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Numbers 8:15 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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15 and afterwards do the Levites come in to serve the tent of meeting, and thou hast cleansed them, and hast waved them -- a wave-offering.

Cross Reference

Numbers 8:11 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and Aaron hath waved the Levites -- a wave-offering before Jehovah, from the sons of Israel, and they have been -- for doing the service of Jehovah.

Numbers 8:13 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

and thou hast caused the Levites to stand before Aaron, and before his sons, and hast waved them -- a wave-offering to Jehovah;

Exodus 29:24 YLT

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`And thou hast set the whole on the hands of Aaron, and on the hands of his sons, and hast waved them -- a wave-offering before Jehovah;

Numbers 3:12 YLT

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`And I, lo, I have taken the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel instead of every first-born opening a womb among the sons of Israel, and the Levites have been Mine;

Numbers 3:23-37 YLT

KJV ASV DARBY WEB BBE STRONG

The families of the Gershonite, behind the tabernacle, do encamp westward. And the prince of a father's house for the Gershonite `is' Eliasaph son of Lael. And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting `is' the tabernacle, and the tent, its covering, and the vail at the opening of the tent of meeting, and the hangings of the court, and the vail at the opening of the court, which `is' by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and its cords, to all its service. And of Kohath `is' the family of the Amramite, and the family of the Izharite, and the family of the Hebronite, and the family of the Uzzielite; these are families of the Kohathite. In number, all the males, from a son of a month and upward, `are' eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary. The families of the sons of Kohath encamp by the side of the tabernacle southward. And the prince of a father's house for the families of the Kohathite `is' Elizaphan son of Uzziel. And their charge `is' the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary with which they serve, and the vail, and all its service. And `to' the prince of the princes of the Levites, Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, `is' the oversight of the keepers of the charge of the sanctuary. Of Merari `is' the family of the Mahlite, and the family of the Mushite; these `are' the families of Merari. And their numbered ones, in number, all the males from a son of a month and upward, `are' six thousand and two hundred. And the prince of a father's house for the families of Merari `is' Zuriel son of Abihail; by the side of the tabernacle they encamp northward. And the oversight -- the charge of the sons of Merari -- `is' the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and all its vessels, and all its service, and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

Numbers 4:3-32 YLT

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from a son of thirty years and upward, even till a son of fifty years, every one going in to the host, to do work in the tent of meeting. `This `is' the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, the holy of holies: that Aaron and his sons have come in, in the journeying of the camp, and have taken down the vail of the hanging, and have covered with it the ark of the testimony; and have put on it a covering of badger skin, and have spread a garment completely of blue above, and have placed its staves. `And on the table of the presence they spread a garment of blue, and have put on it the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and the cups of the libation, and the bread of continuity is on it, and they have spread over them a garment of scarlet, and have covered it with a covering of badger skin, and have placed its staves, and have taken a garment of blue, and have covered the candlestick of the lamp, and its lights, and its snuffers, and its snuff-dishes, and all its oil vessels wherewith they minister to it; and they have put it and all its vessels unto a covering of badger skin, and have put `it' on the bar. `And on the golden altar they spread a garment of blue, and have covered it with a covering of badger skin, and have placed its staves; and have taken all the vessels of ministry wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and have put `them' unto a garment of blue, and have covered them with a covering of badger skin, and have put `them' on the bar, and have removed the ashes of the altar, and have spread over it a garment of purple; and have put on it all its vessels wherewith they minister about it, the censers, the hooks, and the shovels, and the bowls, all the vessels of the altar, and have spread on it a covering of badger skin, and have placed its staves: `And Aaron hath finished -- his sons also -- covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, in the journeying of the camp, and afterwards do the sons of Kohath come in to bear `it', and they do not come unto the holy thing, that they have died; these `things are' the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting. `And the oversight of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, `is' the oil of the lamp, and the spice-perfume, and the present of continuity, and the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that `is' in it, in the sanctuary, and in its vessels.' And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, `Ye do not cut off the tribe of the families of the Kohathite from the midst of the Levites; but this do to them, and they have lived, and do not die in their drawing nigh the holy of holies: -- Aaron and his sons go in, and have set them, each man to his service, and unto his burden, and they go not in to see when the holy thing is swallowed, that they have died.' And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, `Take up the sum of the sons of Gershon also by the house of their fathers, by their families; from a son of thirty years and upward, till a son of fifty years thou dost number them, every one who is going in to serve the host, to do the service in the tent of meeting. `This `is' the service of the families of the Gershonite, to serve -- and for burden, and they have borne the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting, its covering, and the covering of the badger `skin' which `is' on it above, and the vail at the opening of the tent of meeting, and the hangings of the court, and the vail at the opening of the gate of the court which `is' by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the vessels of their service, and all that is made for them -- and they have served. `By the command of Aaron and his sons is all the service of the sons of the Gershonite in all their burden, and in all their service; and ye have laid a charge on them concerning the charge of all their burden. This `is' the service of the families of the sons of the Gershonite in the tent of meeting; and their charge `is' under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. `The sons of Merari, by their families, by the house of their fathers, thou dost number them; from a son of thirty years and upward even unto a son of fifty years thou dost number them, every one who is going in to the host, to do the service of the tent of meeting. `And this `is' the charge of their burden, of all their service in the tent of meeting; the boards of the tabernacle, and its bars, and its pillars, and its sockets, and the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, of all their vessels, and of all their service; and by name ye do number the vessels of the charge of their burden.

