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Numbers 8-9
New American Standard Bible

The Seven Lamps

8 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you [a]mount the lamps, the seven lamps will (A)provide light in the front of the lampstand.’” 3 Therefore Aaron did so; he [b]mounted its lamps at the front of the lampstand, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 4 (B)Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold; from its base to its flower ornamentation it was hammered work; (C)according to the [c]pattern which the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Cleansing the Levites

5 Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 6 “Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and (D)cleanse them. 7 This is what you shall do to them, for their cleansing: sprinkle [d]purifying (E)water on them, and have them [e](F)use a razor over their whole [f]body, and they shall (G)wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. 8 Then have them take a [g]bull with (H)its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and you shall take a second [h]bull as a sin offering. 9 So (I)you shall present the Levites in front of the tent of meeting. (J)You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, 10 and present the Levites before the Lord; and the sons of Israel (K)shall lay their hands on the Levites. 11 Aaron then shall [i]present the Levites before the Lord as a (L)wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may [j]qualify to perform the service of the Lord. 12 Now (M)the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then you are to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. 13 And you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the Lord.

14 “So you shall single out the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and (N)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 (O)present them as a wave offering; 16 for they are (P)exclusively given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself (Q)instead of the firstborn of every womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel. 17 For (R)every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the people and among the animals; on the day that I fatally struck 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. 19 And (S)I have given the Levites as [k]a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the sons of Israel, to perform the service of the sons of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on behalf of the sons of Israel, so that there will be no (T)affliction among the sons of Israel due to [l]their approaching the sanctuary.”

20 So this is what Moses, Aaron, and all the congregation of the sons of Israel did to the Levites; according to everything that the Lord had commanded Moses regarding the Levites, so the sons of Israel did to them. 21 (U)The Levites, too, purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22 Then after that the Levites went in to perform their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron and his sons; just as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

Retirement for the Levites

23 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 24 “This is what applies to the Levites: from (V)twenty-five years old and upward [m]they shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting. 25 But at the age of fifty years they shall [n]retire from service in the work and not work anymore. 26 They may, however, [o]assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, (W)to fulfill an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. In this way you shall deal with the Levites in their obligations.”

The Passover

9 Now the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in (X)the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “Now the sons of Israel are to [p]celebrate the Passover at (Y)its appointed time. 3 On the fourteenth day of this month, [q]at twilight, you shall celebrate it at its appointed time; you shall celebrate it in accordance with all its statutes and all its ordinances.” 4 So Moses [r]told the sons of Israel to celebrate the Passover. 5 And (Z)they celebrated the Passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight, in the wilderness of Sinai; (AA)in accordance with everything that the Lord had commanded Moses, so the sons of Israel did. 6 But there were some men who were (AB)unclean because of contact with a [s]dead person, so that they could not celebrate Passover on that day; and (AC)they came before Moses and Aaron on that day. 7 Those men said to him, “Though we are unclean because of a [t]dead person, why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the sons of Israel?” 8 Moses then said to them, “[u](AD)Wait, and I will listen to what the Lord will command concerning you.”

9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If any one of you or of your generations becomes unclean because of a dead [v]person, or is on a distant journey, he may, however, celebrate the Passover to the Lord. 11 In the second month on the (AE)fourteenth day at twilight, they shall celebrate it; they (AF)shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 12 They (AG)shall not leave any of it until morning, (AH)nor break a bone of it; they shall celebrate it in accordance with the whole statute of the Passover. 13 (AI)But the person who is clean and is not on a journey, yet refrains from celebrating the Passover, that [w]person shall then be cut off from his people, because he did not present the offering of the Lord at its appointed time. That person (AJ)will bear the responsibility for his sin. 14 And (AK)if a stranger resides among you and [x]celebrates the Passover to the Lord, according to the statute of the Passover and its ordinance, so he shall celebrate it; you shall have [y]the (AL)same statute, both for the stranger and for the native of the land.’”

