Numbers 8:13
New International Version
Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering to the LORD.

New Living Translation
Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and raise your hands and present them as a special offering to the LORD.

English Standard Version
And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.

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

King James Bible
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

New King James Version
“And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
And you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the LORD.

NASB 1995
“You shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the LORD.

NASB 1977
“And you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the LORD.

Legacy Standard Bible
And you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to Yahweh.

Amplified Bible
You shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and present them as a wave offering to the LORD.

Christian Standard Bible
“You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before the LORD as a presentation offering.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before the LORD as a presentation offering.

American Standard Version
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering unto Jehovah.

Contemporary English Version
They will stand at my altar in front of Aaron and his sons, who will dedicate the Levites to me.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave offering unto the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Make the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and present them as an offering to the LORD.

Good News Translation
"Dedicate the Levites as a special gift to me, and put Aaron and his sons in charge of them.

International Standard Version
You are to make the descendants of Levi stand in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Then you are to wave them as wave offerings to the LORD.

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

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

New Heart English Bible
You shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering to the LORD.

World English Bible
You shall set the Levites before Aaron and before his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to Yahweh.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And you have caused the Levites to stand before Aaron, and before his sons, and have waved them [as] a wave-offering to YHWH;

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast caused the Levites to stand before Aaron, and before his sons, and hast waved them -- a wave-offering to Jehovah;

Smith's Literal Translation
And cause the Levites to stand before Aaron and before his sons, and lift them up a lifting up to Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and of his sons, and shalt consecrate them being offered to the Lord,

Catholic Public Domain Version
And you shall set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and his sons, and you shall consecrate those being offered to the Lord,

New American Bible
Then you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an elevated offering to the LORD;

New Revised Standard Version
Then you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an elevation offering to the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And you shall make the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons, and offer them for an offering to the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And stand the Levites before Ahron and before his sons and dedicate them as a dedication to LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering unto the LORD.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt set the Levites before the Lord, and before Aaron, and before his sons; and thou shalt give them as a gift before the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cleansing the Levites
12And 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. 13You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering. 14In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me.…

Cross References
Leviticus 8:6-13
Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. / He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. / Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. ...

Exodus 29:4-9
Then present Aaron and his sons at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. / Take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastplate. Fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband. / Put the turban on his head and attach the holy diadem to the turban. ...

Leviticus 16:32
The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest shall make atonement. He will put on the sacred linen garments

1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

Exodus 40:12-15
Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. / And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve Me as a priest. / Bring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics. ...

Hebrews 7:28
For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

2 Chronicles 29:5
“Listen to me, O Levites,” he said. “Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the house of the LORD, the God of your fathers. Remove from the Holy Place every impurity.

Hebrews 5:1
Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Timothy 4:14
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.

Acts 6:6
They presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

2 Timothy 1:6
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Leviticus 21:10
The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments.

Numbers 3:3
These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

Exodus 28:41
After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.


Treasury of Scripture

And you shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering to the LORD.

offer them.

Numbers 8:11,21
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD…

Numbers 18:6
And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

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Aaron Attend Cause Front Levites Offer Offered Offering Present Stand Wave Waved Wave-Offering
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Aaron Attend Cause Front Levites Offer Offered Offering Present Stand Wave Waved Wave-Offering
Numbers 8
1. How the lamps are to be lighted
5. The consecration of the Levites
23. The age and time of their service














You are to have the Levites stand
The Levites were set apart for service to God, and their standing before Aaron and his sons signifies their readiness and dedication to their divine duties. The Hebrew root for "stand" is "עָמַד" (amad), which implies being established or positioned with purpose. This act of standing is not merely physical but represents a spiritual readiness and commitment to serve God and His people. Historically, the Levites were chosen to assist the priests and maintain the tabernacle, highlighting their crucial role in Israel's worship and community life.

before Aaron and his sons
Aaron and his sons were the appointed priests, and the Levites' presentation before them underscores the hierarchical structure established by God for worship and service. This phrase emphasizes the importance of order and authority within the religious community. Aaron, as the high priest, symbolizes Christ in the New Testament, serving as a mediator between God and man. The Levites' submission to Aaron and his sons reflects the Christian call to submit to spiritual authority and leadership within the church.

and then present them
The act of presenting the Levites is a formal dedication of their lives and service to God. The Hebrew word "נָתַן" (natan) means to give or dedicate, indicating a transfer of responsibility and purpose. This presentation is akin to a consecration, setting the Levites apart for holy service. In a broader spiritual sense, it reminds believers of the call to present themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).

as a wave offering
The wave offering, or "תְּנוּפָה" (tenufah) in Hebrew, was a symbolic act of dedication and consecration. It involved the physical act of waving the offering before the LORD, signifying its presentation and acceptance by God. This offering represents the Levites' lives and service being lifted up to God, acknowledging His sovereignty and their dependence on Him. The wave offering is a beautiful picture of worship, where believers offer their lives and service to God with joy and gratitude.

to the LORD
The ultimate recipient of the Levites' dedication is the LORD, the covenant-keeping God of Israel. This phrase underscores the divine purpose and direction of their service. The Hebrew name for LORD, "יְהוָה" (YHWH), is the sacred, personal name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and faithfulness. The Levites' service is not for human recognition but for the glory and honor of God alone. This serves as a reminder for Christians to direct their service and worship to God, seeking His approval above all else.

(13) And offer them for an offering.--Literally, and wave them as a wave- offering, as in Numbers 8:11. So also in Numbers 8:15.

Verse 13. - And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron. This is not an additional command, but repeats in a slightly different form the previous orders. A similar repetition occurs in verse 15 b.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
You are to have the Levites
הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (hal·wî·yim)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

stand
וְהַֽעֲמַדְתָּ֙ (wə·ha·‘ă·maḏ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

before
לִפְנֵ֥י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

Aaron
אַהֲרֹ֖ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

and his sons
בָנָ֑יו (ḇā·nāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

and then present
וְהֵנַפְתָּ֥ (wə·hê·nap̄·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5130: To move to and fro, wave, sprinkle

them before the LORD
לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

as a wave offering.
תְּנוּפָ֖ה (tə·nū·p̄āh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8573: A brandishing, tumult, the official undulation of sacrificial offerings


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OT Law: Numbers 8:13 You shall set the Levites before Aaron (Nu Num.)
Numbers 8:12
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