民數記 8
1 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
2 「你告訴亞倫說：點燈的時候，七盞燈都要向燈臺前面發光。」
“Speak to Aaron, and you shall say to him: When you place the seven lamps, let the lampstand be set up on the south side. Therefore, give this instruction: that the lamps should look out from the region opposite the north, toward the table of the bread of the presence; they shall give light opposite that area, toward the area that the lampstand faces.”
3 亞倫便這樣行。他點燈臺上的燈，使燈向前發光，是照耶和華所吩咐摩西的。
And Aaron did so, and he placed the lamps on the lampstand, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.
4 這燈臺的做法是用金子錘出來的，連座帶花都是錘出來的。摩西製造燈臺，是照耶和華所指示的樣式。
Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand: it was of ductile gold, both the main shaft and all that originated from both sides of the branches. According to the example that the Lord revealed to Moses, so did he make the lampstand.
5 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
6 「你從以色列人中選出利未人來，潔淨他們。
“Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and you shall purify them
7 潔淨他們當這樣行：用除罪水彈在他們身上，又叫他們用剃頭刀刮全身，洗衣服，潔淨自己。
according to this ritual: Let them be sprinkled with the water of illumination, and let them shave off all the hairs of their body. And when they have washed their garments and have been cleansed,
8 然後叫他們取一隻公牛犢，並同獻的素祭，就是調油的細麵；你要另取一隻公牛犢作贖罪祭。
they shall take an ox from the herd, with its libation of fine wheat flour sprinkled with oil; then you shall receive another ox from the herd for sin.
9 將利未人奉到會幕前，招聚以色列全會眾。
And you shall bring forward the Levites before the tabernacle of the covenant, calling together all the multitude of the sons of Israel.
10 將利未人奉到耶和華面前，以色列人要按手在他們頭上。
And when the Levites are before the Lord, the sons of Israel shall place their hands upon them.
11 亞倫也將他們奉到耶和華面前，為以色列人當作搖祭，使他們好辦耶和華的事。
And Aaron shall offer the Levites as a gift in the sight of the Lord, from the sons of Israel, so that they may serve in his ministry.
12 利未人要按手在那兩隻牛的頭上；你要將一隻作贖罪祭，一隻作燔祭，獻給耶和華，為利未人贖罪。
Likewise, the Levites shall place their hands upon the heads of the oxen; you shall make use of one of these for sin, and the other as a holocaust to the Lord, so that you may intercede for them.
13 你也要使利未人站在亞倫和他兒子面前，將他們當作搖祭奉給耶和華。
And you shall set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and his sons, and you shall consecrate those being offered to the Lord,
14 「這樣，你從以色列人中將利未人分別出來，利未人便要歸我。
and you shall separate them from the midst of the sons of Israel, so that they may be for me.
15 此後利未人要進去辦會幕的事，你要潔淨他們，將他們當作搖祭奉上；
And after this, they shall enter the tabernacle of the covenant, in order to serve me. And so shall you purify and consecrate them as an oblation to the Lord. For they were given to me as a gift from the sons of Israel.
16 因為他們是從以色列人中全然給我的，我揀選他們歸我，是代替以色列人中一切頭生的。
I have accepted them in place of the firstborn which open every womb in Israel.
17 以色列人中一切頭生的，連人帶牲畜，都是我的。我在埃及地擊殺一切頭生的那天，將他們分別為聖歸我。
For all the firstborn of the sons of Israel, as much from men as from beasts, are mine. From the day when I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I have sanctified them to myself.
18 我揀選利未人代替以色列人中一切頭生的。
And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel.
19 我從以色列人中將利未人當作賞賜給亞倫和他的兒子，在會幕中辦以色列人的事，又為以色列人贖罪，免得他們挨近聖所，有災殃臨到他們中間。」
And I have delivered them as a gift to Aaron and his sons, from the midst of the people, in order to serve me, for Israel, in the tabernacle of the covenant, and in order to pray for them, lest there be a scourge among the people, if they were to dare to approach to my Sanctuary.”
20 摩西、亞倫，並以色列全會眾便向利未人如此行。凡耶和華指着利未人所吩咐摩西的，以色列人就向他們這樣行。
And Moses and Aaron, and all the multitude of the sons of Israel, accomplished all that the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites.
21 於是利未人潔淨自己，除了罪，洗了衣服；亞倫將他們當作搖祭奉到耶和華面前，又為他們贖罪，潔淨他們。
And they were purified, and they washed their garments. And Aaron lifted them up in the sight of the Lord, and he prayed for them,
22 然後利未人進去，在亞倫和他兒子面前，在會幕中辦事。耶和華指着利未人怎樣吩咐摩西，以色列人就怎樣向他們行了。
so that, having been purified, they might enter to their duties in the tabernacle of the covenant before Aaron and his sons. Just as the Lord had instructed Moses about the Levites, so was it done.
23 耶和華曉諭摩西說：
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
24 「利未人是這樣：從二十五歲以外，他們要前來任職，辦會幕的事。
“This is the law of the Levites: From twenty-five years and above, they shall enter to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.
25 到了五十歲要停工退任，不再辦事，
And when they will have completed the fiftieth year of age, they shall cease to serve.
26 只要在會幕裏，和他們的弟兄一同伺候，謹守所吩咐的，不再辦事了。至於所吩咐利未人的，你要這樣向他們行。」
And they shall be the ministers of their brothers in the tabernacle of the covenant, in order to care for the things that have been commended to them, but not to perform the works themselves. So shall you assign the Levites in their duties.”
