Numbers 3:10
New International Version
Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

New Living Translation
Appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood. But any unauthorized person who goes too near the sanctuary must be put to death.”

English Standard Version
And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”

Berean Standard Bible
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

King James Bible
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

New King James Version
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

New American Standard Bible
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

NASB 1995
“So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

NASB 1977
“So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the layman who comes near shall be put to death.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons that they may keep their priesthood, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

Amplified Bible
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall observe and attend to their priesthood; but the layman (non-Levite) who approaches [the holy things] shall be put to death.”

Christian Standard Bible
You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out their priestly responsibilities, but any unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”

American Standard Version
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Contemporary English Version
who have been appointed to be priests. Anyone else who tries to perform the duties of a priest must be put to death.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. Anyone else who tries to do the priests' duties must be put to death."

Good News Translation
You shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; anyone else who tries to do so shall be put to death."

International Standard Version
Appoint Aaron and his sons so that they are to take responsibility for their priesthood. Any unauthorized person who approaches it is to be put to death."

Majority Standard Bible
So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

NET Bible
So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood; but the unauthorized person who comes near must be put to death."

New Heart English Bible
And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall attend to their priesthood; but the unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death."

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

World English Bible
You shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood, but the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you appoint Aaron and his sons, and they have kept their priesthood, and the stranger who comes near is put to death.”

Young's Literal Translation
'And Aaron and his sons thou dost appoint, and they have kept their priesthood, and the stranger who cometh near is put to death.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Aaron and his sons thou shalt set up, and they shall watch their priesthood; and the stranger coming near shall die.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
To Aaron and to his sons, to whom they are delivered by the children of Israel. But thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons over the service of priesthood. The stranger that approacheth to minister, shall be put to death.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But you shall appoint Aaron and his sons over the service of priesthood. The outsider who approaches to minister shall be put to death.”

New American Bible
But you will appoint only Aaron and his descendants to exercise the priesthood. Any unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death.

New Revised Standard Version
But you shall make a register of Aaron and his descendants; it is they who shall attend to the priesthood, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office; and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And command Ahron and his sons and they shall keep their Priesthood, and the foreigner who comes near to them will be killed.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, that they may keep their priesthood; and the common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons over the tabernacle of witness; and they shall keep their charge of priesthood, and all things belonging to the altar, and within the veil; and the stranger that touches them shall die.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Duties of the Levites
9Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites. 10So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.” 11Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,…

Cross References
Exodus 28:1
“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.

Exodus 29:9
Wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons and tie headbands on them. The priesthood shall be theirs by a permanent statute. In this way you are to ordain Aaron and his sons.

Leviticus 8:1-3
Then the LORD said to Moses, / “Take Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, / and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”

1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

2 Chronicles 26:18
They took their stand against King Uzziah and said, “Uzziah, you have no right to offer incense to the LORD. Only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, are consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have acted unfaithfully; you will not receive honor from the LORD God.”

Hebrews 5:4
No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

1 Samuel 2:28
And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites.

1 Kings 2:27
So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.

2 Chronicles 13:10
But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not forsaken Him; the priests who minister to the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites attend to their duties.

Hebrews 7:11-14
Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? / For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well. / He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. ...

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Malachi 2:4-7
Then you will know that I have sent you this commandment so that My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of Hosts. / “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, which I gave to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. / True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. ...

Ezekiel 44:15-16
But the Levitical priests, who are descended from Zadok and who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to approach Me to minister before Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD. / They alone shall enter My sanctuary and draw near to My table to minister before Me. They will keep My charge.

Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. / Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, / and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that comes near shall be put to death.

they shall

Numbers 18:7
Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

1 Chronicles 6:32
And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.

Ezekiel 44:8
And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.

and the stranger

Numbers 3:38
But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Numbers 1:51
And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Numbers 16:35,40
And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense…

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Numbers 3
1. The sons of Aaron
5. The Levites are given to the priests instead of the firstborn
14. Are numbered by their families
21. The families, number, and charge of the Gershonites
27. Of the Kohathites
33. Of the Merarites
38. The place and charge of Moses and Aaron
40. The firstborn are freed by the Levites
44. The balances are refunded














So you shall appoint
The Hebrew word for "appoint" is "פָּקַד" (paqad), which carries the meaning of assigning or commissioning someone for a specific role or duty. In the context of the priesthood, this appointment is not merely a human decision but a divine mandate. It underscores the importance of divine order and structure within the community of Israel. The act of appointing Aaron and his sons signifies God's sovereign choice and the establishment of a sacred lineage to serve Him.

Aaron and his sons
Aaron, the brother of Moses, is chosen by God to be the first high priest, and his sons are to follow in this sacred office. This familial line of priests highlights the importance of heritage and continuity in the service of God. The priesthood is not open to just anyone; it is a specific calling with a divine purpose. Aaron and his sons symbolize the mediators between God and the people, foreshadowing the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, in the New Testament.

to carry out the duties of the priesthood
The Hebrew term for "duties" is "שְׁמָרָה" (shamarah), which implies guarding, keeping, or observing. The priesthood involves a sacred responsibility to maintain the holiness of the tabernacle and the rituals associated with it. This duty is not merely ceremonial but is integral to the spiritual well-being of the nation. The priests are to be vigilant in their service, ensuring that the worship of God is conducted according to His commands.

but any outsider
The term "outsider" refers to anyone who is not part of the Aaronic priesthood. In Hebrew, the word is "זָר" (zar), meaning foreign or strange. This distinction emphasizes the holiness and exclusivity of the priestly office. It serves as a reminder that access to God is not to be taken lightly or approached casually. The separation between the sacred and the common is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, illustrating the need for purity and reverence in worship.

who approaches
The act of approaching, in Hebrew "קָרַב" (qarab), signifies drawing near to something sacred. In the context of the tabernacle, it implies entering into the presence of God. This approach is restricted to those who are consecrated and authorized, highlighting the seriousness of coming before a holy God. It serves as a warning against presumption and underscores the need for proper mediation.

must be put to death
This severe consequence reflects the holiness of God and the seriousness of His commands. The death penalty for unauthorized access to the priestly duties underscores the sanctity of the tabernacle and the priesthood. It serves as a deterrent against casual or irreverent approaches to God. This commandment illustrates the gravity of sin and the need for atonement, pointing forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who provides access to God for all believers.

(10) Thou shalt appoint.--Or, number. The word is the same as that which is used for the numbering of the Israelites generally (Numbers 1:19) and for the numbering of the Levites (Numbers 3:15).

Verse 10. - The stranger that cometh nigh. This constantly recurring formula has not always quite the same meaning: in Numbers 1:51 it signified any one not of the tribe of Levi; here it includes even the Levite who was not also a priest. The separation of the Levites for the ministry of the tabernacle was not to infringe in the least upon the exclusive rights of Aaron and his sons.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

you shall appoint
תִּפְקֹ֔ד (tip̄·qōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6485: To visit, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit

Aaron
אַהֲרֹ֤ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

and his sons
בָּנָיו֙ (bā·nāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

to carry out
וְשָׁמְר֖וּ (wə·šā·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

the duties of the priesthood;
כְּהֻנָּתָ֑ם (kə·hun·nā·ṯām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3550: Priesthood

but any layman
וְהַזָּ֥ר (wə·haz·zār)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2114: To turn aside, to be a, foreigner, strange, profane, to commit adultery

who approaches [the tabernacle]
הַקָּרֵ֖ב (haq·qā·rêḇ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7126: To come near, approach

must be put to death.”
יוּמָֽת׃ (yū·māṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT Law: Numbers 3:10 You shall appoint Aaron and his sons (Nu Num.)
Numbers 3:9
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