The Fourth Book of Moses: Numbers

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 8 -

(Exodus 25:31–40; Exodus 37:17–24)

And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

“Speak to Aaron, and you have said to him: In your causing the lights to go up, the seven lights give light toward the front of the face of the lampstand.”

And Aaron does so; he has caused its lights to go up toward the front of the face of the lampstand, as YHWH has commanded Moses.

And this [is] the work of the lampstand: beaten work of gold; from its thigh to its flower it [is] beaten work; as the appearance which YHWH showed Moses, so he has made the lampstand.

Cleansing the Levites

And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

“Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and you have cleansed them.

And thus you do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle waters of atonement on them, and they have caused a razor to pass over all their flesh, and have washed their garments, and cleansed themselves,

and have taken a bullock, a son of the herd, and its present, flour mixed with oil, and you take a second bullock, a son of the herd, for a sin-offering;

and you have brought the Levites near before the Tent of Meeting, and you have assembled all the congregation of the sons of Israel,

and you have brought the Levites near before YHWH, and the sons of Israel have laid their hands on the Levites,

and Aaron has waved the Levites [as] a wave-offering before YHWH, from the sons of Israel, and they have been [consecrated] for doing the service of YHWH.

And the Levites lay their hands on the head of the bullocks, and make one a sin-offering and one a burnt-offering to YHWH, to atone for the Levites.

And you have caused the Levites to stand before Aaron, and before his sons, and have waved them [as] a wave-offering to YHWH;

and you have separated the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and the Levites have become Mine;

and afterward the Levites come in to serve the Tent of Meeting, and you have cleansed them, and have waved them [as] a wave-offering.

For they are certainly given to Me out of the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of him who opens any womb—the firstborn of all; I have taken them for Myself from the sons of Israel;

for every firstborn among the sons of Israel [is] Mine, among man and among beast; in the day of My striking every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself;

and I take the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

And I give the Levites [as] gifts to Aaron and to his sons, from the midst of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the sons of Israel in the Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the sons of Israel, and there is no plague among the sons of Israel in the sons of Israel drawing near to the holy place.”

And Moses does—Aaron also, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel—to the Levites according to all that YHWH has commanded Moses concerning the Levites; so the sons of Israel have done to them.

And the Levites cleanse themselves, and wash their garments, and Aaron waves them [as] a wave-offering before YHWH, and Aaron makes atonement for them to cleanse them,

and afterward the Levites have gone in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting, before Aaron and before his sons; as YHWH has commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they have done to them.

Retirement for Levites

And YHWH speaks to Moses, saying,

“This [is] who [is] for the Levites: from a son of twenty-five years and upward he goes in to serve the host in the service of the Tent of Meeting,

and from a son of fifty years he returns from the host of the service, and does not serve anymore,

and he has ministered with his brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to keep the charge, and does not do service; thus you do to the Levites concerning their charge.”

(Exodus 25:31–40; Exodus 37:17–24)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Speak to Aaron, and tell him, ‘When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lamp stand.’”

Aaron did so. He lit its lamps to light the area in front of the lamp stand, as the LORD commanded Moses.

This was the workmanship of the lamp stand, beaten work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was beaten work. He made the lamp stand according to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses.

Cleansing the Levites

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

You shall do this to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of cleansing on them, let them shave their whole bodies with a razor, let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.

Then let them take a young bull and its meal offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and another young bull you shall take for a sin offering.

You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting. You shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel.

You shall present the Levites before the LORD. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites,

and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for a wave offering on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of the LORD.

“The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites.

You shall set the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.

Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.

“After that, the Levites shall go in to do the service of the Tent of Meeting. You shall cleanse them, and offer them as a wave offering.

For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me.

For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself.

I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

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 Tent of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, so that there will be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near to the sanctuary.”

Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel did so to the Levites. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the children of Israel did to them.

The Levites purified themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a wave offering before the LORD and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.

After that, the Levites went in to do their service in the Tent of Meeting before Aaron and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

Retirement for Levites

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“This is what is assigned to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait on the service in the work of the Tent of Meeting;

and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from doing the work, and shall serve no more,

but shall assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall perform no service. This is how you shall have the Levites do their duties.”