Numbers 8:8-12

8 Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.^[a]

9 Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting and assemble the whole Israelite community.

10 You are to bring the Levites before the LORD, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.

11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the LORD.

12 “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, using one for a sin offering to the LORD and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.

Numbers 8:8-12 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. Leviticus 2:1; Numbers 15:8-10
• 2. Leviticus 4:3
• 3. Exodus 40:12
• 4. Leviticus 8:3
• 5. S Leviticus 3:2; Acts 6:6
• 6. S Exodus 29:24; Leviticus 7:30
• 7. S Exodus 29:10
• 8. Leviticus 4:3; Numbers 6:11
• 9. Leviticus 1:3
• 10. S Exodus 29:36

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "purification offering" ; also in verse 12