But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
Parallel translations
- WEB but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.”
- BSB But the Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects, even for a moment, or they will die.”
- NKJV But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”
- NASB but they shall not come in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.”
- NLT The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Kohathites were forbidden to look at the holy things even for a moment, lest they die. God's holiness demanded the utmost reverence.
Overview
Gazing on the uncovered sacred objects would be a fatal intrusion into God's holiness, reserved for the priests alone. This severe boundary impressed upon Israel that God cannot be approached on human terms. The contrast with the gospel is striking: through Christ, believers now behold God's glory with unveiled face (2 Corinthians 3:18), an access purchased at the cross.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- 1 Sam 6:19And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.
- Exod 19:21And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
- Num 4:19But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
- Num 4:15And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
- Lev 10:2And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
- Heb 10:19–20Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
- Rev 11:19And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 4:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.