Numbers 8:23-26

Retirement of the Levites

23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

24 “This applies to the Levites: ¹from twenty-five years old and upward they^[a] shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting.

25 And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more.

26 They minister^[b] to their brothers in the tent of meeting ²by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties. ”

Numbers 8:23-26 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.

Cross References

• 1. 8:24 [ch. 4:3; 1 Chr. 23:3, 24, 27]
• 2. 8:26 See ch. 1:53

Footnotes

• [a] 8:24 Hebrew 'he'; also verses 25, 26
• [b] 8:26 Hebrew 'He ministers'