1 Chronicles 23:1-32 YLT

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And David is old, and satisfied with days, and causeth his son Solomon to reign over Israel, and gathereth all the heads of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites; and the Levites are numbered from a son of thirty years and upward, and their number, by their polls, is of mighty men thirty and eight thousand. Of these to preside over the work of the house of Jehovah `are' twenty and four thousand, and officers and judges six thousand, and four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand giving praise to Jehovah, `with instruments that I made for praising,' `saith David.' And David distributeth them into courses: Of the sons of Levi: of Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Of the Gershonite: Laadan and Shimei. Sons of Laadan: the head `is' Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three. Sons of Shimei `are' Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three; these `are' heads of the fathers of Laadan. And sons of Shimei `are' Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and Beriah; these `are' sons of Shimei, four. And Jahath is the head, and Zizah the second, and Jeush and Beriah have not multiplied sons, and they become the house of a father by one numbering. Sons of Kohath `are' Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. Sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; and Aaron is separated for his sanctifying the holy of holies, he and his sons -- unto the age, to make perfume before Jehovah, to serve Him, and to bless in His name -- unto the age. As to Moses, the man of God, his sons are called after the tribe of Levi. Sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. Sons of Gershom: Shebuel the head. And sons of Eliezer are Rehabiah the head, and Eliezer had no other sons, and the sons of Rehabiah have multiplied exceedingly. Sons of Izhar: Shelomith the head. Sons of Hebron: Jeriah the head, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. Sons of Uzziel: Micah the head, and Ishshiah, the second. Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi; sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. And Eleazar dieth, and he had no sons, but daughters, and sons of Kish their brethren take them. Sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth, three. These `are' sons of Levi, by the house of their fathers, heads of the fathers, by their appointments, in the number of names, by their polls, doing the work for the service of the house of Jehovah, from a son of twenty years and upward, for David said, `Jehovah, God of Israel, hath given rest to His people, and He doth tabernacle in Jerusalem unto the age;' and also of the Levites, `None `are' to bear the tabernacle and all its vessels for its service;' for by the last words of David they `took' the number of the sons of Levi from a son of twenty years and upward, for their station `is' at the side of the sons of Aaron, for the service of the house of Jehovah, over the courts, and over the chambers, and over the cleansing of every holy thing, and the work of the service of the house of God, and for the bread of the arrangement, and for fine flour for present, and for the thin unleavened cakes, and for `the work of' the pan, and for that which is fried, and for all `liquid' measure and `solid' measure; and to stand, morning by morning, to give thanks, and to give praise to Jehovah, and so at evening; and for all the burnt-offerings -- burnt-offerings to Jehovah for sabbaths, for new moons, and for appointed seasons, by number, according to the ordinance upon them continually, before Jehovah. And they have kept the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the sons of Aaron, their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.

