Numbers 4:20

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

but they shall not go in to see the sanctuary even for a moment, lest they die.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְלֹא־יָבֹ֧אוּ לִרְא֛וֹת כְּבַלַּ֥ע אֶת־הַקֹּ֖דֶשׁ וָמֵֽתוּ׃

Transliteration

And not yābōʾû to lirʾôt as bəballaʿ [the] qōdeš wāmētû.

Grammar Details

*yābōʾû*: Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine plural - they shall come/enter
*lirʾôt*: Qal infinitive construct - to see/look at
*bəballaʿ*: Piel infinitive construct - swallowing/covering/packing up
*qōdeš*: noun, masculine singular - holy things/sanctuary
*wāmētû*: waw-consecutive + Qal perfect, 3rd person common plural - and they will die

Word Meanings

*yābōʾû*: enter/come/go in
*lirʾôt*: to see/look at/observe/gaze upon
*bəballaʿ*: swallowing/covering/packing up/when covering
*qōdeš*: holy place/sanctuary/holy things
*wāmētû*: and they will die/lest they die/or they will die

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

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Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Exod 19:21 : 21 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
1 Sam 6:19 : 19 And he smote of the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of Jehovah, he smote of the people seventy men, [and] fifty thousand men; and the people mourned, because Jehovah had smitten the people with a great slaughter.
Heb 10:19-20 : 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Rev 11:19 : 19 And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Lev 10:2 : 2 And there came forth fire from before Jehovah, and devoured them, and they died before Jehovah.
Num 4:15 : 15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp is set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
Num 4:19 : 19 but thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden;

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Num 4:17-19
3 verses
84%
17And Jehovah spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
18Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites;
19but thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden;
Num 4:21
82%
21And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 18:22
81%
22And henceforth the children of Israel shall not come nigh the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin, and die.
Num 18:3-5
3 verses
81%
3And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the Tent: only they shall not come nigh unto the vessels of the sanctuary and unto the altar, that they die not, neither they, nor ye.
4And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
5And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel.
Exod 30:20
80%
20when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
Num 4:15
80%
15And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the furniture of the sanctuary, as the camp is set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch the sanctuary, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting.
Ezek 42:14
78%
14When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments wherein they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to that which pertaineth to the people.
Lev 21:23
78%
23only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them.
Lev 16:2
77%
2and Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.
Lev 22:15-16
2 verses
77%
15And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto Jehovah,
16and [so] cause them to bear the iniquity that bringeth guilt, when they eat their holy things: for I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them.
Lev 22:9
77%
9They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die therein, if they profane it: I am Jehovah who sanctifieth them.
Exod 28:35
77%
35And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and the sound thereof shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before Jehovah, and when he cometh out, that he die not.
Lev 10:7
76%
7And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting, lest ye die; for the anointing oil of Jehovah is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.
Num 17:13
76%
13Every one that cometh near, that cometh near unto the tabernacle of Jehovah, dieth: shall we perish all of us?
Exod 19:21-22
2 verses
76%
21And Jehovah said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto Jehovah to gaze, and many of them perish.
22And let the priests also, that come near to Jehovah, sanctify themselves, lest Jehovah break forth upon them.
Ezek 44:13
76%
13And they shall not come near unto me, to execute the office of priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, unto the things that are most holy; but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.
Num 18:32
75%
32And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best thereof: and ye shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that ye die not.
Num 4:4-5
2 verses
75%
4This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, [about] the most holy things:
5when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony with it,
2 Chr 23:6
75%
6But let none come into the house of Jehovah, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all the people shall keep the charge of Jehovah.
Lev 15:31
75%
31Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is in the midst of them.
Exod 24:2
75%
2and Moses alone shall come near unto Jehovah; but they shall not come near; neither shall the people go up with him.
Lev 16:17
75%
17And there shall be no man in the tent of meeting when he goeth in to make atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel.
Lev 16:13
75%
13and he shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:
Lev 21:11
74%
11neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother;
Exod 19:12
73%
12And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death:
Lev 21:1
73%
1And Jehovah said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none defile himself for the dead among his people;
Ezek 44:19
73%
19And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments.
Exod 30:29
73%
29And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
Exod 28:43
73%
43and they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they go in unto the tent of meeting, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and unto his seed after him.
Lev 22:2
73%
2Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they hallow unto me, and that they profane not my holy name: I am Jehovah.
Num 3:38
72%
38And those that encamp before the tabernacle eastward, before the tent of meeting toward the sunrising, 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.
Ezek 44:16
72%
16they shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.
Num 1:51
72%
51And 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.
Num 4:12
72%
12and they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on the frame.
Lev 10:9
72%
9Drink no wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tent of meeting, that ye die not: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
Lev 8:35
72%
35And at the door of the tent of meeting shall ye abide day and night seven days, and keep the charge of Jehovah, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.
Ezek 44:25
72%
25And they shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.
Num 16:40
71%
40to be a memorial unto the children of Israel, to the end that no stranger, that is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to burn incense before Jehovah; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as Jehovah spake unto him by Moses.
Num 3:10
71%
10And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Lev 22:4
71%
4What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath an issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;
Lev 8:33
71%
33And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration be fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days.
Heb 12:20
71%
20for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;
Lev 16:23
71%
23And Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: