And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

NUMBERS 4:25KJV
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Numbers 4:25 (KJV)

What does Numbers 4:25 mean?

Numbers 4:25 assigns the Gershonite families the job of carrying the fabric parts and coverings of Israel’s portable place of worship. These were among the loads to be moved when the people traveled through the wilderness.

God is giving these instructions to Moses for the Gershonites. The list moves from the inner curtains to the outer protective covering and then to the hanging that served as an entrance.

The Hebrew behind Numbers 4:25

  • “tabernacle” — מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan): This word refers to a dwelling place. Here it describes the sacred structure whose curtains the Gershonites were to carry.
  • “tabernacle” — אֹהֶל (ohel): This word means “tent.” In the phrase “tabernacle of the congregation,” it emphasizes the tent structure associated with the people’s meeting place.
  • “badgers’” — תַּחַשׁ (tachash): This word refers to the material used for the outer skin covering. Its precise identity is uncertain, though the KJV calls it “badgers’ skins.”

Why Numbers 4:25 matters

  • The assignment concerns parts of a structure, not just loose cloth. The “covering” and the entrance “hanging” each had a place in the assembled tent.
  • The Gershonites had a particular share of the carrying work. Nearby, Numbers 4:31 assigns the frames, bars, pillars, and sockets to the Merarite families.

Where else these words appear

“covering” Hebrew H4372 · used in 12 verses

  • Genesis 8:13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
  • Exodus 36:19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.
  • Numbers 4:8 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.

“badgers'” Hebrew H8476 · used in 14 verses

  • Exodus 25:5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood,
  • Exodus 36:19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.
  • Numbers 4:10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.

“hanging” Hebrew H4539 · used in 25 verses

  • Exodus 26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
  • Exodus 39:34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering,
  • Numbers 3:25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

“curtains” Hebrew H3407 · used in 32 verses

  • Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
  • Exodus 26:12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.
  • Exodus 36:16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.