Numbers 8:1-11

1 The Lord said to Moses,

2 "Speak to Aaron and tell him, 'Put the seven lamps where they can light the area in front of the lampstand.'"

3 Aaron did this, putting the lamps so they lighted the area in front of the lampstand; he obeyed the command the Lord gave Moses.

4 The lampstand was made from hammered gold, from its base to the flowers. It was made exactly the way the Lord had showed Moses.

5 The Lord said to Moses,

6 "Take the Levites away from the other Israelites and make them clean.

7 This is what you should do to make them clean: Sprinkle the cleansing water on them, and have them shave their bodies and wash their clothes so they will be clean.

8 They must take a young bull and the grain offering of flour mixed with oil that goes with it. Then take a second young bull for a sin offering.

9 Bring the Levites to the front of the Meeting Tent, and gather all the Israelites around.

10 When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the Israelites should put their hands on them.

11 Aaron will present the Levites before the Lord as an offering presented from the Israelites. Then the Levites will be ready to do the work of the Lord.

Numbers 8:1-11 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.