Numbers 8

1 ADONAI said to Moshe,

2 "Tell Aharon, 'When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to cast their light forward, in front of the menorah.'"

3 Aharon did this: he lit its lamps so as to give light in front of the menorah, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

4 Here is how the menorah was made: it was hammered gold from its base to its flowers, hammered work, following the pattern ADONAI had shown Moshe. This is how he made the menorah.

5 ADONAI said to Moshe,

6 "Take the L'vi'im from among the people of Isra'el and cleanse them.

7 Here is how you are to cleanse them: sprinkle the purification water on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor, and have them wash their clothes and cleanse themselves.

8 Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering, which is to be fine flour mixed with olive oil; while you take another bull for a sin offering.

9 You are to present the L'vi'im in front of the tent of meeting, and assemble the entire community of the people of Isra'el.

10 You will present the L'vi'im before ADONAI, the people of Isra'el will lay their hands on the L'vi'im,

11 and Aharon will offer the L'vi'im before ADONAI as a wave offering from the people of Isra'el, so that they may do ADONAI's service.

12 The L'vi'im will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; the one you will offer as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to ADONAI to make atonement for the L'vi'im.

13 You are to place the L'vi'im before Aharon and his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to ADONAI.

14 In this way you will separate the L'vi'im from the people of Isra'el, and the L'vi'im will belong to me.

15 "After that, the L'vi'im will enter and do the service of the tent of meeting. You will cleanse them and offer them as a wave offering,

16 because they are entirely given to me from among the people of Isra'el; I have taken them for myself in place of all those who come first out of the womb, that is, the firstborn males of the people of Isra'el.

17 For all the firstborn among the people of Isra'el are mine, both humans and animals; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

18 But I have taken the L'vi'im in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra'el,

19 and I have given the L'vi'im to Aharon and his sons from among the people of Isra'el to do the service of the people of Isra'el in the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Isra'el, so that no plague will fall on the people of Isra'el in consequence of their coming too close to the sanctuary."

20 This is what Moshe, Aharon and all the community of the people of Isra'el did to the L'vi'im. The people of Isra'el acted in accordance with everything that ADONAI had ordered Moshe in regard to the L'vi'im.

21 The L'vi'im purified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aharon offered them as a holy gift before ADONAI and made atonement for them in order to cleanse them.

22 After that, the L'vi'im came to do their service in the tent of meeting in front of Aharon and his sons; they acted in accordance with ADONAI's orders to Moshe in regard to the L'vi'im.

23 ADONAI said to Moshe,

24 "Here are instructions concerning the L'vi'im: when they reach the age of twenty-five, they are to begin performing their duties serving in the tent of meeting;

25 and when they reach the age of fifty, they are to stop performing this work and not serve any longer.

26 They will assist their brothers who are performing their duties in the tent of meeting, but they themselves will not do any of the work. This is what you are to do with the L'vi'im in regard to their duties."

Numbers 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

The lamps of the sanctuary. (1-4) Consecration of the Levites, and their service. (5-26)

Verses 1-4 Aaron himself lighted the lamps, thus representing his Divine Master. The Scripture is a light shining in a dark place, ( 2 Peter. 1:19 ) the tabernacle, which had no window, would have been without the lamps. The work of ministers is to light these lamps, by expounding and applying the word of God. Jesus Christ is the only Light of our dark, sinful world; and by his atonement, by his word and the Holy Spirit, he diffuses light around.

Verses 5-26 Here we have directions for the solemn ordination of the Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from others. All who are employed for God, must be dedicated to him, according to the employment. Christians must be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. The Levites must be cleansed. They must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Moses must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them. This signifies the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, that we may be fit to serve the living God. God declares his acceptance of them. All who expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle, must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants, he needs not the service of any of them; so none are merely honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns, he employs; angels themselves have their services.

Chapter Summary

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.