1 Chronicles 25:1-26 YLT

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And David and the heads of the host separate for service, of the sons of Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun, who are prophesying with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals, and the number of the workmen is according to their service. Of sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, sons of Asaph, `are' by the side of Asaph, who is prophesying by the side of the king. Of Jeduthun: sons of Jeduthun, Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, Shisshah, `are' by the side of their father Jeduthun; with a harp he is prophesying, for giving of thanks and of praise to Jehovah. Of Heman: sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-Ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth; all these `are' sons of Heman -- seer of the king in the things of God -- to lift up a horn; and God giveth to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. All these `are' by the side of their father in the song of the house of Jehovah, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God; by the side of the king `are' Asaph, and Jeduthun, and Heman. And their number, with their brethren -- taught in the song of Jehovah, all who are intelligent -- is two hundred, eighty and eight. And they cause to fall lots -- charge over-against `charge', as well the small as the great, the intelligent with the learner. And the first lot goeth out for Asaph to Joseph; `to' Gedaliah the second; he, and his brethren and his sons, twelve; the third `to' Zaccur, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the fifth `to' Nethaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the sixth `to' Bukkiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the seventh `to' Jesharelah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the eighth `to' Jeshaiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the ninth `to' Mattaniah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the tenth `to' Shimei, his sons and his brethren, twelve: eleventh `to' Azareel, his sons and his brethren, twelve; the twelfth `to' Hashabiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the thirteenth `to' Shubael, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the fourteenth `to' Mattithiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the fifteenth `to' Jeremoth, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the sixteenth `to' Hananiah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the seventeenth `to' Joshbekashah, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the eighteenth `to' Hanani, his sons and his brethren, twelve; at the nineteenth `to' Mallothi, his sons and his brethren, twelve;

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Commentary on Numbers 8 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 8

This chapter is concerning the lamps or lights of the sanctuary.

  • I. The burning lamps in the candlestick, which the priests were charged to tend (v. 1-4).
  • II. The living lamps (if I may so call them), The Levites, who as ministers were burning and shining lights. The ordination of the priests we had an account of, Lev. 8. Here we have an account of the ordination of the Levites, the inferior clergy.
    • 1. How they were purified (v. 5-8).
    • 2. How they were parted with by the people (v. 9, 10).
    • 3. How they were presented to God in lieu of the firstborn (v. 11-18).
    • 4. How they were consigned to Aaron and his sons, to be ministers to them (v. 19).
    • 5. How all these orders were duly executed (v. 20-22). And, lastly, the age appointed for their ministration (v. 23, etc.).

Num 8:1-4

Directions were given long before this for the making of the golden candlestick (Ex. 25:31), and it was made according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, Ex. 37:17. But now it was that the lamps were first ordered to be lighted, when other things began to be used. Observe,

  • 1. Who must light the lamps; Aaron himself, he lighted the lamps, v. 3. As the people's representative to God, he thus did the office of a servant in God's house, lighting his Master's candle; as the representative of God to the people, he thus gave them the intimations of God's will and favour, thus expressed (Ps. 18:28), Thou wilt light my candle; and thus Aaron himself was now lately directed to bless the people, The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, ch. 6:25. The commandment is a lamp, Prov. 6:23. The scripture is a light shining in a dark place, 2 Pt. 1:19. And a dark place indeed even the church would be without it, as the tabernacle (which had no window in it) without the lamps. Now the work of ministers is to light these lamps, by expounding and applying the word of God. The priest lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest of the lamps he lighted one from another, which (says Mr. Ainsworth) signifies that the fountain of all light and knowledge is in Christ, who has the seven spirits of God figured by the seven lamps of fire (Rev. 4:5), but that in the expounding of scripture one passage must borrow light from another. He also supposes that, seven being a number of perfection, by the seven branches of the candlestick is shown the full perfection of the scriptures, which are able to make us wise to salvation.
  • 2. To what end the lamps were lighted, that they might give light over against the candlestick, that is, to that part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the show-bread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give light to the other side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles are lighted, Mt. 5:15. Note, The lights of the world, the lights of the church, must shine as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light.

