Numbers 18:4
 Numbers 18:4 
New International Version (©2011)
They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting--all the work at the tent--and no one else may come near where you are.

New Living Translation (©2007)
The Levites must join you in fulfilling their responsibilities for the care and maintenance of the Tabernacle, but no unauthorized person may assist you.

English Standard Version (©2001)
They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"They shall be joined with you and attend to the obligations of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; but an outsider may not come near you.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
They are to join you and guard the tent of meeting, doing all the work at the tent, but no unauthorized person may come near you."

International Standard Version (©2012)
They are to join you to maintain services related to the Tent of Meeting, for all the responsibilities involved with the tent. But no unauthorized person is to approach you.

NET Bible (©2006)
They must join with you, and they will be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent, but no unauthorized person may approach you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
They will join you and do whatever work is necessary for the tent of meeting, including all the maintenance work for the tent. But no one else may come near you.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And they shall be joined unto you, and keep the duties of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come near unto you.

American King James Version
And they shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come near to you.

American Standard Version
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But let them be with thee, and watch in the charge of the tabernacle, and in all the ceremonies thereof. A stranger shall not join himself with you.

Darby Bible Translation
And they shall unite with thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; and no stranger shall come near to you.

English Revised Version
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they shall be joined to thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh to you.

World English Bible
They shall be joined to you, and keep the responsibility of the Tent of Meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come near to you.

Young's Literal Translation
and they have been joined unto thee, and have kept the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; and a stranger doth not come near unto you;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:1-7 The people complained of their difficulty and peril in drawing near to God. God here gives them to understand, that the priests should come near for them. Aaron would see reason not to be proud of his preferment, when he considered the great care and charge upon him. Be not high-minded, but fear. The greater the trust of work and power that is committed to us, the greater danger there is of betraying that trust. This is a good reason why we should neither envy others' honours, nor desire high places.


Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - A stranger. וֶר, i.e., one not a Levite, as in Numbers 1:51.


Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they shall be joined unto thee,.... As assistants in the sacred service:

and keep the charge of tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle; See Gill on Numbers 3:7 and See Gill on Numbers 3:8,

and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you; not any of the other tribes, only such as were of the tribe of Levi; they only were to be brought with them, and joined unto them, and assist them, and minister to them, as in Numbers 18:2; though the Jews (h) understand by a stranger anyone that was not a priest.

(h) Maimon. in Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1.


Numbers 18:4 Parallel Commentaries

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Duties of Priests and Levites
3And they shall keep your charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come near the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor you also, die. 4And they shall be joined to you, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come near to you. 5And you shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more on the children of Israel. …

Numbers 18:3 They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die.
Numbers 18:5 "You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again.
Numbers 31:30 From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether people, cattle, donkeys, sheep or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle."
Ezekiel 44:14 And I will appoint them to guard the temple for all the work that is to be done in it.