Numbers 4:25

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,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) And the tabernacle of the congregation.—Better, And the tent of meeting. The mishkan or dwelling-place is distinguished in Numbers 3:25 from the ohel or tent which covered it. The curtains of the mishkan are represented in Exodus 26:6 as constituting the mishkan itself, the woodwork being apparently regarded as subsidiary to the curtains. These curtains were of fine-twined linen, while the curtains of the ohel or tent were of goats’ hair (Exodus 26:1; Exodus 26:7).

His covering.—i.e., the covering of rams’ skins, which is here distinguished from the outer covering of badgers’ skins (Exodus 26:14).

And the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.—Better, the hanging (or covering) for the entrance of the tent of meeting (Exodus 26:36).

Benson Commentary

Numbers 4:25. The curtains — Or covering of goats’ hair. The tabernacle — The ten curtains which covered the boards of the tabernacle; for the boards themselves were carried by the Merarites. His covering — The covering of rams’ skins which was put next over those ten curtains.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

4:21-33 We have here the charge of the other two families of the Levites, which, though not so honourable as the first, yet was necessary, and to be done regularly. All the things were delivered them by name. It intimates the care God takes of his church and every member of it. The death of the saints is represented as the taking down of the tabernacle, 2Co 5:1, and the putting it off, 2Pe 1:14. All shall be raised up in the great day, when these vile bodies shall be made like the glorious body of Jesus Christ, and so shall be for ever with the Lord.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

enter in to perform the service - literally, as in the margin, "to war the warfare," or, as the same phrase in part is rendered, Numbers 4:3, "enter into the host to do the work." The language is military. The service of God is a sacred warfare (Numbers 8:24-25 marginal reading).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

24-28. This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, &c.—They were appointed to carry "the curtains of the tabernacle"—that is, the goats' hair covering of the tent—the ten curious curtains and embroidered hangings at the entrance, with their red morocco covering, &c.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The curtains of the tabernacle, i.e. the curtains or covering of goats’ hair.

The tabernacle of the congregation, i.e. the ten curious curtains which covered the boards of the tabernacle; for the boards themselves were carried by the Merarites.

His covering, i.e. the covering of rams’ skins which was put next over those ten curtains.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle,.... The ten curtains of fine linen, Exodus 26:1,

and the tabernacle of the congregation; the curtains of goats' hair made for a tent over it, as Jarchi, see Exodus 26:7,

his covering the covering of rams skins dyed red, Exodus 26:14,

and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it; over all the rest:

and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; the eastern vail, as Jarchi calls it, which was for the door of the tent that led into the tabernacle, the holy place, Exodus 26:36.

Geneva Study Bible

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 {o} door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

(o) Which hung between the sanctuary and the court.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - They shall bear the curtains, etc. For these four coverings, of tapestry, of goats' hair, of rams' skins, and of sea-cow skin respectively, see Exodus 26. In addition to these, the Gershonites carried all the hangings belonging to the tabernacle and to the outer court, with the single exception of the "veil" which was wrapped round the ark. Numbers 4:25

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The service of the Gershonites is introduced in Numbers 4:21-23 in the same manner as that of the Kohathites in Numbers 4:1-3; and in Numbers 4:24-26 it is described in accordance with the brief notice and explanation already given in Numbers 3:24-26.