Numbers 8:1-18 ▼

1 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you mount the lamps, the seven lamps will give light in the front of the lampstand.’”

3 Aaron therefore did so; he mounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses.

4 Now 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 which Yahweh had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

5 Again Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

6 “Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them.

7 Thus you shall do to them, for their cleansing: sprinkle purifying water on them, and let them use a razor over their whole body and wash their clothes, and they will be clean.

8 Then let them take a bull from the herd with its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and a second bull from the herd you shall take for a sin offering.

9 So you shall bring the Levites near before the tent of meeting. You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel,

10 and bring the Levites near before Yahweh; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites.

11 Aaron then shall present the Levites before Yahweh as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, that they may be qualified to perform the service of Yahweh.

12 Now the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites.

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

14 “Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

15 Then after that the Levites may go in to serve the tent of meeting. But you shall cleanse them and present them as a wave offering;

16 for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.

17 For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the men and among the animals; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.

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