12
Then they shall take all the utensils of service with which they minister in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of badger skins, and put them on a carrying beam.
13
Also they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it.
14
They shall put on it all its implements with which they minister there--the firepans, the forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar--and they shall spread on it a covering of badger skins, and insert its poles.
15
And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, when the camp is set to go, then the sons of Kohath shall come to carry them; but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These are the things in the tabernacle of meeting which the sons of Kohath are to carry.
16
The appointed duty of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest is the oil for the light, the sweet incense, the daily grain offering, the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, of all that is in it, with the sanctuary and its furnishings."
17
Then 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;
19
but 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.
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But they shall not go in to watch while the holy things are being covered, lest they die."
21
Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
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"Also take a census of the sons of Gershon, by their fathers' house, by their families.