| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Numbers Chapter
Eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 8
In
this chapter orders are given for the lighting the seven lamps of the
candlestick
Numbers 8:1; and
for the consecration of the Levites to their office
by a purification of them
Numbers 8:5; by a
separation of them from the children of Israel
and the imposition of their
hands on them
and of the hands of the Levites on the offerings offered for
them
Numbers 8:9; and
being thus given to the Lord
and claimed as his
instead of the firstborn of
Israel
they are given to Aaron and his sons to do service in the tabernacle
Numbers 8:16; and
their age at which they were to enter into service and cease from it is fixed
Numbers 8:23.
Numbers 8:1 And the Lord spoke to Moses
saying:
YLT
1And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... Whether immediately
after the offerings of the princes
or at another time
is not certain; Aben
Ezra thinks it was in the night God spake unto him
because then the lamps were
lighted and burning:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 8:2 2 “Speak to Aaron
and say to him
‘When you arrange the
lamps
the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.’”
YLT
2`Speak unto Aaron
and thou
hast said unto him
In thy causing the lights to go up
over-against the face
of the candlestick do the seven lights give light.'
Speak unto Aaron
and say unto him
.... It being his work to
light the lamps
though
as Ben Gersom observes
it was not incumbent on an
high priest alone to do this
for it also belonged to the sons of Aaron
who
were common priests
Exodus 27:21;
though it is probable that as this was the first time of lighting them
it
might be done by Aaron himself
his sons attending and assisting him; in which
he was an eminent type of Christ
the great High Priest
who lights the lamps
in all his golden candlesticks
the churches
Revelation 1:20
and from whom they have all their light and all the supplies of it:
when thou lightest the lamps; which was done at
evening
Exodus 30:8;
pointing at the great light set up by Christ
the light of the world
in the
evening of it
in the last days:
the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick; the Targum of
Jonathan is
"at the same time of thy lighting the lamps over against the
candlestick
there shall be seven lamps giving light: three on the west side
and three on the east side
and the seventh in the middle:'and in the like
order Jarchi places them
who observes
that the three eastward looked over
against the middlemost
the wicks that were in them; and so the three westward
the tops of the wicks were over against the middlemost: and he also observes
that the middlemost lamp was no other than the body of the candlestick
and so
all the rest of the lamps were over against and looked to that; and this is the
sense of MaimonidesF13Hilchot Beth Hacbehirah
c. 3. sect. 8.
and
other Jewish writers; but the truer meaning of the phrase is
that the seven
lamps gave light
as they were to do
to that part of the holy place that was
opposite to the candlestick
the north part of it
where stood the shewbread
table
the candlestick being in the south
Exodus 40:22; that
the table of the Lord might have light
as it was proper it should; and the
priests might see to set on and take off the bread
which otherwise they could
not
there being no window in the place; See Gill on Exodus 25:37.
Numbers 8:3 3 And Aaron did so; he arranged the lamps to face toward
the front of the lampstand
as the Lord commanded
Moses.
YLT
3And Aaron doth so;
over-against the face of the candlestick he hath caused its lights to go up
as
Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And Aaron did so
he lighted the lamps thereof over against the
candlestick
.... As God had taken up his residence in the most holy place
as
appears by the voice speaking from off the mercy seat
Numbers 7:89; and
sacrifices were begun to be offered in the outward court on the altar of burnt
offering
it was proper that the service of God in the holy place should also
be set on foot; as placing of the shewbread on the shewbread table
and burning
incense on the golden altar of incense; which could not well be done until the
lamps were lighted
and therefore orders were given for the lighting them
which was accordingly done by Aaron:
as the Lord commanded Moses; Exodus 25:37.
Numbers 8:4 4 Now this workmanship of the lampstand was
hammered gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was hammered work.
According to the pattern which the Lord had shown
Moses
so he made the lampstand.
YLT
4And this [is] the work of
the candlestick: beaten work of gold; unto its thigh
unto its flower it [is]
beaten work; as the appearance which Jehovah shewed Moses
so he hath made the
candlestick.
And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold
.... As it is
also said to be; See Gill on Exodus 25:31; and
See Gill on Exodus 25:36
unto the shalt thereof
unto the flowers thereof
was
beaten work; of which
see Exodus 25:31
according unto the pattern which the Lord had showed Moses; when on Mount
Sinai with him:
so he made the candlestick; that is
ordered it to
be made
and took care that it was made exactly to the pattern he had of it;
otherwise Bezaleel was the artificer; and so the Targum of Jonathan here
expresses him by name.
