They shall spread over them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of badger skins; and they shall insert its poles.
Parallel translations
- WEB They shall spread on them a scarlet cloth, and cover the same with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.
- KJV And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers’ skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
- BSB And they shall spread a scarlet cloth over them, cover them with fine leather, and insert the poles.
- NASB And they shall spread over them a cloth of scarlet material, and cover the same with a covering of fine leather, and they shall insert its carrying poles.
- NLT They must spread a scarlet cloth over all of this, and finally a covering of fine goatskin leather on top of the scarlet cloth. Then they must insert the carrying poles into the table.
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
A scarlet cloth and a sealskin covering were spread over the table's items, and its poles inserted. The wrapping followed an exact, God-given pattern.
Overview
The layered cloths protected the holy table while keeping the Kohathites from direct contact. The scarlet color, used throughout the tabernacle, is often associated in Scripture with sacrifice and atonement. These careful preparations show that approaching God's things demanded covering and mediation, anticipating the covering of sin provided in Christ's blood.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Num 4:11–13“On the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of sealskin, and shall put in its poles.
- Num 4:6–7and shall put a covering of sealskin on it, and shall spread over it a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
- Num 4:9“They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lamp stand of the light, and its lamps, and its snuffers, and its snuff dishes, and all its oil vessels, with which they minister to it.
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 4:8 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
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