Numbers 8:16

16 They are the men of Israel who will be given to me completely. I have taken them to be my own. I have taken them in place of every son who is born first in his family in Israel.

Numbers 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 8:16

For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children
of Israel
All of them, entirely, and most certainly; or, "given, given" ^F21, which is repeated for the confirmation of it; or because of their being twice given, first to the Lord by the children of Israel, and then by the Lord to Aaron and his sons, as Chaskuni; though Jarchi interprets it of the different parts of their service they were devoted to, given for bearing and carrying the vessels of the sanctuary, and given for the song, or to be singers in the temple:

instead of such as open, every womb, [even instead of] the firstborn
of all the children of Israel have I taken them unto me;
(See Gill on Numbers 3:12), and (See Gill on Numbers 3:13).

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (Myntn Myntn) "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Drusius and Ainsworth.

Numbers 8:16 In-Context

14 That is how I want you to set the Levites apart from the other men of Israel. The Levites will belong to me.

15 "Make the Levites pure. Give them to me as a wave offering. Then they must come to do their work at the Tent of Meeting.

16 They are the men of Israel who will be given to me completely. I have taken them to be my own. I have taken them in place of every son who is born first in his family in Israel.

17 "Every male that is born first in Israel belongs to me. That is true whether it is a man or an animal. I struck down all of the males that were born first to a mother in Egypt. Then I set apart for myself all of the males that were born first in Israel.

18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all of the sons who are born first in Israel.