9 And thou shalt bring H7126 the Levites H3881 before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and thou shalt gather H6950 the whole assembly H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 together: H6950
And Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 thou shalt bring H7126 unto the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and shalt wash H7364 them with water. H4325 And thou shalt take H3947 the garments, H899 and put H3847 upon Aaron H175 the coat, H3801 and the robe H4598 of the ephod, H646 and the ephod, H646 and the breastplate, H2833 and gird H640 him with the curious girdle H2805 of the ephod: H646 And thou shalt put H7760 the mitre H4701 upon his head, H7218 and put H5414 the holy H6944 crown H5145 upon the mitre. H4701 Then shalt thou take H3947 the anointing H4888 oil, H8081 and pour H3332 it upon his head, H7218 and anoint H4886 him. And thou shalt bring H7126 his sons, H1121 and put H3847 coats H3801 upon them. And thou shalt gird H2296 them with girdles, H73 Aaron H175 and his sons, H1121 and put H2280 the bonnets H4021 on them: and the priest's office H3550 shall be theirs for a perpetual H5769 statute: H2708 and thou shalt consecrate H4390 H3027 Aaron H175 and his sons. H1121 And thou shalt cause a bullock H6499 to be brought H7126 before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall put H5564 their hands H3027 upon the head H7218 of the bullock. H6499 And thou shalt kill H7819 the bullock H6499 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 by the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And thou shalt take H3947 of the blood H1818 of the bullock, H6499 and put H5414 it upon the horns H7161 of the altar H4196 with thy finger, H676 and pour H8210 all the blood H1818 beside H413 the bottom H3247 of the altar. H4196 And thou shalt take H3947 all the fat H2459 that covereth H3680 the inwards, H7130 and the caul H3508 that is above the liver, H3516 and the two H8147 kidneys, H3629 and the fat H2459 that is upon them, and burn H6999 them upon the altar. H4196 But the flesh H1320 of the bullock, H6499 and his skin, H5785 and his dung, H6569 shalt thou burn H8313 with fire H784 without H2351 the camp: H4264 it is a sin offering. H2403 Thou shalt also take H3947 one H259 ram; H352 and Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall put H5564 their hands H3027 upon the head H7218 of the ram. H352 And thou shalt slay H7819 the ram, H352 and thou shalt take H3947 his blood, H1818 and sprinkle H2236 it round about H5439 upon the altar. H4196 And thou shalt cut H5408 the ram H352 in pieces, H5409 and wash H7364 the inwards H7130 of him, and his legs, H3767 and put H5414 them unto his pieces, H5409 and unto his head. H7218 And thou shalt burn H6999 the whole ram H352 upon the altar: H4196 it is a burnt offering H5930 unto the LORD: H3068 it is a sweet H5207 savour, H7381 an offering made by fire H801 unto the LORD. H3068 And thou shalt take H3947 the other H8145 ram; H352 and Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall put H5564 their hands H3027 upon the head H7218 of the ram. H352 Then shalt thou kill H7819 the ram, H352 and take H3947 of his blood, H1818 and put H5414 it upon the tip H8571 of the right ear H241 of Aaron, H175 and upon the tip H8571 of the right H3233 ear H241 of his sons, H1121 and upon the thumb H931 of their right H3233 hand, H3027 and upon the great toe H931 of their right H3233 foot, H7272 and sprinkle H2236 the blood H1818 upon the altar H4196 round about. H5439 And thou shalt take H3947 of the blood H1818 that is upon the altar, H4196 and of the anointing H4888 oil, H8081 and sprinkle H5137 it upon Aaron, H175 and upon his garments, H899 and upon his sons, H1121 and upon the garments H899 of his sons H1121 with him: and he shall be hallowed, H6942 and his garments, H899 and his sons, H1121 and his sons' H1121 garments H899 with him. Also thou shalt take H3947 of the ram H352 the fat H2459 and the rump, H451 and the fat H2459 that covereth H3680 the inwards, H7130 and the caul H3508 above the liver, H3516 and the two H8147 kidneys, H3629 and the fat H2459 that is upon them, and the right H3225 shoulder; H7785 for it is a ram H352 of consecration: H4394 And one H259 loaf H3603 of bread, H3899 and one H259 cake H2471 of oiled H8081 bread, and one H259 wafer H7550 out of the basket H5536 of the unleavened bread H4682 that is before H6440 the LORD: H3068 And thou shalt put H7760 all in the hands H3709 of Aaron, H175 and in the hands H3709 of his sons; H1121 and shalt wave H5130 them for a wave offering H8573 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And thou shalt receive H3947 them of their hands, H3027 and burn H6999 them upon the altar H4196 for a burnt offering, H5930 for a sweet H5207 savour H7381 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 it is an offering made by fire H801 unto the LORD. H3068 And thou shalt take H3947 the breast H2373 of the ram H352 of Aaron's H175 consecration, H4394 and wave H5130 it for a wave offering H8573 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 and it shall be thy part. H4490 And thou shalt sanctify H6942 the breast H2373 of the wave offering, H8573 and the shoulder H7785 of the heave offering, H8641 which is waved, H5130 and which is heaved up, H7311 of the ram H352 of the consecration, H4394 even of that which H834 is for Aaron, H175 and of that which is for his sons: H1121 And it shall be Aaron's H175 and his sons' H1121 by a statute H2706 for ever H5769 from the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 for it is an heave offering: H8641 and it shall be an heave offering H8641 from the children H1121 of Israel H3478 of the sacrifice H2077 of their peace offerings, H8002 even their heave offering H8641 unto the LORD. H3068 And the holy H6944 garments H899 of Aaron H175 shall be his sons' H1121 after H310 him, to be anointed H4888 therein, and to be consecrated H4390 H3027 in them. And that son H1121 that is priest H3548 in his stead shall put H3847 them on seven H7651 days, H3117 when he cometh H935 into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation H4150 to minister H8334 in the holy H6944 place. And thou shalt take H3947 the ram H352 of the consecration, H4394 and seethe H1310 his flesh H1320 in the holy H6918 place. H4725 And Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 shall eat H398 the flesh H1320 of the ram, H352 and the bread H3899 that is in the basket, H5536 by the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150 And they shall eat H398 those things wherewith the atonement was made, H3722 to consecrate H4390 H3027 and to sanctify H6942 them: but a stranger H2114 shall not eat H398 thereof, because they are holy. H6944 And if ought of the flesh H1320 of the consecrations, H4394 or of the bread, H3899 remain H3498 unto the morning, H1242 then thou shalt burn H8313 the remainder H3498 with fire: H784 it shall not be eaten, H398 because it is holy. H6944 And thus shalt thou do H6213 unto Aaron, H175 and to his sons, H1121 according to all things which I have commanded H6680 thee: seven H7651 days H3117 shalt thou consecrate H4390 H3027 them. And thou shalt offer H6213 every day H3117 a bullock H6499 for a sin offering H2403 for atonement: H3725 and thou shalt cleanse H2398 the altar, H4196 when thou hast made an atonement H3722 for it, and thou shalt anoint H4886 it, to sanctify H6942 it. Seven H7651 days H3117 thou shalt make an atonement H3722 for the altar, H4196 and sanctify H6942 it; and it shall be an altar H4196 most holy: H6944 H6944 whatsoever toucheth H5060 the altar H4196 shall be holy. H6942
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].