Numbers 8:16

16 I have claimed them in the place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites, and they belong to me alone.

Numbers 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 8:16

For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children
of Israel
All of them, entirely, and most certainly; or, "given, given" ^F21, which is repeated for the confirmation of it; or because of their being twice given, first to the Lord by the children of Israel, and then by the Lord to Aaron and his sons, as Chaskuni; though Jarchi interprets it of the different parts of their service they were devoted to, given for bearing and carrying the vessels of the sanctuary, and given for the song, or to be singers in the temple:

instead of such as open, every womb, [even instead of] the firstborn
of all the children of Israel have I taken them unto me;
(See Gill on Numbers 3:12), and (See Gill on Numbers 3:13).

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (Myntn Myntn) "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Drusius and Ainsworth.

Numbers 8:16 In-Context

14 Separate the Levites in this way from the rest of the Israelites, so that they will belong to me.

15 After you have purified and dedicated the Levites, they will be qualified to work in the Tent.

16 I have claimed them in the place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites, and they belong to me alone.

17 When I killed all the first-born in Egypt, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal.

18 I am now taking the Levites instead of all the first-born of the Israelites,