Numbers 8:13-23

13 And thou shalt set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and of his, and shalt consecrate them being offered to the Lord,
14 And shalt separate them from the midst of the children of Israel, to be mine.
15 And afterwards they shall enter into the tabernacle of the covenant, to serve me. And thus shalt thou purify and consecrate them for an oblation of the Lord: for as a gift they were given me by the children of Israel.
16 I have taken them instead of the firstborn that open every womb in Israel,
17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel, both of men and of beasts, are mine. From the day that I slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, have I sanctified them to myself:
18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel:
19 And have delivered them for a gift to Aaron and his sons out of the midst of the people, to serve me for Israel in the tabernacle of the covenant, and to pray for them, lest there should be a plague among the people, if they should presume to approach unto my sanctuary.
20 And Moses and Aaron and all the multitude of the children of Israel did with the Levites all that the Lord had commanded Moses
21 And they were purified, and washed their garments. And Aaron lifted them up in the sight of the Lord, and prayed for them,
22 That being purified they might go into the tabernacle of the covenant to do their services before Aaron and his sons. As the Lord had commanded Moses touching the Levites, so was it done.
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

Numbers 8:13-23 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.

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