Num 8:5-26

We read before of the separating of the Levites from among the children of Israel when they were numbered, and the numbering of them by themselves (ch. 3:6, 15), that they might be employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now here we have directions given for their solemn ordination (v. 6), and the performance of it, v. 20. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from their neighbours, but they must be solemnly devoted to God. Note, All that are employed for God must be dedicated to him, according as the degree of employment is. Christian musts be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. Observe in what method this was done:

  • I. The Levites must be cleansed, and were so. The rites and ceremonies of their cleansing were to be performed,
    • 1. By themselves. They must wash their clothes, and not only bathe, but shave all their flesh, as the leper was to do when he was cleansed, Lev. 14:8. They must cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, to clear themselves from that defilement which would not wash off. Jacob, whom God loved, was a smooth man; it was Esau that was hairy. The great pains they were to take with themselves to make themselves clean teaches all Christians, and ministers particularly, by repentance and mortification, to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they may perfect holiness. Those must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.
    • 2. By Moses. He must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them, which was prepared by divine direction. This signified the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, to purify us from an evil conscience, that we may be fit to serve the living God. It is our duty to cleanse ourselves, and God's promise that he will cleanse us.
  • II. The Levites, being thus prepared, must be brought before the Lord in a solemn assembly of all Israel, and the children of Israel must put their hands upon them (v. 10), so transferring their interest in them and in their service (to which, as a part, the whole body of the people was entitled) to God and to his sanctuary. They presented them to God as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, to perform a reasonable service; and therefore, as the offerers in all other cases did, they laid their hands upon them, desiring that their service might be accepted in lieu of the attendance of the whole congregation, particularly the first-born, which they acknowledge God might have insisted on. This will not serve to prove a power in the people to ordain ministers; for this imposition of hands by the children of Israel upon the Levites did not make them ministers of the sanctuary, but only signified the people's parting with that tribe out of their militia, and civil incorporations, in order to their being made ministers by Aaron, who was to offer them before the Lord. All the congregation of the children of Israel could not lay hands on them, but it is probable that the rulers and elders did it as the representative body of the people. Some think that the first-born did it because in their stead the Levites were consecrated to God. Whatever God calls for from us to serve his own glory by, we must cheerfully resign it, lay our hands upon it, not to detain it but to surrender it, and let it go to him that is entitled to it.
  • III. Sacrifices were to be offered for them, a sin-offering first (v. 12), and then a burnt-offering, to make an atonement for the Levites, who, as the parties concerned, were to lay their hands upon the head of the sacrifices. See here,
    • 1. That we are all utterly unworthy and unfit to be admitted into and employed in the service of God, till atonement be made for sin, and thereby our peace made with God. That interposing cloud must be scattered before there can be any comfortable communion settled between God and our souls.
    • 2. That it is by sacrifice, by Christ the great sacrifice, that we are reconciled to God, and made fit to be offered to him. It is by him that Christians are sanctified to the work of their Christianity, and ministers to the work of their ministry. The learned bishop Patrick's notion of the sacrifice offered by the Levites is that the Levites were themselves considered as an expiatory sacrifice, for they were given to make atonement for the children of Israel, (v. 19), and yet not being devoted to death, any more than the first-born were, these two sacrifices were substituted in their stead, upon which therefore they were to lay their hands, that the sin which the children of Israel laid upon them (v. 10) might be transferred to these beasts.
  • IV. The Levites themselves were offered before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, v. 11. Aaron gave them up to God, as being first given up by themselves, and by the children of Israel. The original word signifies a wave-offering, not that they were actually waved, but they were presented to God as the God of heaven, and the Lord of the whole earth, as the wave-offerings were. And in calling them wave-offerings it was intimated to them that they must continually lift up themselves towards God in his service, lift up their eyes, lift up their hearts, and must move to and fro with readiness in the business of their profession. They were not ordained to be idle, but to be active and stirring.
