Numbers 4:15-23
New American Standard Bible
17Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,
18Do not let the tribe of the families of the Kohathites be eliminated from among the Levites.
19Rather, do this for them so that they will live and not die when they approach the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each of them to his work and to his load;
20but they shall not come in to see the holy objects even for a moment, or they will die.'
King James Version
Chapter 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. 16And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof. 17And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 18Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: 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: 20But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
21And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
22Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Christian Standard Bible
17Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron:
18"Do not allow the Kohathite tribal clans to be wiped out from the Levites.
19Do this for them so that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy objects: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and transportation duty.
20The Kohathites are not to go in and look at the holy objects as they are covered or they will die."
New Living Translation
17Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
18Do not let the Kohathite clans be destroyed from among the Levites!
19This is what you must do so they will live and not die when they approach the most sacred objects. Aaron and his sons must always go in with them and assign a specific duty or load to each person.
20The Kohathites must never enter the sanctuary to look at the sacred objects for even a moment, or they will die.'
English Standard Version
17The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,
18“Let not the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites,
19but deal thus with them, that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and appoint them each to his task and to his burden,
20but they shall not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment, lest they die.”
New International Version
17The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
18See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not destroyed from among the Levites.
19So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry.
20But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die.'
New King James Version
17Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:
18“Do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;
19but do this in regard 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 each of them to his service and his task.
20But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die.”