| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, | 1The LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 2“Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” | 2"Speak to Aaron and tell him, 'When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand.'" |
| 3And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. | 3And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. |
| 4And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand. | 4This is how the lampstand was made: It was beaten work in gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was beaten work. According to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand. |
| 5And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, | 5Then the LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 6“Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. | 6"Take the Levites from among the Israelites and purify them. |
| 7Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. | 7And do this to them to purify them: Sprinkle water of purification on them; then have them shave all their body and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves. |
| 8Then let them take a bull from the herd and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin offering. | 8Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with olive oil; and you are to take a second young bull for a purification offering. |
| 9And you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel. | 9You are to bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire community of the Israelites. |
| 10When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, | 10Then you are to bring the Levites before the LORD, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on the Levites; |
| 11and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the LORD. | 11and Aaron is to offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites, that they may do the work of the LORD. |
| 12Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD to make atonement for the Levites. | 12When the Levites lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, offer the one for a purification offering and the other for a whole burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. |
| 13And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and shall offer them as a wave offering to the LORD. | 13You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them as a wave offering to the LORD. |
| 14“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine. | 14And so you are to separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites will be mine. |
| 15And after that the Levites shall go in to serve at the tent of meeting, when you have cleansed them and offered them as a wave offering. | 15"After this, the Levites will go in to do the work of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. |
| 16For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. | 16For they are entirely given to me from among the Israelites. I have taken them for myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn sons of all the Israelites. |
| 17For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, | 17For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself. |
| 18and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel. | 18So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites. |
| 19And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.” | 19I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the work for the Israelites in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the Israelites, so there will be no plague among the Israelites when the Israelites come near the sanctuary." |
| 20Thus did Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the people of Israel to the Levites. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, the people of Israel did to them. | 20So Moses and Aaron and the entire community of the Israelites did this with the Levites. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, this is what the Israelites did with them. |
| 21And the Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. | 21The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothing; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them. |
| 22And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them. | 22After this, the Levites went in to do their work in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before his sons. As the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did. |
| 23And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, | 23Then the LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 24“This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. | 24"This is what pertains to the Levites: At the age of twenty-five years and upward one may begin to join the company in the work of the tent of meeting, |
| 25And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. | 25and at the age of fifty years they must retire from performing the work and may no longer work. |
| 26They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.” | 26They may assist their colleagues in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish the Levites regarding their duties." |
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