  • Numbers 4 counts the Levites from thirty to fifty years old for the work of the Tent of Meeting (4:3, 4:23, 4:30, 4:35, 4:39, 4:43, 4:47), in both editions.
    Source evidence (4)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • NUM 4:1–20, engwebp

      1The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

      2“Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

      3from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all who enter into the service to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

      4“This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the Tent of Meeting, regarding the most holy things.

      5When the camp moves forward, Aaron shall go in with his sons; and they shall take down the veil of the screen, cover the ark of the Testimony with it,

      6put a covering of sealskin on it, spread a blue cloth over it, and put in its poles.

      7“On the table of show bread they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the dishes, the spoons, the bowls, and the cups with which to pour out; and the continual bread shall be on it.

      8They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

      9“They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lamp stand of the light, its lamps, its snuffers, its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.

      10They shall put it and all its vessels within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it on the frame.

      11“On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.

      12“They shall take all the vessels of ministry with which they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.

      13“They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth on it.

      14They shall put on it all its vessels with which they minister about it, the fire pans, the meat hooks, the shovels, and the basins—all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of sealskin, and put in its poles.

      15“When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp moves forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to carry it; but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. The sons of Kohath shall carry these things belonging to the Tent of Meeting.

      16“The duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the continual meal offering, and the anointing oil, the requirements of all the tabernacle, and of all that is in it, the sanctuary, and its furnishings.”

      17The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,

      18“Don’t cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;

      19but do this to them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint everyone to his service and to his burden;

      20but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”

    • NUM 4:21–28, engwebp

      21The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

      22“Take a census of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers’ houses, by their families;

      23you shall count them from thirty years old and upward until fifty years old: all who enter in to wait on the service, to do the work in the Tent of Meeting.

      24“This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens:

      25they shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the Tent of Meeting, its covering, the covering of sealskin that is on it, the screen for the door of the Tent of Meeting,

      26the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the gate of the court which is by the tabernacle and around the altar, their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and whatever shall be done with them. They shall serve in there.

      27At the commandment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burden and in all their service; and you shall appoint their duty to them in all their responsibilities.

      28This is the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonites in the Tent of Meeting. Their duty shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

    • NUM 4:29–33, engwebp

      29“As for the sons of Merari, you shall count them by their families, by their fathers’ houses;

      30you shall count them from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who enters on the service, to do the work of the Tent of Meeting.

      31This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle’s boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,

      32the pillars of the court around it, their sockets, their pins, their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service. You shall appoint the instruments of the duty of their burden to them by name.

      33This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.”

    • NUM 4:34–49, engwebp

      34Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

      35from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting.

      36Those who were counted of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty.

      37These are those who were counted of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

      38Those who were counted of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

      39from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

      40even those who were counted of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.

      41These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD.

      42Those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

      43from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

      44even those who were counted of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred.

      45These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

      46All those who were counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

      47from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,

      48even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

      49According to the commandment of the LORD they were counted by Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden. Thus they were counted by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

  • Numbers 8:24 has them go in to serve from twenty-five years old and upward, and 8:25 has them retire from the work at fifty, in both editions.
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • NUM 8:23–26, engwebp

      23The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

      24“This is what is assigned to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting;

      25and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from doing the work, and shall serve no more,

      26but shall assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall perform no service. This is how you shall have the Levites do their duties.”

  • Ezra 3:8 says that they appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house, in both editions.
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • EZR 3:8–9, engwebp

      8Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house.

      9Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.

Numbers 4 counts the Levites from thirty to fifty years old for the work of the Tent of Meeting, and Numbers 8:24–25 has them go in to serve from twenty-five years old and upward and retire from the work at fifty. Ezra 3:8 says that they appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house, and gives no age for ending it. This collection does not choose an explanation that reconciles them and keeps the three records as written.

Unresolved interpretation: The ages at which the Levites were counted in 1 Chronicles 23
  • Numbers 4:34–35 says that Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites “from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting”, and 4:46–47 counts the Levites “from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting”.
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • NUM 4:34–49, engwebp

      34Moses and Aaron and the princes of the congregation counted the sons of the Kohathites by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

      35from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting.

      36Those who were counted of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred fifty.

      37These are those who were counted of the families of the Kohathites, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

      38Those who were counted of the sons of Gershon, by their families, and by their fathers’ houses,

      39from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

      40even those who were counted of them, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, were two thousand six hundred thirty.

