Numbers 8:11-18

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.

16 They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn, the first male offspring from every Israelite woman.

17 Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.

Numbers 8:11-18 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

• 1. S Exodus 29:24; Leviticus 7:30
• 2. S Exodus 29:10
• 3. Leviticus 4:3; Numbers 6:11
• 4. Leviticus 1:3
• 5. S Exodus 29:36
• 6. S Exodus 29:24
• 7. S Numbers 3:12
• 8. S Exodus 29:24
• 9. Exodus 40:2
• 10. Numbers 1:20
• 11. S Numbers 3:12
• 12. S Exodus 4:23
• 13. S Exodus 22:29
• 14. S Exodus 13:2; Luke 2:23
• 15. S Numbers 3:12