Setting Up the Lamps

The Lord said to Moses, “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)’”

Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 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

The Lord said to Moses: “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.(D) 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) 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) 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

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, “Have the Israelites celebrate the Passover(AO) at the appointed time.(AP) 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)

So Moses told the Israelites to celebrate the Passover,(AS) 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)

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 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)

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

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.’”

Footnotes

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

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Speak unto Aaron and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.

And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the Lord commanded Moses.

And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the Lord had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.

And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:

10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

11 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.

12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the Lord, to make an atonement for the Levites.

13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the Lord.

14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.

16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.

20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.

21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the Lord; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.

22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.

23 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:

25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:

26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying,

Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.

In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.

And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:

And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the Lord in his appointed season among the children of Israel?

And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the Lord will command concerning you.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord.

11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the Lord; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.

The Burnt Offering

The Lord called to Moses(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.(B) He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord,(C) bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.(D)

“‘If the offering is a burnt offering(E) from the herd,(F) you are to offer a male without defect.(G) You must present it at the entrance to the tent(H) of meeting so that it will be acceptable(I) to the Lord. You are to lay your hand on the head(J) of the burnt offering,(K) and it will be accepted(L) on your behalf to make atonement(M) for you. You are to slaughter(N) the young bull(O) before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons(P) the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar(Q) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. You are to skin(R) the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.(S) The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood(T) on the fire. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat,(U) on the wood(V) that is burning on the altar. You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(W) and the priest is to burn all of it(X) on the altar.(Y) It is a burnt offering,(Z) a food offering,(AA) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(AB)

10 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep(AC) or the goats,(AD) you are to offer a male without defect. 11 You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar(AE) before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar.(AF) 12 You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat,(AG) on the wood that is burning on the altar. 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(AH) and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them(AI) on the altar.(AJ) It is a burnt offering,(AK) a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

14 “‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon.(AL) 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head(AM) and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.(AN) 16 He is to remove the crop and the feathers[a] and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes(AO) are. 17 He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely,(AP) and then the priest shall burn it on the wood(AQ) that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

The Grain Offering

“‘When anyone brings a grain offering(AR) to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour.(AS) They are to pour olive oil(AT) on it,(AU) put incense on it(AV) and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour(AW) and oil, together with all the incense,(AX) and burn this as a memorial[b] portion(AY) on the altar, a food offering,(AZ) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BA) The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;(BB) it is a most holy(BC) part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

“‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven,(BD) it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves(BE) made without yeast and brushed with olive oil.(BF) If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle,(BG) it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan,(BH) it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. He shall take out the memorial portion(BI) from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BJ) 10 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;(BK) it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.(BL)

11 “‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast,(BM) for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. 12 You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits,(BN) but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 Season all your grain offerings with salt.(BO) Do not leave the salt of the covenant(BP) of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

14 “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits(BQ) to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. 15 Put oil and incense(BR) on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall burn the memorial portion(BS) of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense,(BT) as a food offering presented to the Lord.(BU)

The Fellowship Offering

“‘If your offering is a fellowship offering,(BV) and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect.(BW) You are to lay your hand on the head(BX) of your offering and slaughter it(BY) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(BZ) Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash(CA) the blood against the sides(CB) of the altar.(CC) From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs(CD) and all the fat(CE) that is connected to them, both kidneys(CF) with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons(CG) are to burn it on the altar(CH) on top of the burnt offering(CI) that is lying on the burning wood;(CJ) it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(CK)

“‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering(CL) to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. If you offer a lamb,(CM) you are to present it before the Lord,(CN) lay your hand on its head and slaughter it(CO) in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering(CP) to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 11 The priest shall burn them on the altar(CQ) as a food offering(CR) presented to the Lord.(CS)

12 “‘If your offering is a goat,(CT) you are to present it before the Lord, 13 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash(CU) its blood against the sides of the altar.(CV) 14 From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys.(CW) 16 The priest shall burn them on the altar(CX) as a food offering,(CY) a pleasing aroma.(CZ) All the fat(DA) is the Lord’s.(DB)

17 “‘This is a lasting ordinance(DC) for the generations to come,(DD) wherever you live:(DE) You must not eat any fat or any blood.(DF)’”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:16 Or crop with its contents; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Leviticus 2:2 Or representative; also in verses 9 and 16

And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.

If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.

And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.

And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:

And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.

11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.

12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.

15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:

16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:

17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord:

And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.

And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.

Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.

And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.

And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the Lord: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.

And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

10 And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the Lord made by fire.

11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Lord, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the Lord made by fire.

12 As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the Lord: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.

13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

14 And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the Lord, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.

15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.

16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the Lord.

And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord.

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord.

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

10 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.

12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord.

13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the Lord's.

17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.