Numbers 8:7-17

7 iuxta hunc ritum aspergantur aqua lustrationis et radant omnes pilos carnis suae cumque laverint vestimenta sua et mundati fuerint

8 tollant bovem de armentis et libamentum eius similam oleo conspersam bovem autem alterum de armento tu accipies pro peccato

9 et adplicabis Levitas coram tabernaculo foederis convocata omni multitudine filiorum Israhel

10 cumque Levitae fuerint coram Domino ponent filii Israhel manus suas super eos

11 et offeret Aaron Levitas munus in conspectu Domini a filiis Israhel ut serviant in ministerio eius

12 Levitae quoque ponent manus suas super capita boum e quibus unum facies pro peccato et alterum in holocaustum Domini ut depreceris pro eis

13 statuesque Levitas in conspectu Aaron et filiorum eius et consecrabis oblatos Domino

14 ac separabis de medio filiorum Israhel ut sint mei

15 et postea ingrediantur tabernaculum foederis ut serviant mihi sicque purificabis et consecrabis eos in oblationem Domini quoniam dono donati sunt mihi a filiis Israhel

16 pro primogenitis quae aperiunt omnem vulvam in Israhel accepi eos

17 mea sunt omnia primogenita filiorum Israhel tam ex hominibus quam ex iumentis ex die quo percussi omnem primogenitum in terra Aegypti sanctificavi eos mihi

Numbers 8:7-17 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.