  • V. God here declares his acceptance of them: The Levites shall be mine, v. 14. God took them instead of the first-born (v. 16-18), of which before, ch. 3:41. Note, What is in sincerity offered to God shall be graciously owned and accepted by him. And his ministers who have obtained mercy of him to be faithful have particular marks of favour and honour put upon them: they shall be mine, and then (v. 15) they shall go in to do the service of the tabernacle. God takes them for his own, that they may serve him. All that expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants (he needs not the service of any of them), so, on the other hand, none are taken merely as honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns he employs; angels themselves have their services.
  • VI. They are then given as a gift to Aaron and his sons (v. 19), yet so as that the benefit accrued to the children of Israel.
    • 1. The Levites must act under the priests as attendants on them, and assistants to them, in the service of the sanctuary. Aaron offers them to God (v. 11), and then God gives them back to Aaron, v. 19. Note, Whatever we give up to God, he will give back to us unspeakably to our advantage. Our hearts, our children, our estates, are never more ours, more truly, more comfortably ours, than when we have offered them up to God.
    • 2. They must act for the people. They were taken to do the service of the children of Israel, that is, not only to do the service which they should do, but to serve their interests, and do that which would really redound to the honour, safety, and prosperity of the whole nation. Note, Those that faithfully perform the service of God do one of the best services that can be done to the public; God's ministers, while they keep within the sphere of their office and conscientiously discharge the duty of it, must be looked upon as some of the most useful servants of their country. The children of Israel can as ill spare the tribe of Levi as any of their tribes. But what is the service they do the children of Israel? It follows, it is to make an atonement for them, that there be no plague among them. It was the priests' work to make atonement by sacrifice, but the Levites made atonement by attendance, and preserved the peace with heaven which was made by sacrifice. If the service of the priests in the tabernacle had been left to all the first-born of Israel promiscuously, it would have been either neglected or done unskillfully and irreverently, being done by those that were not so closely tied to it, nor so diligently trained to it, nor so constantly used to it, as the Levites were; and this would bring a plague among the children of Israel-meaning, perhaps, the death of the first-born themselves, which was the last and greatest of the plagues of Egypt. To prevent this, and to preserve the atonement, the Levites were appointed to do this service, who should be bred up to it under their parents from their infancy, and therefore would be well versed in it; and so the children of Israel, that is, the first-born, should not need to come nigh to the sanctuary; or, when any Israelites had occasion, the Levites would be ready to instruct them, and introduce them, and so prevent any fatal miscarriage or mistake. Note, It is a very great kindness to the church that ministers are appointed to go before the people in the things of God, as guides, overseers, and rulers, in religious worship, and to make that their business. When Christ ascended on high, he gave these gifts, Eph. 4:8, 11, 12.
  • VII. The time of their ministration is fixed.
    • 1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years old, v. 24. They were not charged with the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of it till they were thirty years old, ch. 4:3. But they were entered to be otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old, a very good age for ministers to begin their public work at. The work then required that strength of body and the work now requires that maturity of judgment and steadiness of behaviour which men rarely arrive at till about that age; and novices are in danger of being lifted up with pride.
    • 2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old; then they were to return from the warfare, as the phrase is (v. 25), not cashiered with disgrace, but preferred rather to the rest which their age required, to be loaded with the honours of their office, as hitherto they had been with the burdens of it. They shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle, to direct the junior Levites, and set them in; and they shall keep the charge, as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle, to see that no stranger intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness, but they shall not be put upon any service which may be a fatigue to them. If God's grace provide that men shall have ability according to their work, man's prudence should take care that men have work only according to their ability. The aged are most fit for trusts, and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work, and to do the service. Those that have used the office of a servant well purchase to themselves a good degree, 1 Tim. 3:13. Yet indeed gifts are not tied to ages (Job 32:9), but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit. Thus was the affair of the Levites settled.