Numbers 4:5-6
When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This passage highlights a fascinating detail: the sacred veil that separates the Holy of Holies is itself used as a protective covering for the Ark. It's not just any cloth; it’s the very barrier to God's immediate presence, showing how even the most holy things are meant to guard and conceal the Ark until it's time for it to be moved.
As the Israelite camp prepares to move, this passage details the sacred task of dismantling the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons, the priests, are responsible for carefully covering the Ark of the Covenant with the inner veil that separated the most holy place, ensuring it remains unseen and untouched by the Levites who will carry it. This action highlights the immense holiness of the Ark and the reverence required for its transport.
You'd think only the High Priest could go near the Ark, right? But in this instance, something extraordinary happens.
Normally, the space behind the inner curtain – the Holy of Holies – was entered only by the High Priest, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement. This was the most sacred space, where God's presence dwelled. However, when the Israelite camp was breaking down to move, Aaron and his sons were permitted to enter this restricted area. This wasn't a casual visit; it was a sacred duty. The divine cloud, signaling the camp's movement, had lifted from the Tabernacle, indicating God's presence was temporarily drawing back, allowing for this essential task of packing the sacred items.
Why cover the Ark with the very veil that separated the most holy place? It's about more than just hiding it.
The 'veil of the screen' was the thick curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. When the camp was moving, this significant curtain was taken down and used to cover the Ark of the Testimony. This served a dual purpose. First, it was an act of profound reverence and protection. The Ark, housing the stone tablets with God's law, was incredibly sacred. Covering it ensured that the Levites, who were tasked with carrying the Ark (and were not priests), would not accidentally see or improperly touch it. Second, it maintained a sense of the sacred space even while the Tabernacle was being disassembled and moved. The veil itself, having screened God's presence, carried a sacredness that was now applied to protect the Ark on its journey.
Understand the original words
paroket · Hebrew Noun
A heavy curtain used to partition sacred spaces; it signifies the separation between God's presence and the people, and the requirement of atonement for access.
aron 'edut · Hebrew Noun Phrase
The sacred chest containing the stone tablets of the law, representing the presence of God and His covenant with Israel.
tachash · Hebrew Noun
A durable, weather-resistant outer layer used to protect sacred items during transport, symbolizing the separation and protection of holy objects from profane contact.
tekeleth · Hebrew Noun
A symbolic color representing heaven, divinity, and the commandment of God; it was often used in the tabernacle to signify the heavenly origin of the sanctuary.
This passage highlights the profound holiness of God's presence, especially symbolized by the Ark. Even when the camp moves, the transition requires sacred procedures, underscoring that God's presence is to be treated with the utmost reverence and separation, even during mobility.
c. 1440 BC
Tabernacle Construction
Following the Exodus from Egypt, God instructs Moses to build the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary containing the Ark of the Covenant. This signifies God's dwelling presence among His people as they journey.
c. 1440 BC
Veil Separates Holy Places
The Tabernacle is designed with a thick veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Holy of Holies). Only the High Priest may enter the Most Holy Place, and only once a year.
c. 1440 BC— this verse
Ark Covered for Transport
The Ark of the Covenant is equipped with poles for carrying and is to be covered with sacred cloths, including the veil from the Most Holy Place, to protect it and obscure it from view.
c. 1440 BC
Levitical Transport Regulations
Specific instructions are given for the Kohathite Levites regarding the transport of the Ark and other sacred furnishings, emphasizing their reverence and the need for Aaron and his sons to oversee.
This passage describes the inner veil itself, the very curtain that Aaron and his sons use to cover the Ark in Numbers 4:5, highlighting its role in separating the sacred spaces within the Tabernacle.
Hebrews 9:3This New Testament passage refers to the second veil, directly connecting it to the Holy of Holies where the Ark resided, reinforcing the significance of this barrier.
Hebrews 9:7This verse states that only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place once a year, making the action in Numbers 4:5—where Aaron and his sons enter to cover the Ark—a special, authorized exception for a specific purpose.
Luke 23:45This passage describes the tearing of the temple veil at the moment of Jesus' death, drawing a powerful parallel to the veil mentioned in Numbers 4:5 and symbolizing a new access to God.
Exodus 40:3This verse details the initial setting up of the Tabernacle, where the veil was first hung to conceal the Ark, providing the context for why it was used as a covering when the camp moved.
pulpitNumbers 4:5: "And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:"
Verse 5. - The covering veil. The curtain which hung before the holy of holies, afterwards known as "the veil of the temple" (Luke 23:45).
pooleNumbers 4:5: "And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it:"
For upon this necessary occasion the inferior priests are allowed to come into the holy of holies, which otherwise was peculiar to the high priest, Hebrews 9:7 . The covering veil; the second veil; of which see Exodus 26:31 , &c. Leviticus 4:6 Hebrews 9:3 ; where, with the ark was covered while the tabernacle stood, Exodus 40:3 . A…
This passage highlights a fascinating detail: the sacred veil that separates the Holy of Holies is itself used as a protective covering for the Ark. It's not just any cloth; it’s the very barrier to God's immediate presence, showing how even the most holy things are meant to guard and conceal the Ark until it's time for it to be moved.
As the Israelite camp prepares to move, this passage details the sacred task of dismantling the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons, the priests, are responsible for carefully covering the Ark of the Covenant with the inner veil that separated the most holy place, ensuring it remains unseen and untouched by the Levites who will carry it. This action highlights the immense holiness of the Ark and the reverence required for its transport.
As the Israelite camp prepares to move, this passage details the sacred task of dismantling the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons, the priests, are responsible for carefully covering the Ark of the Covenant with the inner veil that separated the most holy place, ensuring it remains unseen and untouched by the Levites who will carry it. This action highlights the immense holiness of the Ark and the reverence required for its transport.
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c. 1400 BC - 586 BC
Wilderness Journey and Conquest
Israel journeys through the wilderness and eventually conquers Canaan, with the Tabernacle and its sacred contents, including the Ark, being moved according to these divine protocols.
"When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, an…" — This passage highlights a fascinating detail: the sacred veil that separates the Holy of Holies is itself used as a protective covering for the Ark. It's not just any cloth; it’s the very barrier t…
