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Numbers 8

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Instructions for the Menorah 1–4

1
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. ​
3
And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
4
And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick. ​

Consecration of the Levites 5–22

5
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. ​
7
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. ​
8
Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
9
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:
10
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: ​
11
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. ​
12
And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. ​
13
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.
14
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. ​
15
And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.
16
For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. ​
17
For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. ​
18
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
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And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. ​
20
And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. ​
21
And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.
22
And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.

Age Requirements for Levite Service 23–26

23
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
24
This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: ​
25
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: ​
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But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Numbers 8

Verse 2

the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick — 'Lightest' is alah, literally to cause to go up, the verb of kindling. The wording repeats Ex 25:37, 'they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it'; the lamps were to burn 'continually' (Lev 24:2).

Verse 4

of beaten gold — Miqshah, work hammered out of one mass, the word of Ex 25:31 and 37:17, where the whole is of a talent of pure gold (Ex 37:24). 'Pattern' is mareh, an appearance shown; Moses was told, 'look that thou make them after their pattern' (Ex 25:40; cf. Heb 8:5).

Verse 6

cleanse them — Taher, to be made clean or pure. The Levites are first taken 'from among the children of Israel' and then purified before serving. The same demand is made of all who handle sacred things: 'be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD' (Isa 52:11).

Verse 7

water of purifying — Literally water of sin (chattath), that is, water for removing uncleanness, sprinkled as in Num 19:19. The shaving is literally causing a razor to pass over the flesh (taar). With the washing of clothes, the cleansing covered the body and the garments.

Verse 10

put their hands upon the Levites — Samak, to lean on, the verb used of the offerer's hand on the animal (Lev 1:4). Here the people lay hands on the Levites, who stand for 'all the firstborn' (Num 3:45). Hands are laid on those sent to service in Acts 13:3.

Verse 11

offer the Levites — The verb is nuph, to wave, and 'offering' is tenuphah, the wave offering (Lev 8:27 uses both words of the ram's portions). The Levites are presented to the LORD 'for an offering of the children of Israel', that they may 'execute the service' (abodah).

Verse 12

to make an atonement for the Levites — Kaphar. The Levites lay hands on two bullocks, one a sin offering and one a burnt offering, as Aaron and his sons did at their own consecration (Lev 8:14). The sin offering comes first, then the burnt offering, which is wholly given to God.

Verse 14

the Levites shall be mine — Badal, to divide or set apart, the verb of separation. The claim is made in Num 3:12, 'therefore the Levites shall be mine', and repeated in Num 3:45. Moses later reminds Korah that God 'hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself' (Num 16:9).

Verse 16

wholly given unto me — 'Wholly given' is nathan, to give, in the passive form, as in Num 3:9, 'they are wholly given unto him'. 'Open every womb' translates peter rechem, the firstling that opens the womb; 'instead of' marks the exchange, whose basis is Ex 13:2.

Verse 17

I sanctified them for myself — Qadash, to set apart as holy. The claim rests on the night 'that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt', when Israel's firstborn were spared (Ex 13:12, 15). Luke 2:23 cites the same law: 'Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord'.

Verse 19

that there be no plague — Negeph, a blow or stroke of judgment. The Levites do the service and so stand between the people and the holy things, 'that there be no wrath upon the congregation' (Num 1:53). 'Given as a gift' repeats nathan; see Num 18:6, 'to you they are given as a gift for the LORD'.

Verse 20

according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses — The verse names Moses, Aaron and 'all the congregation' as doing the act, with asah, 'do', used twice, once in each half. The report of exact obedience matches that of Aaron with the lamps (v.3).

Verse 24

twenty and five years old — 'Wait upon' is tsaba, a word from the vocabulary of the host, used of military service. Num 4:3 and 4:23 give 'thirty years old and upward even until fifty' for the work of bearing the tabernacle; this verse sets the age of entry into service at twenty-five.

Verse 25

from the age of fifty years — 'Cease waiting' uses shub, to turn back, with tsaba, the host, the same military figure as v.24. Num 4:23 gives fifty as the upper limit of the numbered service; 'shall serve no more' (abad) refers to that labour, not to all duties (v.26).

Verse 26

keep the charge — Shamar mishmereth, to guard a post; the Levites are said to 'keep the charge of the tabernacle' (Num 1:53). Retired Levites 'minister' (sharat) alongside their brethren in this watch, but 'shall do no service' (abodah), the labour of v.24.