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Numbers 8:9 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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

Cross Reference

Exodus 40:12 STRONG

And thou shalt bring H7126 Aaron H175 and his sons H1121 unto the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and wash H7364 them with water. H4325

Leviticus 8:3 STRONG

And gather H6950 thou all the congregation H5712 together H6950 unto the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150

Exodus 29:4-37 STRONG

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 » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Numbers 8

Commentary on Numbers 8 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Verses 1-4

Consecration of the Levites. - The command of God to consecrate the Levites for their service, is introduced in Numbers 8:1-4 by directions issued to Aaron with regard to the lighting of the candlestick in the dwelling of the tabernacle. Aaron was to place the seven lamps upon the candlestick in such a manner that they would shine פּניו אל־מוּל . These directions are not a mere repetition, but also a more precise definition, of the general instructions given in Exodus 25:37, when the candlestick was made, to place the seven lamps upon the candlestick in such a manner that each should give light over against its front, i.e., should throw its light upon the side opposite to the front of the candlestick. In itself, therefore, there is nothing at all striking in the renewal and explanation of those directions, which committed the task of lighting the lamps to Aaron; for this had not been done before, as Exodus 27:21 merely assigns the daily preparation of the candlestick to Aaron and his sons; and their being placed in the connection in which we find them may be explained from the signification of the seven lamps in relation to the dwelling of God, viz., as indicating that Israel was thereby to be represented perpetually before the Lord as a people causing its light to shine in the darkness of this world. And when Aaron is commanded to attend to the lighting of the candlestick, so that it may light up the dwelling, in these special instructions the entire fulfilment of his service in the dwelling is enforced upon him as a duty. In this respect the instructions themselves, coupled with the statement of the fact that Aaron had fulfilled them, stand quite appropriately between the account of what the tribe-princes had done for the consecration of the altar service as representatives of the congregation, and the account of the solemn inauguration of the Levites in their service in the sanctuary. The repetition on this occasion (Exodus 27:4) of an allusion to the artistic character of the candlestick, which had been made according to the pattern seen by Moses in the mount (Exodus 25:31.), is quite in keeping with the antiquated style of narrative adopted in these books.


Verses 5-7

Consecration of the Levites for their service in the sanctuary. - The choice of the Levites for service in the sanctuary, in the place of the first-born of the people generally, has been already noticed in Numbers 3:5., and the duties binding upon them in Numbers 4:4. But before entering upon their duties they were to be consecrated to the work, and then formally handed over to the priests. This consecration is commanded in Numbers 8:7., and is not called קדּשׁ , like the consecration of the priests (Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 8:11), but טהר to cleanse . It consisted in sprinkling them with sin-water, shaving off the whole of the hair from their bodies, and washing their clothes, accompanied by a sacrificial ceremony, by which they were presented symbolically to the Lord as a sacrifice for His service. The first part of this ceremony had reference to outward purification, and represented cleansing from the defilement of sin; hence the performance of it is called התחטּא (to cleanse from sin) in Numbers 8:21. “ Sprinkle sin-water upon them .” The words are addressed to Moses, who had to officiate at the inauguration of the Levites, as he had already done at that of the priests. “ Water of sin ” is water having reference to sin, designed to remove it, just as the sacrifice offered for the expiation of sin is called חטּאת (sin) in Leviticus 4:14, etc.; whilst the “water of uncleanness” in Numbers 19:9, Numbers 19:13, signifies water by which uncleanness was removed or wiped away. The nature of this purifying water is not explained, and cannot be determined with any certainty. We find directions for preparing sprinkling water in a peculiar manner, for the purpose of cleansing persons who were cured of leprosy, in Leviticus 14:5., 50ff.; and also for cleansing both persons and houses that had been defiled by a corpse, in Numbers 19:9. Neither of these, however, was applicable to the cleansing of the Levites, as they were both of them composed of significant ingredients, which stood in the closest relation to the special cleansing to be effected by them, and had evidently no adaptation to the purification of the Levites. At the same time, the expression “sin-water” precludes our understanding it to mean simply clean water. So that nothing remains but to regard it as referring to the water in the laver of the sanctuary, which was provided for the purpose of cleansing the priests for the performance of their duties ( Exodus 30:18.), and might therefore be regarded by virtue of this as cleansing from sin, and be called “sin-water” in consequence. “ And they shall cause the razor to pass over their whole body, ” i.e., shave off all the hair upon their body, “ and wash their clothes, and so cleanse themselves .” תּער העביר is to be distinguished from גּלּח . The latter signifies to make balk or shave the hair entirely off, which was required of the leper when he was cleansed (Leviticus 14:8-9); the former signifies merely cutting the hair, which was part of the regular mode of adorning the body. The Levites also were not required to bathe their bodies, as lepers were (Leviticus 13:8-9), and also the priests at their consecration (Leviticus 8:6), because they were not affected with any special uncleanness, and their duties did not require them to touch the most holy instruments of worship. The washing of the clothes, on the other hand, was a thing generally required as a preparation for acts of worship ( Genesis 35:2; Exodus 19:10), and was omitted in the case of the consecration of the priests, simply because they received a holy official dress. הטּהרוּ for הטּהרוּ , as in 2 Chronicles 30:18.


