Numbers 8:1-9

The Lighting in the Tabernacle

1 The Lord spoke to Moses:

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

3 So Aaron did this; he set up its lamps [to give light] in front of the lampstand just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

4 This is the way the lampstand was made: it was a hammered work of gold, hammered from its base to its flower petals. The lampstand was made according to the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.^[a]

Consecration of the Levites

5 The Lord spoke to Moses:

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

7 This is what you must do to them for their purification: Sprinkle them with the purification water.^[b] Have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.^[c]

8 "They are to take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.

9 Bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire Israelite community.^[d]

Numbers 8:1-9 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Ex 25:31-40
• [b] Nm 19:7,13,17,20; Lv 14:51; Heb 9:13,23
• [c] Nm 6:19; Lv 8:1-6; 14:8-9
• [d] Ex 29:4; Lv 8:1-6