Numbers 8:5-15

The Setting Apart of the Levites

5 The LORD said to Moses:
6 “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.
7 To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing on them; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes. And so they will purify themselves.
8 Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.[a]
9 Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting and assemble the whole Israelite community.
10 You are to bring the Levites before the LORD, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.
11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the LORD.
12 “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, using one for a sin offering to the LORD and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.
13 Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering to the LORD.
14 In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.
15 “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.

Numbers 8:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 8

In this chapter orders are given for the lighting the seven lamps of the candlestick, Nu 8:1-4; and for the consecration of the Levites to their office, by a purification of them, Nu 8:5-8; by a separation of them from the children of Israel, and the imposition of their hands on them, and of the hands of the Levites on the offerings offered for them, Nu 8:9-15; and being thus given to the Lord, and claimed as his, instead of the firstborn of Israel, they are given to Aaron and his sons to do service in the tabernacle, Nu 8:16-22; and their age at which they were to enter into service and cease from it is fixed, Nu 8:23-26.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Leviticus 22:2; Isaiah 1:16; Isaiah 52:11
  • 2. Numbers 19:9,17; Numbers 31:23
  • 3. S Leviticus 14:9; Numbers 6:9; Deuteronomy 21:12
  • 4. S Genesis 35:2; Leviticus 14:8
  • 5. S Genesis 35:2
  • 6. Leviticus 2:1; Numbers 15:8-10
  • 7. Leviticus 4:3
  • 8. Exodus 40:12
  • 9. Leviticus 8:3
  • 10. S Leviticus 3:2; Acts 6:6
  • 11. S Exodus 29:24; Leviticus 7:30
  • 12. S Exodus 29:10
  • 13. Leviticus 4:3; Numbers 6:11
  • 14. Leviticus 1:3
  • 15. S Exodus 29:36
  • 16. S Exodus 29:24
  • 17. S Numbers 3:12
  • 18. S Exodus 29:24
  • 19. Exodus 40:2

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "purification offering" ; also in verse 12
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