Numbers 8:10

10 and thou shalt present the Levites before Jehovah. And the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites:

Numbers 8:10 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 8:10

And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord
From the door of the tabernacle, to the altar of burnt offering, where the Lord was in some sense present to accept the sacrifices offered to him:

and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites;
as were used to be put upon sacrifices, for the Levites were themselves offered for an offering of the children of Israel, as is expressed in ( Numbers 8:11 ) ; by which rite they signified that they voluntarily parted with them, and gave them up to the Lord, and transferred their service to them, in which they were to serve in their room and stead; these, according to some Jewish writers, were the firstborn of Israel that laid their hands on the Levites, a type of the general assembly and church of the firstborn; or rather the princes and heads of the tribes, who represented the whole body. Some think by this rite is signified the consent of the people in the designation and appointment of the ministers of the word to their work and office; but what in the New Testament seems to answer to this is, the laying of the hands of the presbytery on ministers of the word, ( 1 Timothy 4:14 ) .

Numbers 8:10 In-Context

8 Then let them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil; and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering.

9 And thou shalt present the Levites before the tent of meeting: and thou shalt assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel:

10 and thou shalt present the Levites before Jehovah. And the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites:

11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Jehovah for a wave-offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Jehovah.

12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, unto Jehovah, to make atonement for the Levites.