Numbers 8

The Seven Lamps

1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2#Ex 25.37; Lev 24.2, 4“Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” 3Aaron did so; he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4#Ex 25.18, 31–40Now this was how the lampstand was made, out of hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Consecration and Service of the Levites

5The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6“Take the Levites from among the Israelites and cleanse them. 7#v 21; Lev 14.8, 9; Num 19.9, 17, 18Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification on them; have them shave their whole body with a razor and wash their clothes and so cleanse themselves. 8#Lev 2.1Then let them take a young bull and its grain offering of choice flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a purification offering. 9#Lev 8.3You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the Israelites. 10When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the Israelites shall lay their hands on the Levites, 11and Aaron shall present the Levites before the Lord as an elevation offering from the Israelites, that they may do the service of the Lord. 12#Ex 29.10The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and he shall offer the one for a purification offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. 13Then you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an elevation offering to the Lord.

14 # Num 3.12, 45 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the other Israelites, and the Levites shall be mine. 15#vv 11, 13Thereafter the Levites may go in to do service at the tent of meeting, once you have cleansed them and presented them as an elevation offering. 16#Num 3.12, 45For they are unreservedly given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken them for myself, in place of all that open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites. 17For all the firstborn among the Israelites are mine, both human and animal. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, 18but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites. 19#Num 1.53Moreover, I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the service for the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the Israelites, in order that there may be no plague among the Israelites for coming too close to the sanctuary.”

20Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the Israelites did with the Levites accordingly; the Israelites did with the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning them. 21#vv 7, 11, 12The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them as an elevation offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22Thereafter the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting in attendance on Aaron and his sons. As the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did with them.

23The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24#Num 4.3“This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and up they shall begin to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting; 25and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from the duty of the service and serve no more. 26They may assist their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they shall perform no service. Thus you shall do with the Levites in assigning their duties.”

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Numbers 8: NRSVUE

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