Numbers 8:5 5 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying:
YLT
5And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... the same time the
order about lighting the lamps was given; and this section is joined to the
former
Aben Ezra thinks
to show that Aaron employed himself in lighting the
lamps
but in the rest of the services the Levites helped him
and stood before
him to do what he commanded them: they were ordered to be taken and given to
Aaron before; and they were numbered
and their services appointed to each
division of them; and now they are ordered to be ordained and consecrated to
their office:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 8:6 6 “Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and
cleanse them ceremonially.
YLT
6`Take the Levites from the
midst of the sons of Israel
and thou hast cleansed them.
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel
.... Among
whom they were mixed
as were all the tribes mixed together as Aben Ezra says
before they took their journey from Mount Sinai; however
from hence forward
they were distinguished from Israelites
as they are both in Scripture and in
Jewish writings; see 1 Chronicles 9:2;
though this seems to design no other but their appointment and separation to
their work and service
as ministers to the priests of the Lord; and so as
Aaron did not assume the honour of priesthood to himself but was called of God
the Levites did not take the honour of their office to themselves but had it by
the appointment and call of God:
and cleanse them; with water
by sprinkling the water of purification
on them
and by washing their bodies and clothes with water; which outward
washing was a sign of moral purity
which was necessary to their employment in
the service of the sanctuary; for though there was no particular uncleanness on
them
either ceremonial or moral
but what was common to men; yet it was
proper
by such outward rites
to put them and others in mind
that they which
are employed about holy things should be eminently pure and holy; and as their
business was to carry holy things
to bear the sacred vessels of the sanctuary
from place to place when needful
they ought of all men to be clean
Isaiah 52:11
and
in this they were emblems of the ministers of the word
who ought to be pure
as in heart
so in life and conversation
and be examples of purity to others
2 Corinthians 6:6.
Numbers 8:7 7 Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle
water of purification on them
and let them shave all their body
and let them
wash their clothes
and so make themselves clean.
YLT
7`And thus thou dost to them
to cleanse them: sprinkle upon them waters of atonement
and they have caused a
razor to pass over all their flesh
and have washed their garments
and
cleansed themselves
And thus shall thou do unto them
to cleanse them
.... Or order
Aaron to do unto them; the cleansing of the Levites was the work of Aaron
either by himself or by his order; in which he was a type of Christ
who is the
refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi
Malachi 3:3
sprinkle water of purifying upon them; or
"water of sin"F14מי חטאת "aquas peccati"
Montanus; "aquam
peccati"
Piscator
Drusius; "the sin water"
Ainsworth. ; water
which purifies from sin
in a ceremonial sense; and this was water mixed with
the ashes of the red heifer
which was the purification of persons deified by
the dead
as Jarchi observes; and though the law concerning the red heifer
and
of making the water of purification
is not made mention of till afterwards
Numbers 19:1
yet
it was very probably given before; and the Jews sayF15Seder Olam
Rabba
c. 7. p. 22.
it was on the second of Nisan
or the first month
which
was the day after the tabernacle was erected
that Eleazar the priest burnt the
red heifer and sprinkled all Israel; this only "sanctified to the
purifying of the flesh"
Hebrews 9:13
in a
ceremonial sense
but was typical of the blood of Christ
which "purges
the conscience from dead works"; that so men may be fitted and qualified
as the Levites were
"to serve the living God"
Hebrews 9:14
and let them shave all their flesh; the hair of their
bodies
in all parts thereof; even the beard
as Aben Ezra notes
some say; yet
not the corners of it; but the whole hair of the body
everywhere
was to be
shaved off; to denote the most perfect purity
and a removal of all superfluity
of haughtiness and excrescences of the flesh from them: so the Egyptian priests
used to shave their whole body every third day
lest there should be anything
filthy in those that served the godsF16Herodot. Enterpe
sive
l. 2.
c. 37. : this cleansing of the Levites was after the same manner as lepers were
cleansed: and Jarchi observes
from one of their writers
that because the
Levites gave an atonement for the firstborn
who committed idolatry
which is
called the sacrifices of the dead
and the leper is called a dead man
they
were obliged to shaving as the lepers; but Ben Gersom gives a better reason for
the shaving of them; that it was to put them in mind that they should forsake
material (or corporeal) things
and employ themselves in the service of God;
see Acts 6:2 2 Timothy 2:4
and let them wash their clothes; and much more their
bodies
as Chaskuni
after the manner of those who were polluted by touching a
dead body; typical of the saints having their bodies washed with pure water
and their garments washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb
Hebrews 10:22
and so make themselves clean; the Targum of Jonathan
adds
in forty seahs of water; and according to the sense of that paraphrase
both the bodies and clothes of the Levites were dipped in water.
