Numbers 8

1 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

2 Speake vnto Aaron, and say vnto him, When thou lightest the lampes, the seuen lampes shall giue light towarde the forefront of the Candlesticke.

“Speak to Aaron. Say to him, 'The seven lamps must give light in front of the lampstand when you light them.'”

3 And Aaron did so, lighting the lampes thereof towarde ye forefront of the Candlesticke, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Aaron did this. He lit the lamps on the lampstand to give light toward the front of it, as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

4 And this was the worke of the Candlesticke, euen of golde beaten out with the hammer, both the shafte, and the flowres thereof was beaten out with the hammer: according to the paterne, which the Lord had shewed Moses, so made he the Candlesticke.

The lampstand was made in this way and Yahweh showed Moses the pattern for it. It was to be hammered gold from its base to its top, with hammered cups like blossoms.

5 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Again, Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said,

6 Take the Leuites from among the children of Israel, and purifie them.

“Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and purify them.

7 And thus shalt thou doe vnto them, when thou purifiest them, Sprinckle water of purification vpon them, and let them shaue all their flesh, and wash their clothes: so they shalbe cleane.

Do this to them to purify them: Sprinkle the water of atonement on them. Make them shave their entire body, wash their clothes, and in this way purify themselves.

8 Then they shall take a yong bullocke with his meate offring of fine floure, mingled with oyle, and another yong bullocke shalt thou take for a sinne offring.

Then have them take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mingled with oil. Let them take another young bull as a sin offering.

9 Then thou shalt bring the Leuites before the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and asseble all the Congregation of the children of Israel.

You will bring the Levites in front of the tent of meeting and assemble the whole community of the people of Israel.

10 Thou shalt bring the Leuites also before the Lord, and the children of Israel shall put their handes vpon the Leuites.

When you bring the Levites before Yahweh, the people of Israel must lay their hands on the Levites.

11 And Aaron shall offer the Leuites before the Lord, as a shake offring of ye childre of Israel, that they may execute the seruice of the Lord.

Aaron must offer the Levites before Yahweh, as a wave offering from the people of Israel so that they may do the service of Yahweh.

12 And the Leuites shall put their handes vpon the heades of the bullockes, and make thou the one a sinne offring, and the other a burnt offring vnto the Lord, that thou mayest make an atonement for the Leuites.

The Levites must place their hands on the heads of the bulls. You must offer one bull for a sin offering and the other bull for a burnt offering to me, to atone for the Levites.

13 And thou shalt set the Leuites before Aaron and before his sonnes, and offer the as a shake offring to the Lord.

Present the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and lift them up as a wave offering to me.

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

In this way you must separate the Levites from among the people of Israel. The Levites will belong to me.

15 And afterwarde shall the Leuites goe in, to serue in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and thou shalt purifie them and offer them, as a shake offering.

After that, the Levites must go in to serve in the tent of meeting. You must purify them. You must offer them as a wave offering.

16 For they are freely giuen vnto me from among the children of Israel, for such as open any wombe: for all the first borne of the children of Israel haue I taken them vnto me.

Do this, because they are entirely mine from among the people of Israel. They will take the place of each male child who opens the womb, the firstborn of all the descendants of Israel. I have taken the Levites for myself.

17 For all the first borne of the children of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast: since the day that I smote euery first borne in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for my selfe.

All the firstborn from among the people of Israel are mine, both of people and of animals. On the day that I took the lives of all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

18 And I haue taken the Leuites for all the first borne of the children of Israel,

I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of all the firstborn.

19 And haue giuen the Leuites as a gift vnto Aaron, and to his sonnes from among the children of Israel, to do the seruice 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 neere vnto the Sanctuarie.

I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons. I have taken them from among the people of Israel to do the work of the people of Israel in the tent of meeting. I have given them to atone for the people of Israel so that no plague will harm the people when they come near to the holy place.”

20 Then Moses and Aaron and all the Cogregation of the children of Israel did with the Leuites, according vnto all that the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Leuites: so did the children of Israel vnto them.

Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of the people of Israel did this with the Levites. They did everything that Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites. The people of Israel did this with them.

21 So the Leuites were purified, and washed their clothes, and Aaron offred them as a shake offring before the Lord, and Aaron made an atonement for them, to purifie them.

The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothing, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering to Yahweh and he made atonement for them to cleanse them.

22 And after that, went the Leuites in to doe their seruice in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, before Aaron and before his sonnes: as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Leuites, so they did vnto them.

After that, the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before Aaron's sons. This was as Yahweh had commanded Moses about the Levites. They treated all the Levites in this way.

23 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

Yahweh spoke again to Moses. He said,

24 This also belongeth to the Leuites: from fiue and twentie yeere olde and vpwarde, they shall goe in, to execute their office in the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

“All of this is for the Levites who are twenty-five years old and more. They must join the company to serve in the tent of meeting.

25 And after the age of fiftie yeere, they shall cease from executing the office, and shall serue no more:

They must stop serving in this way at the age of fifty years. At that age they must not serve any longer.

26 But they shall minister with their brethre in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, to keepe things committed to their charge, but they shall doe no seruice: thus shalt thou doe vnto the Leuites touching their charges.

They may help their brothers who continue to work at the tent of meeting, but they must serve no more. You must direct the Levites in all these matters.”