Numbers 8:1-11

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2 Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.

3 Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

4 Now this was how the lampstand was made, out of hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

5 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

6 Take the Levites from among the Israelites and cleanse them.

7 Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor and wash their clothes, and so cleanse themselves.

8 Then let them take a young bull and its grain offering of choice flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a sin offering.

9 You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of the Israelites.

10 When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the Israelites shall lay their hands on the Levites,

11 and Aaron shall present the Levites before the Lord as an elevation offering from the Israelites, that they may do the service of the Lord.

Numbers 8:1-11 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.