Numbers 8

King James Version

Full text for Numbers Chapter 8

1¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.

3And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.

4And this work of the candlestick [was of] beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, [was] beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.

5¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

6Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

7And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and [so] make themselves clean.

8Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, [even] fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.

9And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:

10And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

11And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD [for] an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.

12And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one [for] a sin offering, and the other [for] a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.

13And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them [for] an offering unto the LORD.

14Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

15And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them [for] an offering.

16For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, [even instead of] the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

17For all the firstborn of the children of Israel [are] mine, [both] man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

18And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

19And I have given the Levites [as] a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.

20And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.

21And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them [as] an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

22And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.

23And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

24This [is it] that [belongeth] unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:

25And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service [thereof], and shall serve no more:

26But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Numbers chapter 8 outlines divine instructions for two key aspects of Tabernacle service: the proper lighting of the seven lamps on the golden candlestick and the elaborate consecration of the Levites. The Levites are purified through specific rituals and offerings, then dedicated to the Lord's service as a substitute for the firstborn of Israel. The chapter concludes by specifying the age requirements for their active ministry.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with the Lord's command to Moses for Aaron to light the seven lamps of the Tabernacle's golden candlestick, ensuring they cast light properly, a task Aaron faithfully executes according to the divine pattern. The primary focus then shifts to the comprehensive purification and dedication of the Levites for their sacred duties. This involved sprinkling with water of purifying, shaving their bodies, and washing their clothes, followed by the presentation of specific sin and burnt offerings. The children of Israel participated by laying hands upon the Levites, who in turn laid hands upon the sacrificial animals for atonement. This process formally separated the Levites, designating them as wholly belonging to the Lord, taken in place of the firstborn of Israel, and given to Aaron and his sons to perform the Tabernacle service and make atonement for the congregation. Finally, the chapter establishes that Levites are to begin their service at twenty-five years of age and cease active duty at fifty, though they may still assist their brethren.

Long Summary

Numbers chapter 8 commences with the Lord's specific instructions to Moses regarding the proper illumination of the Tabernacle. Aaron is commanded to light the seven lamps upon the golden candlestick in such a way that they give light over against the candlestick, a directive he diligently follows. The text emphasizes that this candlestick was meticulously crafted from beaten gold, precisely according to the divine pattern shown to Moses. The chapter then transitions to the elaborate and detailed process for the purification and consecration of the Levites, preparing them for their dedicated service. The Lord commands Moses to take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them through a ritual involving sprinkling with water of purifying, shaving all their flesh, and washing their clothes. For their atonement, two young bullocks are required: one for a sin offering and another for a burnt offering, accompanied by a meat offering. The entire assembly of the children of Israel is gathered, and the Levites are brought before the Tabernacle, where the children of Israel lay their hands upon them. Aaron then formally offers the Levites before the Lord as an offering from the children of Israel, symbolizing their dedication. The Levites, in turn, lay their hands upon the heads of the sacrificial bullocks, which are then offered to make atonement for them. This comprehensive process serves to separate the Levites, declaring them as wholly belonging to the Lord, taken in place of all the firstborn of Israel, whom the Lord had claimed for Himself after smiting the firstborn in Egypt. Furthermore, the Levites are designated as a gift to Aaron and his sons, enabling them to perform the service of the Tabernacle and to make atonement for the children of Israel, thereby preventing any plague from afflicting the congregation when they approach the sanctuary. Moses, Aaron, and the entire congregation faithfully execute all these divine commands concerning the Levites. Finally, the chapter concludes by establishing the age requirements for Levite service: they are to begin ministering in the Tabernacle at twenty-five years old and are to cease active service at fifty, though they may continue to assist their brethren in keeping charge without performing the full service.

Core Concepts

  • Candlestick IlluminationDetails the divine command for Aaron to light the seven lamps of the golden candlestick, ensuring they cast light properly within the Tabernacle according to its specific design.
  • Levitical ConsecrationOutlines the elaborate ritual process for purifying and dedicating the Levites for their sacred service, involving cleansing, specific offerings, and symbolic laying on of hands by both the people and the Levites themselves.
  • Substitution of the FirstbornExplains the theological principle that the Levites were taken by the Lord as a substitute for all the firstborn of Israel, whom He had claimed as His own after the plague in Egypt.
  • Atonement for ServiceHighlights the necessity of specific sin and burnt offerings for the Levites to make atonement for them, enabling them to perform their service in the Tabernacle without incurring divine wrath or plague.
  • Gift to Aaron and SonsDescribes the designation of the Levites as a divine gift to Aaron and his priestly descendants, empowering them to assist in the Tabernacle's ministry and make atonement for the congregation.
  • Age of ServiceEstablishes the specific age parameters for Levite ministry, allowing them to begin active service at twenty-five years old and requiring them to cease full service at fifty years old.