Numbers 8:8 8 Then let them take a young bull with its grain offering
of fine flour mixed with oil
and you shall take another young bull as a sin
offering.
YLT
8and have taken a bullock
a
son of the herd
and its present
flour mixed with oil
-- and a second bullock
a son of the herd thou dost take for a sin-offering
Then let them take a young bullock
.... Of two years old
as
the Jewish writers gather from the other in the next clause
being called the
second; though the wise men say one of three years old is fit for such a
sacrifice; nay
others say
if four or five years old; but the decision is
according to the wise menF17Misn. Parah
c. 1. sect. 2. &
Bartenora in ib. .
with his meat offering
even fine flour mingled with oil: which always
went along with a burnt offering
and consisted of three tenth deals of line
flour
and half an hin of oil
Numbers 28:12
and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering; which was the
offering for the sin of the whole congregation of Israel
through ignorance;
and this being for all the Levites
and they being instead of the firstborn of
Israel
such an offering was required; and though there was no particular sin
charged upon them
but it became necessary for their perfect cleansing and
expiation.
Numbers 8:9 9 And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle
of meeting
and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the
children of Israel.
YLT
9and thou hast brought near
the Levites before the tent of meeting
and thou hast assembled the whole
company of the sons of Israel
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the
congregation
.... Not without it
but within it
in the court of the
tabernacle
at least at the door of it
where stood the altar of burnt
offering
on which sacrifices for them were now to be offered:
and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel
together; the heads of the tribes
and elders of the people
as Aben Ezra
interprets this phrase in Leviticus 8:3;
where the whole congregation is said to be assembled at the consecration of the
priests
as here at the consecration of the Levites
having a concern therein
as well as to be spectators and witnesses of this solemn affair; and no doubt
as many of them as could conveniently assemble at the door of the tabernacle
did
though every individual of that large body of people could not possibly do
it.
Numbers 8:10 10 So you shall bring the Levites before the Lord
and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites;
YLT
10and thou hast brought near
the Levites before Jehovah
and the sons of Israel have laid their hands on the
Levites
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord
.... From the
door of the tabernacle
to the altar of burnt offering
where the Lord was in
some sense present to accept the sacrifices offered to him:
and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites; as were used
to be put upon sacrifices
for the Levites were themselves offered for an
offering of the children of Israel
as is expressed in Numbers 8:11; by
which rite they signified that they voluntarily parted with them
and gave them
up to the Lord
and transferred their service to them
in which they were to
serve in their room and stead; these
according to some Jewish writers
were
the firstborn of Israel that laid their hands on the Levites
a type of the
general assembly and church of the firstborn; or rather the princes and heads
of the tribes
who represented the whole body. Some think by this rite is
signified the consent of the people in the designation and appointment of the
ministers of the word to their work and office; but what in the New Testament
seems to answer to this is
the laying of the hands of the presbytery on
ministers of the word
1 Timothy 4:14.
Numbers 8:11 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord like a wave offering from the children of Israel
that they
may perform the work of the Lord.
YLT
11and Aaron hath waved the
Levites -- a wave-offering before Jehovah
from the sons of Israel
and they
have been -- for doing the service of Jehovah.
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord
.... Or
"wave"F18והניף "et
motabit"
Tigurine version; "et faciet elevare"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus; "et agitabit"
Drusius; "et agitato"
Piscator. them
as a wave offering
which was moved to and fro
backwards and
forwards; not that they were actually so waved and moved to and fro by Aaron
which could not be done by him; though it is possible he might make such a
motion himself
and they might do the like after him
thereby signifying that
they belonged unto the Lord of the whole earth; and some think this testified
their readiness to serve the Lord; to which may be added their constant
employment in his service
being always in motion
doing one piece of service
or another continually; as the people of God
and especially the ministers of
the word
should be always abounding: in the work of the Lord. Ainsworth
supposes that the troubles and afflictions of the ministers of God are figured
hereby:
for an offering of the
children of Israel; to the Lord
hereby devoting them to his service:
that they may execute the service of the Lord; for them
in
their room and stead
do what otherwise they must have done; see Numbers 3:7; with
this compare Isaiah 66:20.