      41These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Gershon, all who served in the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD.

      42Those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers’ houses,

      43from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old—everyone who entered into the service for work in the Tent of Meeting,

      44even those who were counted of them by their families, were three thousand two hundred.

      45These are those who were counted of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron counted according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

      46All those who were counted of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron and the princes of Israel counted, by their families and by their fathers’ houses,

      47from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old, everyone who entered in to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens in the Tent of Meeting,

      48even those who were counted of them, were eight thousand five hundred eighty.

      49According to the commandment of the LORD they were counted by Moses, everyone according to his service and according to his burden. Thus they were counted by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

  • Numbers 8:23–25 says that the LORD spoke to Moses, “This is what is assigned to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting; and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from doing the work, and shall serve no more”.
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • NUM 8:23–26, engwebp

      23The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

      24“This is what is assigned to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting;

      25and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from doing the work, and shall serve no more,

      26but shall assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall perform no service. This is how you shall have the Levites do their duties.”

  • 1 Chronicles 23:3 says, “The Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.”
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • 1CH 23:3–5, engwebp

      3The Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward; and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty-eight thousand.

      4David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand were to oversee the work of the LORD’s house, six thousand were officers and judges,

      5four thousand were doorkeepers, and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made for giving praise.”

  • 1 Chronicles 23:24 names the heads of the fathers’ houses of the sons of Levi “who did the work for the service of the LORD’s house, from twenty years old and upward”, and 23:27 says, “For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were counted, from twenty years old and upward.”
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • 1CH 23:24–27, engwebp

      24These were the sons of Levi after their fathers’ houses, even the heads of the fathers’ houses of those who were counted individually, in the number of names by their polls, who did the work for the service of the LORD’s house, from twenty years old and upward.

      25For David said, “The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever.

      26Also the Levites will no longer need to carry the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service.”

      27For by the last words of David the sons of Levi were counted, from twenty years old and upward.

  • Ezra 3:8 says that Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem began the work “and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house”.
    Source evidence (1)

    AI-assisted comparison with the cited narrative; not independent historical verification.

    • EZR 3:8–9, engwebp

      8Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house.

      9Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.

Numbers 4:34–49 counts the Levites from thirty years old and upward even to fifty years old for the service of the Tent of Meeting, and Numbers 8:23–25 says that the LORD told Moses that the Levites shall go in to serve from twenty-five years old and upward and retire from the work at fifty. 1 Chronicles 23:3 says that the Levites were counted from thirty years old and upward; 23:24 and 23:27 give twenty years old and upward, and 23:27 says that they were counted so “by the last words of David”. Ezra 3:8 says that Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of the LORD’s house. The text does not say why 1 Chronicles 23 gives thirty years in one verse and twenty in others. This collection records the age each passage gives and reconciles none of them.

All 2 relationships: AI-assisted, human review pending

  • Moses — Took part in — The Levites counted for service at the Tent of Meeting

    Evidence: Numbers 4:34–49

  • Aaron — Took part in — The Levites counted for service at the Tent of Meeting

    Evidence: Numbers 4:34–49

Verses tagged with this entry

Names in the World English Bible text that carry this entry’s tag. They are carried over from the tags on the Korean Revised Version, which are matched by name inside chapters that already have collected evidence, and a verse where the English says “he” carries none. All await human review. They are a separate list from the source passages above. An empty list does not mean the entry is absent from the text.

0 verses

No verse carries this tag yet.

Something looks wrong in this entry?

This prepares a report carrying the entry, what it currently says and what it cites, so a reviewer can act on it. The form for sending it is not open yet, so for now the report can only be copied.

Write what looks wrong first; a report without it cannot be acted on.

This is exactly what gets copied or sent:

[Bibliadatum entry report]

Entry: The Levites counted for service at the Tent of Meeting (event-num-levite-service-count)
Address: https://bibliadatum.org/en/wiki/event/num-levite-service-count
Current wording: Numbers 4:34–49: Moses, Aaron and the princes of the congregation count the Levites from thirty to fifty years old: 2,750 Kohathites, 2,630 Gershonites and 3,200 Merarites, 8,580 in all.
Cited evidence: NUM 4:34–49, engwebp
Review state: ai-assisted / human-review-pending

What looks wrong:
(not written yet)

---
This collection records what the text says and does not settle interpretation. A report about a reading that divides opinion may be registered as an unresolved issue rather than corrected.