³⁶ The assigned duties of Merari’s descendants involved the tabernacle’s supports, crossbars, pillars, bases, all its equipment, and all the work related to these,^{(A) 37} in addition to the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, and ropes.

³⁸ Moses, Aaron, and his sons, who performed the duties of^[a] the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites, camped in front of the tabernacle on the east,^(B) in front of the tent of meeting toward the sunrise. Any unauthorized person who came near it was to be put to death.^(C)