Numbers 8

Setting Up the Lampstand

1 The Lord told Moses.

2 Tell Aaron, when you set up the seven lamps, they must shine forward to light up the area in front of the lampstand.

3 Aaron did exactly as the Lord commanded. He set up the lamps so they shined forward.

4 The lampstand was made from hammered gold, from its base to its flower-like designs. It was made exactly how the Lord showed Moses.

The Levites Are Set Apart for the Lord

5 The Lord told Moses.

6 Separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites and make them holy for My service.

7 Sprinkle them with clean water, make them shave their whole bodies, and wash their clothes. This is how they must be purified.

8 Then they must bring a young bull with a grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, along with another young bull for a sin offering.

9 Bring the Levites to the front of the Tabernacle and gather the whole community of Israel.

10 The Israelites must lay their hands on the Levites as a sign of their dedication.

11 Aaron must present the Levites before the Lord as a special offering from the Israelites, so they may serve Him.

12 The Levites must lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, one will be sacrificed as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for them.

13 Then you must stand the Levites in front of Aaron and his sons and present them as a special offering to the Lord.

14 This separates them from the rest of the Israelites. The Levites belong to Me.

The Levites Take the Place of the Firstborn

15 After this, they must go in and serve at the Tabernacle. This is how you must purify them and present them as a special offering.

16 I have taken the Levites instead of the firstborn sons of Israel. They belong to Me.

17 Every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal, belongs to Me. When I struck down the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for Myself.

18 But I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons of Israel.

19 I have given them as a gift to Aaron and his sons to do the work of the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites. This way, no one else will come near the sanctuary and bring My judgment on themselves.

The Levites Are Dedicated to Their Work

20 Moses, Aaron, and all the Israelites did exactly what the Lord commanded about the Levites.

21 The Levites purified themselves, washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them before the Lord. He made atonement for them to make them clean.

22 After that, they went in to serve at the Tabernacle under Aaron and his sons. Everything was done just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Age Limits for Levite Service

23 The Lord told Moses.

24 This is the rule for the Levites. They must start serving at the Tabernacle when they are 25 years old.

25 At 50 years old, they must retire from their service and stop working.

26 They may assist the younger Levites in guarding the Tabernacle, but they must not do the work themselves. These are the rules for the Levites.