Numbers 8

1 Then the LORD said to Moses,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2 “Speak to Aaron and tell him: ‘When you set up the seven lamps, they are to light the area in front of the lampstand.’”

“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 And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps facing toward the front of the lampstand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

And Aaron did so, and he placed the lamps on the lampstand, just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

4 This is how the lampstand was constructed: it was made of hammered gold from its base to its blossoms, fashioned according to the pattern the LORD had shown Moses.

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 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

6 “Take the Levites from among the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.

“Take the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and you shall purify them

7 This is what you must do to cleanse them: Sprinkle them with the water of purification. Have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.

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 Then have them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.

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 Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting and assemble the whole congregation of Israel.

And you shall bring forward the Levites before the tabernacle of the covenant, calling together all the multitude of the sons of Israel.

10 You are to present the Levites before the LORD and have the Israelites lay their hands upon them.

And when the Levites are before the Lord, the sons of Israel shall place their hands upon them.

11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.

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 And the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and offer to the LORD one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.

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 You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering.

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 In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me.

and you shall separate them from the midst of the sons of Israel, so that they may be for me.

15 After you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to serve at the Tent of Meeting.

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 For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.

I have accepted them in place of the firstborn which open every womb in Israel.

17 For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.

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 But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.

And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel.

19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”

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 So Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel did with the Levites everything that the LORD had commanded Moses they should do.

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 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them.

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 After that, the Levites came to perform their service at the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Thus they did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

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 And the LORD said to Moses,

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

24 “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years of age or older shall enter to perform the service in the work at the Tent of Meeting.

“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 But at the age of fifty, they must retire from performing the work and no longer serve.

And when they will have completed the fiftieth year of age, they shall cease to serve.

26 After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”

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.”