Verse 8

After this purification the Levites were to bring two young bullocks, one with the corresponding meat-offering for a burnt-sacrifice, the other for a sin-offering.


Verse 9

Moses was then to cause them to draw near before the tabernacle, i.e., to enter the court, and to gather together the whole congregation of Israel, viz., in the persons of their heads and representatives.


Verse 10

After this the Levites were to come before Jehovah, i.e., in front of the altar; and the children of Israel, i.e., the tribe-princes in the name of the Israelites, were to lay their hands upon them, not merely “as a sign that they released them from the possession of the nation, and assigned them and handed them over to Jehovah” ( Knobel ), but in order that by this symbolical act they might transfer to the Levites the obligation resting upon the whole nation to serve the Lord in the persons of its first-born sons, and might present them to the Lord as representatives of the first-born of Israel, to serve Him as living sacrifices.


Verse 11

This transfer was to be completed by Aaron's waving the Levites as a wave-offering before Jehovah on behalf of the children of Israel, i.e., by his offering them symbolically to the Lord as a sacrifice presented on the part of the Israelites. The ceremony of waving consisted no doubt in his conducting the Levites solemnly up to the altar, and then back again. On the signification of the verb, see at Leviticus 7:30. The design of the waving is given in Numbers 8:11, viz., “ that they might be to perform the service of Jehovah ” (Numbers 8:24-26 compared with Num 4:4-33).


Verses 12-19

The Levites were then to close this transfer of themselves to the Lord with a sin-offering and burnt-offering, in which they laid their hands upon the sacrificial animals. By this imposition of hands they made the sacrificial animals their representatives, in which they presented their own bodies to the Lord as a living sacrifice well-pleasing to Him. The signification of the dedication of the Levites, as here enjoined, is still further explained in Numbers 8:13-19. The meaning of Numbers 8:13. is this: According to the command already given (in Numbers 8:6-12), thou shalt place the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and wave them as a wave-offering before the Lord, and so separate them from the midst of the children of Israel, that they may be Mine. They shall then come to serve the tabernacle. So shalt thou cleanse them and wave them. The same reason is assigned for this in Numbers 8:16, Numbers 8:17, as in Numbers 3:11-13 ( כּל בּכור for כּל־בּכור , cf. Numbers 3:13); and in Numbers 8:18 and Numbers 8:19, what was commanded in Numbers 3:6-9 is described as having been carried out. On Numbers 8:19 see Numbers 1:53.


Verses 20-22

Numbers 8:20-22 contain an account of the execution of the divine command.


Verses 23-26

The Levitical period of service is fixed here at twenty-five years of age and upwards to the fiftieth year. “ This is what concerns the Levites, ” i.e., what follows applies to the Levites. “ From the age of twenty-five years shall he (the Levite) come to do service at the work of the tabernacle; and at fifty years of age shall he return from the service of the work, and not work any further, but only serve his brethren at the tabernacle in keeping charge, ” i.e., help them to look after the furniture of the tabernacle. “Charge” ( mishmereth ), as distinguished from “work,” signified the oversight of all the furniture of the tabernacle (see Numbers 3:8); “work” (service) applied to laborious service, e.g., the taking down and setting up of the tabernacle and cleaning it, carrying wood and water for the sacrificial worship, slaying the animals for the daily and festal sacrifices of the congregation, etc.

Numbers 8:26

“So shalt thou do to the Levites (i.e., proceed with them) in their services .” משׁמרת from משׁמרת , attendance upon an official post. Both the heading and final clause, by which this law relating to the Levites' period of service is bounded, and its position immediately after the induction of the Levites into their office, show unmistakeably that this law was binding for all time, and was intended to apply to the standing service of the Levites at the sanctuary; and consequently that it was not at variance with the instructions in ch. 4, to muster the Levites between thirty and fifty years of age, and organize them for the transport of the tabernacle on the journey through the wilderness (Num 4:3-49). The transport of the tabernacle required the strength of a full-grown man, and therefore the more advanced age of thirty years; whereas the duties connected with the tabernacle when standing were of a lighter description, and could easily be performed from the twenty-fifth year (see Hengstenberg's Dissertations , vol. ii. pp. 321ff.). At a later period, when the sanctuary was permanently established on Mount Zion, David employed the Levites from their twentieth year (1 Chronicles 23:24-25), and expressly stated that he did so because the Levites had no longer to carry the dwelling and its furniture; and this regulation continued in force from that time forward (cf. 2 Chronicles 31:17; Ezra 3:8). But if the supposed discrepancy between the verses before us and Numbers 4:3, Numbers 4:47, is removed by this distinction, which is gathered in the most simple manner from the context, there is no ground whatever for critics to deny that the regulation before us could have proceeded from the pen of the Elohist.