"When Aaronand his sonshave finishedcoveringthe holy[objects] and allthe furnishingsof the sanctuary,when the campis to setout, afterthat the sonsof Kohathshall cometo carry[them], so that they will not touchthe holy[objects] and die.Theseare the thingsin the tentof meetingwhich the sonsof Kohathare to carry.
Now behold,Zadokalso[came], and allthe Leviteswith him carryingthe arkof the covenantof God.And they setdownthe arkof God,and Abiatharcameup untilallthe peoplehad finishedpassingfrom the city.
And so it was, that whenthe bearersof the arkof the LORDhad gonesixpaces,he sacrificedan oxand a fatling.
Then allthe eldersof Israelcame,and the prieststookup the ark.
The sonsof the Levitescarriedthe arkof Godon their shoulderswith the polesthereon,as Moseshad commandedaccording to the wordof the LORD.
ThenDavidsaid,"Noone is to carrythe arkof Godbut the Levites;for the LORDchosethem to carrythe arkof Godand to ministerto Him forever."
"Also,the Leviteswill nolonger need to carrythe tabernacleand allits utensilsfor its service."
"You shall setboundsfor the peopleallaround,saying,Bewarethat you do not goup on the mountainor touchthe borderof it; whoevertouchesthe mountainshall surelybe putto death.
Then the LORDspoketo Moses,"Godown,warnthe people,sothat they do not breakthroughto the LORDto gaze,and manyof them perish.
"Its polesshall be insertedinto the rings,so that the polesshall be on the twosidesof the altarwhen it is carried.
"He shall putthe incenseon the firebeforethe LORD,that the cloudof incensemay coverthe mercyseatthat is on [the ark of] the testimony,otherwisehe will die.
"But you shall appointthe Levitesoverthe tabernacleof the testimony,and overallits furnishingsand overallthat belongs to it. They shall carrythe tabernacleand allits furnishings,and they shall takecareof it; they shall also camparoundthe tabernacle.
"So when the tabernacleis to setout, the Levitesshall takeit down;and when the tabernacleencamps,the Levitesshall setit up. But the laymanwho comesnearshall be putto death.
Then the Kohathitessetout, carryingthe holy[objects]; and the tabernaclewas setup beforetheir arrival.
"And they shall thus attendto your obligationand the obligationof allthe tent,but they shall not comenearto the furnishingsof the sanctuaryand the altar,orboththey and you will die.
Now those who were to campbeforethe tabernacleeastward,beforethe tentof meetingtoward the sunrise,are Mosesand Aaronand his sons,performingthe dutiesof the sanctuaryfor the obligationof the sonsof Israel;but the laymancomingnearwas to be putto death.
"They shall also puton it allits utensilsby whichthey servein connectionwith it: the firepans,the forksand shovelsand the basins,allthe utensilsof the altar;and they shall spreada coverof porpoiseskinoverit and insertits poles.
"But dothisto them that they may liveand not diewhen they approachthe mostholy[objects]: Aaronand his sonsshall goin and assigneachof them to his workand to his load;
but they shall not goin to seethe holy[objects] even for a moment,or they will die."
But he did not give[any] to the sonsof Kohathbecausetheirs[was] the serviceof the holy[objects, which] they carriedon the shoulder.
So Moseswrotethislawand gaveit to the priests,the sonsof Leviwho carriedthe arkof the covenantof the LORD,and to allthe eldersof Israel.
For the priestswho carriedthe arkwere standingin the middleof the Jordanuntileverythingwas completedthat the LORDhad commandedJoshuato speakto the people,according to allthat Moseshad commandedJoshua.And the peoplehurriedand crossed;
He struckdownsome of the menof Beth-shemeshbecausethey had lookedinto the arkof the LORD.He struckdownof all the people,50070men,and the peoplemournedbecausethe LORDhad struckthe peoplewith a greatslaughter.
