< Nomery 8 >

1 Ary Jehovah niteny tamin’ i Mosesy ka nanao hoe:
Yahweh said to Moses/me,
2 Mitenena amin’ i Arona hoe: Raha mampirehitra ny jiro fito ianao, dia ataovy mahazava ny eo anoloan’ ny fanaovan-jiro izy.
“Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand and place them in such a way that they shine toward the front of the lampstand.”
3 Dia nataon’ i Arona izany, fa nampirehetiny ny jiro mba hahazava ny eo anoloan’ ny fanaovan-jiro, araka izay efa nandidian’ i Jehovah an’ i Mosesy.
So [Moses/I told him what Yahweh said], and he did that.
4 Ary izao no toetry ny fanaovan-jiro; volamena novoasana izy; hatramin’ ny faladiany sy ny voniny aza dia samy novoasana avokoa; araka ny endrika izay nasehon’ i Jehovah an’ i Mosesy no nanaovany ny fanaovan-jiro.
The lampstand had been made from gold that had been hammered [from one large lump of gold], from its base to the decorations at the top [that resembled] flowers. The lampstand was made exactly like Yahweh had told Moses/me that it should be made.
5 Ary Jehovah niteny tamin’ i Mosesy ka nanao hoe:
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
6 Alao ny Levita avy amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, ka diovy izy.
“You must cause the descendants of Levi to be acceptable to me by setting them apart from the other Israeli people.
7 Ary izao no hataonao aminy hanadiovana azy: Fafazo rano fanadiovana izy, ary asaovy haratany avokoa ny tenany rehetra, ary aoka hosasany ny fitafiany, ka dia hadio izy.
Do that by sprinkling them with water [which will symbolize] their being freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins. Then they must shave [off all the hair on] their bodies and wash their clothes.
8 Dia asaovy maka vantotr’ ombilahy iray izy mbamin’ ny fanatitra hohanina fombany, dia koba tsara toto voaharo diloilo; ary vantotr’ ombilahy iray koa no halainao ho fanatitra noho ny ota.
Then they must bring to the Sacred Tent one bull and some grain mixed with [olive] oil. [Those things will be burned] as sacrifices. They must also bring another bull [that will enable me to forgive them] for the sins they have committed.
9 Ary ento ny Levita hankeo anoloan’ ny trano-lay fihaonana; ary vorio ny fiangonana, dia ny Zanak’ Isiraely rehetra.
Then you must summon all the Israeli people to come together in front of the Sacred Tent, to [gather around] the descendants of Levi.
10 Ary ento ny Levita hankeo anatrehan’ i Jehovah; ary ny Zanak’ Isiraely hametraka ny tànany aminy;
Then the Israeli people must lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
11 ary Arona dia hanatitra ny Levita eo anatrehan’ i Jehovah ho fanatitra ahevaheva avy amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, mba hanao ny fanompoana an’ i Jehovah izy.
Aaron must then present them to me to be a gift from the Israeli people, in order that they can work for me [at the Sacred Tent].
12 Ary ny Levita hametraka ny tànany amin’ ny lohan’ ny vantotr’ ombilahy roa; dia atero ny anankiray ho fanatitra noho ny ota, ary ny anankiray kosa ho fanatitra dorana ho an’ i Jehovah, hanaovana fanavotana ho an’ ny Levita.
“After that, the descendants of Levi must place their hands on the heads of the two bulls. Then the bulls will be [killed and] burned on the altar. One will be an offering to enable me [to forgive them for] sins they have committed, and the other will be completely burned [to please me].
13 Ary apetraho eo anatrehan’ i Arona sy ny zanany ny Levita, ka atero ho fanatitra ahevaheva ho an’ i Jehovah izy.
The descendants of Levi must stand [at the altar] in front of Aaron and his sons, and you must then dedicate to me the descendants of Levi.
14 Ary ampiavaho amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely ny Levita, dia ho Ahy izy.
This ritual will show that the descendants of Levi are set apart from the other Israelis and that they belong to me.
15 Ary rehefa afaka izany, dia hiditra ny Levita hanao fanompoana ao amin’ ny trano-lay fihaonana. Dia hodiovinao toy izany izy ka haterinao ho fanatitra ahevaheva;
“After the descendants of Levi have been made acceptable to me, and presented to me like a special offering, they may start to work at the Sacred Tent.
