Numbers 1:50

Num 1:50-51. The tabernacle of testimony — So called here, and Exo 38:21, because it was made chiefly for the sake of the ark of the testimony, which is often called the testimony. The stranger elsewhere is one of another nation, here one of another tribe. That cometh nigh — So as to do the offices mentioned Num 1:50.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:50-53 The Levites inherited the task of erecting, dismantling, transporting, and guarding the Tabernacle. By keeping unauthorized persons from getting too close or desecrating it, they protected the Hebrews from the Lord’s anger.

1:50 Tabernacle of the Covenant: This portable sanctuary symbolized the presence of the Lord and represented Israel’s covenant relationship with him.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Hebrew, camp.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(50) The tabernacle of testimony.—The testimony (sometimes described as the two tables of the testimony (Exo_31:18; Exo_34:29) denotes in the first instance the tables of the law which were directed to be placed in the ark (Exo_25:16; Exo_25:21). Hence the ark is described as the ark of the testimony (Exo_25:22; Exo_26:33), and the tabernacle as the tabernacle of the testimony (Exo_38:21), and the tent, including the outer covering of the mishkan, or wooden building, is called the tent of the testimony (Num_9:15). Also the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy is called the veil of the testimony (Lev_24:3).

And shall encamp round about the tabernacle.—The tent of meeting was like a royal palace, and the Levites served as a guard of honour round about it, to protect it from every sort of desecration.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

50. the tabernacle of the testimony] Better the dwelling, &c. The Heb. mishkân, denoting the place where Jehovah’s presence dwelt among His people, is used in the Hexateuch by P only. The rendering ‘tabernacle’ confuses it with ’ôhel ‘tent.’ See note on Num_1:1.

The ‘testimony’ or ‘witness’ refers to the stone tablets of the decalogue, which were placed in the ark and were a testimony or witness to the ethical character of Israel’s God and the ethical character which He desired to see in His people. Similar expressions are ‘the ark of the testimony’ (Exo_25:22), the ‘tablets of the testimony’ (Exo_31:18), the ‘veil of the testimony’ (Lev_24:3). On the significance of the various names of the Tabernacle see the writer’s Exodus, p. lxxxvii.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony,.... So called from the ark in it, in which was the law of God, which was a testimony of the will of God to his people:

and over all the vessels thereof; the candlestick, table: and altars, as Aben Ezra notes:

and over all things that belong to it; the vessels of vessels, as the same writer calls them; for the candlestick, shewbread table, and the two altars of incense and burnt offering had vessels appertaining to them:

they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; carry them from place to place when needful:

and they shall minister unto it; by taking care of the instruments of it and the vessels in it, but not by doing any part of the priestly office in it, as offering sacrifice, burning incense, and the like:

and shall encamp round about the tabernacle; they were a sort of camp or army of themselves, and their station was around the tabernacle, which was a kind of royal palace to God the King of kings; so that as they were the king's legion, and to be numbered alone, as Jarchi observes, in Num 1:49, so they were a guard about his palace, and were placed between that and the camp of Israel.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The tabernacle of testimony; so called here, and Exo 38:21 because it was made chiefly for the sake of the ark of the testimony, 2Sa 7:2, which is oft called the testimony, as hath been observed before.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

50. Tabernacle of testimony — In the Hebrew these words are not the same as in the first verse. They should have been translated the dwelling, or abode of the Law. See the Hebrew of Exo_38:21. The tables of the Law — the two tables of stone — were kept in the tabernacle. Exo_31:18.

They shall bear the tabernacle — In this service each of the three Levitical families had its separate department. The Gershonites carried the hangings and cords. They were allowed two wagons and four oxen to each. The Kohathites carried on their shoulders the ark, table of show-bread, candlestick, two altars, and hangings of the holy of holies. The Merarites transported the frameboards, pillars, bars, etc., with the aid of four wagons and eight oxen.

And shall encamp round about the tabernacle — The Gershonites on the west, the Kohathites on the south, the Merarites on the north, and the priests on the east or front. See Num_3:23-38. They were allowed to take no part in the services of the altar. Num_18:2-7.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The tabernacle of testimony - So called here, and Exod. xxxviii, 21, because it was made chiefly for the sake of the ark of the testimony, which is often called the testimony.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

the tabernacle of the covenant decrees

The tabernacle was also called by this longer name because the ark with the law of God was placed inside it.

everything in it

Here "it" refers to the tabernacle.

The Levites must carry the tabernacle

It was their job to carry the tabernacle when they traveled. AT: "When you travel, the Levites must carry the tabernacle" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

make their camp around it

This means that they were to set up their tents around the tabernacle. AT: "set up their tents around it" (See: Idiom)

translationWords

assign

tabernacle

covenant

decree

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ואתה הפקד את הלוים BUT THOU SHALT APPOINT THE LEVITES OVERSEERS [OVER THE TABERNACLE etc.] — Understand the word הפקד as the Targum does:,מני “appoint”; it (the word מני) is an expression for appointing a person to control that thing over which he has been appointed; similar is, (Esther 2:3) “and let the king appoint (ויפקד) officers”.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Mishkon of Testimony. This is the Tent of Meeting, the Mishkon of the Ark that contained the Tablets of Testimony.

And over all of its utensils. Such as the Menorah, the Table, and the Altars.

And over all that belongs to it. This refers to the utensils used for the utensils.

They shall carry. They are the ones who carry when the camp travels, and they are the ones who serve when they are in an encampment, and they shall camp surrounding the Mishkon.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.