The Cloud on the Tabernacle

15 Now on (AM)the day that the tabernacle was erected, (AN)the cloud covered the tabernacle, the (AO)tent of the testimony, and (AP)in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle until morning. 16 That is how it was continuously; (AQ)the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 17 (AR)Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. 18 At the [z]command of the Lord the sons of Israel would set out, and at the [aa]command of the Lord they would camp; (AS)as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. 19 Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, [ab]the sons of Israel would comply with the Lord’s ordinance and not set out. 20 If [ac]sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, (AT)in accordance with the [ad]command of the Lord they remained camped. Then in accordance with the [ae]command of the Lord they set out. 21 If [af]sometimes the cloud [ag]remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning they would set out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out. 22 Whether it was two days, a month, or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but (AU)when it was lifted, they did set out. 23 (AV)At the [ah]command of the Lord they camped, and at the [ai]command of the Lord they set out; they did what the Lord required, in accordance with the [aj]command of the Lord through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 8:2 Lit put up
  2. Numbers 8:3 Lit put up
  3. Numbers 8:4 Lit appearance
  4. Numbers 8:7 Lit water of expiation
  5. Numbers 8:7 Lit cause to pass
  6. Numbers 8:7 Lit flesh
  7. Numbers 8:8 Lit bull, a son of the herd
  8. Numbers 8:8 Lit bull, a son of the herd
  9. Numbers 8:11 Lit wave, and so throughout the ch
  10. Numbers 8:11 Lit be to perform
  11. Numbers 8:19 Lit given ones
  12. Numbers 8:19 Lit the sons of Israel’s
  13. Numbers 8:24 Lit he
  14. Numbers 8:25 Lit return
  15. Numbers 8:26 Lit serve
  16. Numbers 9:2 Lit perform, and so throughout the ch
  17. Numbers 9:3 Lit between the two evenings, and so throughout the ch
  18. Numbers 9:4 Lit spoke to
  19. Numbers 9:6 Lit soul of man
  20. Numbers 9:7 Lit soul of man
  21. Numbers 9:8 Lit Stand
  22. Numbers 9:10 Lit soul
  23. Numbers 9:13 Lit soul
  24. Numbers 9:14 Or would celebrate
  25. Numbers 9:14 Or one statute
  26. Numbers 9:18 Lit mouth
  27. Numbers 9:18 Lit mouth
  28. Numbers 9:19 Lit and the
  29. Numbers 9:20 Lit it was that
  30. Numbers 9:20 Lit mouth
  31. Numbers 9:20 Lit mouth
  32. Numbers 9:21 Lit it was that
  33. Numbers 9:21 Lit was
  34. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  35. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
  36. Numbers 9:23 Lit mouth
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Numbers 8-9
New International Version

Setting Up the Lamps

8 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in front of the lampstand.(A)’”

3 Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold(B)—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern(C) the Lord had shown Moses.

The Setting Apart of the Levites

5 The Lord said to Moses: 6 “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.(D) 7 To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing(E) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies(F) and wash their clothes.(G) And so they will purify themselves.(H) 8 Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;(I) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.[a](J) 9 Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting(K) and assemble the whole Israelite community.(L) 10 You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.(M) 11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering(N) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

12 “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,(O) using one for a sin offering(P) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,(Q) to make atonement(R) for the Levites. 13 Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering(S) to the Lord. 14 In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.(T)

15 “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,(U) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.(V) 16 They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,(W) the first male offspring(X) from every Israelite woman. 17 Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,(Y) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.(Z) 18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.(AA) 19 From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons(AB) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites(AC) and to make atonement for them(AD) 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.(AE) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement(AF) for them to purify them.(AG) 22 After that, the Levites came to do their work(AH) 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(AI) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,(AJ) 25 but at the age of fifty,(AK) 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.(AL) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

The Passover

9 The Lord spoke to Moses in the Desert of Sinai in the first month(AM) of the second year after they came out of Egypt.(AN) He said, 2 “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover(AO) at the appointed time.(AP) 3 Celebrate it at the appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month,(AQ) in accordance with all its rules and regulations.(AR)”

4 So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,(AS) 5 and they did so in the Desert of Sinai(AT) at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.(AU) The Israelites did everything just as the Lord commanded Moses.(AV)

6 But some of them could not celebrate the Passover on that day because they were ceremonially unclean(AW) on account of a dead body.(AX) So they came to Moses and Aaron(AY) that same day 7 and said to Moses, “We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?(AZ)”

8 Moses answered them, “Wait until I find out what the Lord commands concerning you.”(BA)

9 Then the Lord said to Moses, 10 “Tell the Israelites: ‘When any of you or your descendants are unclean because of a dead body(BB) or are away on a journey, they are still to celebrate(BC) the Lord’s Passover, 11 but they are to do it on the fourteenth day of the second month(BD) at twilight. They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.(BE) 12 They must not leave any of it till morning(BF) or break any of its bones.(BG) When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.(BH) 13 But if anyone who is ceremonially clean and not on a journey fails to celebrate the Passover, they must be cut off from their people(BI) for not presenting the Lord’s offering at the appointed time. They will bear the consequences of their sin.

14 “‘A foreigner(BJ) residing among you is also to celebrate the Lord’s Passover in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for both the foreigner and the native-born.’”

The Cloud Above the Tabernacle

15 On the day the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant law,(BK) was set up,(BL) the cloud(BM) covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire.(BN) 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire.(BO) 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the tent, the Israelites set out;(BP) wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.(BQ) 18 At the Lord’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained(BR) in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s order(BS) and did not set out.(BT) 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the Lord’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the Lord’s command they encamped, and at the Lord’s command they set out. They obeyed the Lord’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 8:8 Or purification offering; also in verse 12
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