16 fa efa nomena ho Ahy avy tamin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely mihitsy izy; ho solon’ izay voalohan-teraka rehetra, dia izay lahimatoa rehetra amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, no nanalako azy ho Ahy.
They will belong to me. They will work for me as substitutes for the firstborn males of all the Israelis, [who also belong to me].
17 Fa Ahy ny voalohan-teraka rehetra amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, na olona na biby fiompy; tamin’ ilay andro namelezako ny voalohan-teraka rehetra tany amin’ ny tany Egypta no nanamasinako azy ho Ahy.
All the firstborn males in Israel, both the people and the animals, are mine. When I caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die, [I (spared/did not kill) the firstborn males of the Israelis]. I set them apart to belong to me. I said that the firstborn males of all their domestic animals would also belong to me.
18 Ary efa nalaiko ny Levita ho solon’ ny lahimatoa rehetra amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely.
But now I have chosen the descendants of Levi to take the places of the firstborn males of other Israelis.
19 Ary nomeko ho an’ i Arona sy ny zanany mihitsy ny Levita, avy amin’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, hanao ny fanompoan’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely ao amin’ ny trano-lay fihaonana sy hanao fanavotana ho an’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely, mba tsy hisy areti-mandringana hanjo azy, raha manakaiky ny fitoerana masìna izy.
I have appointed the descendants of Levi to help Aaron and his sons at the Sacred Tent, as Aaron and his sons offer the sacrifices so that the Israeli people’s sins will be forgiven, and to prevent the Israelis from coming close to the tent with the result that a plague would cause many of them to become sick and die.”
20 Dia nataon’ i Mosesy sy Arona mbamin’ ny fiangonana, dia ny Zanak’ Isiraely rehetra, tamin’ ny Levita izany; araka izay rehetra efa nandidian’ i Jehovah an’ i Mosesy ny amin’ ny Levita no nataon’ ny Zanak’ Isiraely taminy.
Aaron and Moses/I and the other Israelis helped the descendants of Levi to do everything that Yahweh had commanded.
21 Dia nodiovin’ ny Levita ny tenany ho afaka ota, ary nosasany ny fitafiany; ary Arona nanatitra azy ho fanatitra ahevaheva eo anatrehan’ i Jehovah sady nanao fanavotana ho azy hanadiovana azy.
The descendants of Levi [sprinkled themselves with water to symbolize that] they had been freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins, and they washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to [the altar to] present them to Yahweh, and he offered sacrifices to cleanse them from [the guilt of] their sins and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh.
22 Ary rehefa afaka izany, dia niditra ny Levita hanao ny fihaonana teo anatrehan’ i Arona sy ny zanany; araka izay efa nandidian’ i Jehovah an’ i Mosesy ny amin’ ny Levita no nataony taminy.
After that, the descendants of Levi started to work at the Sacred Tent to assist Aaron and his sons. They did that just as Yahweh had commanded Moses/me.
23 Ary Jehovah niteny tamin’ i Mosesy ka nanao hoe:
Yahweh also said this to Moses/me:
24 Ny amin’ ny Levita dia izao: Hatramin’ ny dimy amby roa-polo taona no ho miakatra izy no hanatona hilatsaka amin’ ny antokony hanao ny fanompoana ao amin’ ny trano-lay fihaonana;
“The descendants of Levi who are between 25 and 50 years old will work at the Sacred Tent.
25 fa rehefa dimam-polo taona kosa izy, dia hiala amin’ ny antokon’ ny fanompoana ka tsy hanompo intsony;
But after they become 50 years old, they must (retire/not do that work any more).
26 kanefa mahazo manampy ny rahalahiny ao amin’ ny trano-lay fihaonana ihany izy mba hitandrina izay anjara-raharaha; fa tsy hanao fanompoana hafa izy. Izany no hataonao amin’ ny Levita ny amin’ ny anjara-raharahany.
They may help the other descendants of Levi to do their work at the Sacred Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. That is what you must tell them about the work they will do.”

< Nomery 8 >