Numbers 8:19-26
English Standard Version
19 (A)And 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 (B)to make atonement for the people of Israel, (C)that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.”
20 Thus 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. 21 And (D)the Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and (E)Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 And 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.
Retirement of the Levites
23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This applies to the Levites: (F)from twenty-five years old and upward they[a] shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. 25 And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. 26 They minister[b] to their brothers in the tent of meeting (G)by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 8:24 Hebrew he; also verses 25, 26
- Numbers 8:26 Hebrew He ministers
Numbers 8:19-26
New International Version
19 From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons(A) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites(B) and to make atonement for them(C) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”
20 Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses. 21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes.(D) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement(E) for them to purify them.(F) 22 After that, the Levites came to do their work(G) at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.
23 The Lord said to Moses, 24 “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more(H) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,(I) 25 but at the age of fifty,(J) they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. 26 They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.(K) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”
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