Numbers 18:2

2 But also take thou with thee thy brethren of the lineage of Levi, and the sceptre, or power, of thy father, and be they ready, that they minister to thee. Forsooth thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of witnessing; (And also take with thee thy brothers from the tribe of Levi, thy father's tribe, and be they ready to serve thee. But thou and thy sons shall minister in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing;)

Numbers 18:2 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 18:2

And to thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of
thy father
For his father Amram was of that tribe, and so the Levites were his brethren, as he is directed to consider them; which might serve to conciliate their minds, and make them easy with respect to his enjoyment of the priesthood: bring them with thee;
into the court of the tabernacle, for further they might not go: that they maybe joined unto thee:
as their name of Levites signifies, persons joined and united to others, as they were to the priests: see reason of their patriarch's name Levi in ( Genesis 29:34 ) ; and minister unto thee:
be assisting to the priests in killing the sacrifices, receiving the blood, and flaying the beasts, and in other things about the sanctuary, ( Numbers 3:6 ) ; but thou, and thy sons with thee, [shall minister] before the
tabernacle of witness;
which was the most holy place, where were the ark of the testimony or witness, and the tables of the covenant; and they might be said to minister before that, when they ministered in the holy place, which was before it, when they burned incense upon the altar of incense, ordered the shewbread, and trimmed the lamps of the candlestick, which none but the priests the sons of Aaron might do.

Numbers 18:2 In-Context

1 And the Lord said to Aaron, Thou, and thy sons, and the house of thy father with thee, shall bear the wickedness of the saintuary; and thou and thy sons together shall suffer the sins of your priesthood (but only thou and thy sons shall bear the sins of your priesthood).

2 But also take thou with thee thy brethren of the lineage of Levi, and the sceptre, or power, of thy father, and be they ready, that they minister to thee. Forsooth thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of witnessing; (And also take with thee thy brothers from the tribe of Levi, thy father's tribe, and be they ready to serve thee. But thou and thy sons shall minister in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing;)

3 and the deacons shall (stand) watch at thy commandments, and at all the works of the tabernacle; so only that they nigh not to the vessels of the saintuary, and to the altar, lest both they die, and ye, and (you all) perish together. (and the Levites shall do thy commands, and all their work in the Tabernacle; but they must not go near the vessels of the sanctuary, lest both they and ye die, and all of you perish together.)

4 Soothly be they with thee, and (stand) watch they in the keepings of the tabernacle, and in all the ceremonies thereof. An alien shall not be meddled with you. (Yea, be they with thee, and do their duties in the Tabernacle, and at all of its ceremonies. But do not let a foreigner, or a stranger, be mixed in with you.)

5 (Stand) Watch ye in the keeping of the saintuary, and in the service of the altar, lest indignation rise upon the sons of Israel. (Do ye all your duties in the sanctuary, and in the service of the altar, lest indignation rise upon the Israelites.)