12 And the Levites H3881 shall lay H5564 their hands H3027 upon the heads H7218 of the bullocks: H6499 and thou shalt offer H6213 the one H259 for a sin offering, H2403 and the other H259 for a burnt offering, H5930 unto the LORD, H3068 to make an atonement H3722 for the Levites. H3881
For G1063 it is not possible G102 that the blood G129 of bulls G5022 and G2532 of goats G5131 should take away G851 sins. G266 Wherefore G1352 when he cometh G1525 into G1519 the world, G2889 he saith, G3004 Sacrifice G2378 and G2532 offering G4376 thou wouldest G2309 not, G3756 but G1161 a body G4983 hast thou prepared G2675 me: G3427 In burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 sacrifices for G4012 sin G266 thou hast had G2106 no G3756 pleasure. G2106 Then G5119 said I, G2036 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 (in G1722 the volume G2777 of the book G975 it is written G1125 of G4012 me,) G1700 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 Above G511 when he said, G3004 G3754 Sacrifice G2378 and G2532 offering G4376 and G2532 burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 offering for G4012 sin G266 thou wouldest G2309 not, G3756 neither G3761 hadst pleasure G2106 therein; which G3748 are offered G4374 by G2596 the law; G3551 Then G5119 said he, G2046 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 He taketh away G337 the first, G4413 that G2443 he may establish G2476 the second. G1208 By G1722 the which G3739 will G2307 we are G2070 sanctified G37 through G1223 the offering G4376 of the body G4983 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 once G2178 for all.
And he shall make an atonement H3722 for the holy H6944 place, because of the uncleanness H2932 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and because of their transgressions H6588 in all their sins: H2403 and so shall he do H6213 for the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 that remaineth H7931 among them in the midst H8432 of their uncleanness. H2932 And there shall be no man H120 in the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 when he goeth H935 in to make an atonement H3722 in the holy H6944 place, until he come out, H3318 and have made an atonement H3722 for himself, and for his household, H1004 and for all the congregation H6951 of Israel. H3478 And he shall go out H3318 unto the altar H4196 that is before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and make an atonement H3722 for it; and shall take H3947 of the blood H1818 of the bullock, H6499 and of the blood H1818 of the goat, H8163 and put H5414 it upon the horns H7161 of the altar H4196 round about. H5439 And he shall sprinkle H5137 of the blood H1818 upon it with his finger H676 seven H7651 times, H6471 and cleanse H2891 it, and hallow H6942 it from the uncleanness H2932 of the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And the priest H3548 shall offer H6213 the sin offering, H2403 and make an atonement H3722 for him that is to be cleansed H2891 from his uncleanness; H2932 and afterward H310 he shall kill H7819 the burnt offering: H5930 And the priest H3548 shall offer H5927 the burnt offering H5930 and the meat offering H4503 upon the altar: H4196 and the priest H3548 shall make an atonement H3722 for him, and he shall be clean. H2891
And he shall sprinkle H5137 of the blood H1818 of the sin offering H2403 upon the side H7023 of the altar; H4196 and the rest H7604 of the blood H1818 shall be wrung out H4680 at the bottom H3247 of the altar: H4196 it is a sin offering. H2403 And he shall offer H6213 the second H8145 for a burnt offering, H5930 according to the manner: H4941 and the priest H3548 shall make an atonement H3722 for him for his sin H2403 which he hath sinned, H2398 and it shall be forgiven H5545 him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 8
Commentary on Numbers 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Nu 8:1-4. How the Lamps Are to Be Lighted.
1. the Lord spake unto Moses—The order of this chapter suggests the idea that the following instructions were given to Moses while he was within the tabernacle of the congregation, after the princes had completed their offering. But from the tenor of the instructions, it is more likely that they were given immediately after the Levites had been given to the priests (see on Nu 3:1-4:49), and that the record of these instructions had been postponed till the narrative of other transactions in the camp had been made [Patrick].
2. Speak unto Aaron, &c.—The candlestick, which was made of one solid, massive piece of pure gold, with six lamps supported on as many branches, a seventh in the center surmounting the shaft itself (Ex 25:31; 37:17), and completed according to the pattern shown in the mount, was now to be lighted, when the other things in the sanctuary began to be applied to religious service. It was Aaron's personal duty, as the servant of God, to light His house, which, being without windows, required the aid of lights (2Pe 1:19). And the course he was ordered to follow was first to light the middle lamp from the altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each other—a course symbolical of all the light of heavenly truth being derived from Christ, and diffused by His ministers throughout the world (Re 4:5).
the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick—The candlestick stood close to the boards of the sanctuary, on the south side, in full view of the table of showbread on the north (Ex 26:35), having one set of its lamps turned towards the east, and another towards the west; so that all parts of the tabernacle were thus lighted up.
Nu 8:5-22. The Consecration of the Levites.
6, 7. Take the Levites … and cleanse them—This passage describes the consecration of the Levites. Although the tribe was to be devoted to the divine service, their hereditary descent alone was not a sufficient qualification for entering on the duties of the sacred office. They were to be set apart by a special ceremony, which, however, was much simpler than that appointed for the priests; neither washing nor anointing, nor investiture with official robes, was necessary. Their purification consisted, along with the offering of the requisite sacrifices (Le 1:4; 3:2; 4:4), in being sprinkled by water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer (Nu 19:9), and shaved all over, and their clothes washed—a combination of symbolical acts which was intended to remind them of the mortification of carnal and worldly desires, and the maintenance of that purity in heart and life which became the servants of God.
9, 10. thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together, &c.—As it was plainly impossible that the whole multitude of the Israelites could do this, a select portion of them must be meant. This party, who laid their hands upon the Levites, are supposed by some to have been the first-born, who by that act, transferred their peculiar privilege of acting as God's ministers to the Levitical tribe; and by others, to have been the princes, who thus blessed them. It appears, from this passage, that the imposition of hands was a ceremony used in consecrating persons to holy offices in the ancient, as, from the example of our Lord and His apostles, it has been perpetuated in the Christian Church.
11-13. And Aaron shall offer the Levites—Hebrew, "as a wave offering"; and it has been thought probable that the high priest, in bringing the Levites one by one to the altar, directed them to make some simple movements of their persons, analogous to what was done at the presentation of the wave offerings before the Lord. Thus were they first devoted as an offering to God, and by Him surrendered to the priests to be employed in His service. The consecration ceremonial was repeated in the case of every Levite who was taken (as was done at a later period) to assist the priests in the tabernacle and temple. (See on 2Ch 29:34).
14. and the Levites shall be mine—that is, exempt from all military duty or secular work—free from all pecuniary imposition and wholly devoted to the custody and service of the sanctuary.
15. after that, shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation—into the court, to assist the priests; and at removal into the tabernacle—that is, into the door of it—to receive the covered furniture.
19. to make an atonement for the children of Israel, &c.—to aid the priests in that expiatory work; or, as the words may be rendered, "to make redemption for" the Levites being exchanged or substituted for the first-born for this important end, that there might be a sanctified body of men appointed to guard the sanctuary, and the people not allowed to approach or presumptuously meddle with holy things, which would expose them to the angry judgments of Heaven.
24. from twenty and five years old, &c.—(Compare Nu 4:3). They entered on their work in their twenty-fifth year, as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at thirty they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions.
25. from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, &c.—that is, on the laborious and exhausting parts of their work.
26. But shall minister with their brethren—in the performance of easier and higher duties, instructing and directing the young, or superintending important trusts. "They also serve who only wait" [Milton].