Numbers
Chapter 8
Skip to reading
Choose chapter (8 selected)
Leningrad Codex, through the Open Scriptures Westminster Leningrad Codex. The written consonants are printed. A Masoretic reading is footnoted when it differs. No Dead Sea reading was substituted unless it was read from a fragment. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Greek, Syriac, and Latin versions are witnesses, not the default.
A dotted word is a harder one. Point at it, or tap it, for a short definition.
1God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses, saying,
2Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light toward the face of the lampstand.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
El mul penei ha-menorah is toward the front face of the lampstand. The seven lamps shine that way.
3Aaron did so. Toward the face of the lampstand he set up its lamps, as God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. commanded Moses.
4This was the making of the lampstand: hammered gold, from its base to its blossom. It was hammered work. According to the pattern that God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Miqshah is hammered from one piece, as in Exodus. Yarekh is the base. Perach is the blossom.
5God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses, saying,
6Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them.
7This is what you shall do to them to cleanse them. Sprinkle on them water of the offense offering. They shall pass a razor over all their body, wash their clothes, and be clean.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Mei chatat is water of the offense offering, water used in that cleansing. The razor passes over the whole body.
8They shall take a bull of the herd, with its grain gift of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take a second bull of the herd for an offense offering.
9You shall bring the Levites near before the tent of meeting, and you shall assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel.
10You shall bring the Levites near before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites.
11Aaron shall raise the Levites as a raised offering before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., from the sons of Israel, and they shall be set to do the work of God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
12The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall make one an offense offering and the other a whole offering to God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., to make Making someone right with God after a wrong. for the Levites.
13You shall stand the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and you shall raise them as a raised offering to God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary..
14You shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.
15After that the Levites shall come in to serve the tent of meeting. You shall cleanse them and raise them as a raised offering.
16For they are given, given to me from among the sons of Israel. In place of the opener of every womb, the firstborn of all from the sons of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Netunim netunim is written twice, as in chapter 3. Pitrat kol rechem is the opener of every womb.
17For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is mine, among humans and among animals. On the day I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself.
18I took the Levites in place of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.
19I gave the Levites, given to Aaron and to his sons, from among the sons of Israel, to do the work of the sons of Israel in the tent of meeting and to make Making someone right with God after a wrong. for the sons of Israel, so that there is no blow among the sons of Israel when the sons of Israel come near the holy place.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Translation
Negef is a blow, a striking. The Levites stand between the people and that blow.
20Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the sons of Israel did to the Levites according to all that God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. commanded Moses for the Levites. So the sons of Israel did to them.
21The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron raised them as a raised offering before God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary., and Aaron made Making someone right with God after a wrong. for them to cleanse them.
22After that the Levites went in to do their work in the tent of meeting, before Aaron and before his sons. As God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.
23God’s own name. The Hebrew writes YHWH. See the glossary. spoke to Moses, saying,
24This is for the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward he shall enter to join the company in the work of the tent of meeting.
Notes (1)Hide notes
- Text
This verse says twenty-five years. Numbers 4 says thirty years for the carrying work. Both ages are printed. Neither is changed to match the other.
25From fifty years old he shall turn back from the company of the work, and he shall not work any longer.
26He may assist his brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep a watch, but the work he shall not do. Thus you shall treat the Levites in their watches.