Numbers 8:12 12 Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of
the young bulls
and you shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a
burnt offering to the Lord
to make atonement for the
Levites.
YLT
12`And the Levites lay their
hands on the head of the bullocks
and make thou the one a sin-offering
and
the one a burnt-offering to Jehovah
to atone for the Levites
And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks
.... Or
"on the head"F19על ראש "super caput"
Tigurine version. Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius. ; on the head of everyone of them
as Aben
Ezra
thereby
as it were
transferring their sins to them
for these were to
make atonement for them
as the latter part of the verse shows; and this was a
figure of the imputation of sin to Christ
and taught that doctrine
and led
the faith of the offerers to the sin bearing and sin atoning Saviour:
and thou shall offer the one for a sin offering
and the
other for a burnt offering
unto the Lord; that is
shall order to
be offered; for not Moses
but Aaron
offered these offerings
as Aben Ezra
observes
of which this is a proof
that Aaron is said to make the atonement
for them
Numbers 8:21
for
which purpose these sacrifices were offered
particularly the first; and the
latter by way of thanksgiving for atonement made by the former: so it follows:
to make an atonement for the Levites; who could not
be admitted to service until their sins were expiated; as no man is worthy to
be employed in the work of God
but such for whom reconciliation for their sins
is made by the blood and sacrifice of Christ
by which they are purged from
dead works to serve the living God.
Numbers 8:13 13 “And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his
sons
and then offer them like a wave offering to the Lord.
YLT
13and thou hast caused the
Levites to stand before Aaron
and before his sons
and hast waved them -- a
wave-offering to Jehovah;
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron
and before his sons
.... After
atonement was made for them
as Aben Ezra observes; then they were presented to
Aaron and his sons
to whom they were given to he their ministers
and
assistants to them:
and offer them for an offering unto the Lord: or
and
"waved them"
&c. as before
that is
order them to be waved; for
not Moses
but Aaron
did this
and indeed was done already; and therefore
should rather be rendered
as by Bishop Patrick
after thou hast offered
or
waved them.
Numbers 8:14 14 Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the
children of Israel
and the Levites shall be Mine.
YLT
14and thou hast separated the
Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel
and the Levites have become Mine;
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of
Israel
.... By sprinkling the water of purification upon them; by
offering sacrifices for them; by presenting them before the Lord
with the
hands of the people of Israel put upon them; by offering and waving them before
the Lord
and by setting them before Aaron and his sons
as their ministers:
and the Levites shall be mine: in a special and
peculiar manner devoted to his service
and by him given to his priests for
that purpose; so the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan
"and the Levites
shall minister before me.'
Numbers 8:15 15 After that the Levites shall go in to service the
tabernacle of meeting. So you shall cleanse them and offer them like a
wave offering.
YLT
15and afterwards do the
Levites come in to serve the tent of meeting
and thou hast cleansed them
and
hast waved them -- a wave-offering.
And after that shall the Levites go in
.... Not into
the sanctuary
where only the priests entered
much less into the most holy
place
where only the high priest went
and that but once a year
in neither of
which places the Levites had anything to do
but into the court of the
tabernacle:
to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: to watch
there
and to assist the priests at the altar of burnt offering
to take down
the tabernacle and bear the vessels of it
and set it up
as occasion required:
and thou shalt cleanse them
and offer them for an offering; cleanse them
by sprinkling the water of purifying on them
and offer them by waving them as
before; and indeed this is no new thing which is here observed
but what was
already done
and therefore should be rendered
"when thou shalt have
cleansed them"
or "after thou hast cleansed them"
&c. and
so the particle "vau" is sometimes usedF20See Noldius
p.
289
290
299. .
Numbers 8:16 16 For they are wholly given to Me from among the
children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the
womb
the firstborn of all the children of Israel.
YLT
16`For they are certainly
given to Me out of the midst of the sons of Israel
instead of him who openeth
any womb -- the first-born of all -- from the sons of Israel I have taken them
to Myself;
For they are wholly given unto me from among the children
of Israel
.... All of them
entirely
and most certainly; or
"given
given"F21נתנים נתנים
"dati
dati"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus; so Drusius and Ainsworth.
which is repeated for the confirmation of it; or because of their being twice
given
first to the Lord by the children of Israel
and then by the Lord to
Aaron and his sons
as Chaskuni; though Jarchi interprets it of the different
parts of their service they were devoted to
given for bearing and carrying the
vessels of the sanctuary
and given for the song
or to be singers in the
temple:
instead of such as open
every womb
even instead of the
firstborn of all the children of Israel have I taken them unto me; See Gill on Numbers 3:12
and
See Gill on Numbers 3:13.
Numbers 8:17 17 For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are
Mine
both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in
the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.
YLT
17for Mine [is] every
first-born among the sons of Israel
among man and among beast; in the day of
my smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself;
For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine
both men and beasts
.... Not only
in common with other of his creatures
but in a special respect on account of
his signal deliverance of them; they were his
as Jarchi expresses it
by the
line of judgment
or rule of justice and equity
because he protected them
among the firstborn of the Egyptians
saved them when he slew theirs
as
follows:
in the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt; both of men
and beasts:
I sanctified them for myself; claimed them as his own
and set them apart for his own use
or ordered them to be set apart: see Exodus 13:2.
Numbers 8:18 18 I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn
of the children of Israel.
YLT
18and I take the Levites
instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel:
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children
of Israel. Gave up his right in the firstborn
and instead of them took the
Levites for his use and service: see Numbers 3:12.
Numbers 8:19 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and
his sons from among the children of Israel
to do the work for the children of
Israel in the tabernacle of meeting
and to make atonement for the children of
Israel
that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children
of Israel come near the sanctuary.”
YLT
19`And I give the Levites
gifts to Aaron and to his sons
from the midst of the sons of Israel
to do the
service of the sons of Israel in the tent of meeting
and to make atonement for
the sons of Israel
and there is no plague among the sons of Israel in the sons
of Israel's drawing nigh unto the sanctuary.'
And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his
sons
from among the children of Israel
.... Or I have given the
Levites that were given; that is
the Lord gave to Aaron and his sons the
Levites
that were first given to him; as they were
when brought before him
and the children of Israel laid hands on them
and they were offered before the
Lord
Numbers 8:10
to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of
the congregation; to do what otherwise they must have done
watch and guard the
tabernacle
carry the sacrifices to the priests
assist them at the altar
take
down and set up the tabernacle
and carry it
and the vessels of it
from place
to place:
and to make an atonement for the children of Israel; not by
offering sacrifices for them
which was the work of the priests
but by being
now offered themselves
Numbers 8:10; that
they themselves might be the atonement of their souls as Aben Ezra expresses
it
as well as they were by their service hereafter a means of preserving the
Israelites from death; which may be interpreted of making an atonement
which
Phinehas is said to do by his deed
though no sacrifice was offered
Numbers 25:7; which
sense seems to be confirmed by what follows:
that there be no plague among the children of Israel
when the
children of Israel come nigh to the sanctuary; by approaching nearer
than they should
touching what they ought not
intruding themselves into
service they were not called to
or doing it amiss
not being instructed in it
or inured to it as the Levites were. The phrase
"the children of
Israel"
is five times used in this verse
to denote the love of God to
them
as Jarchi observes.
Numbers 8:20 20 Thus Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the
children of Israel did to the Levites; according to all that the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites
so the children of Israel
did to them.
YLT
20And Moses doth -- Aaron
also
and all the company of the sons of Israel -- to the Levites according to
all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses concerning the Levites; so have the sons
of Israel done to them.
And Moses and Aaron
and all the congregation of the children of
Israel
.... The several parties concerned in the consecration of the
Levites: these
did to the Levites according unto all that the Lord commanded
Moses
so did the children of Israel unto them: which
as
Jarchi notes
is said to the praise of them that did it
and of what was done
by them; everything was done that was ordered
and in the manner in which it
was prescribed; Moses sprinkled
or ordered to be sprinkled
the water of
purification on them
and set them before the tabernacle
and before the Lord;
the children of Israel laid their hands on them
and Aaron waved them
offered
the sacrifices for them.
Numbers 8:21 21 And the Levites purified themselves and washed their
clothes; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the Lord
and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
YLT
21And the Levites cleanse
themselves
and wash their garments
and Aaron waveth them a wave-offering
before Jehovah
and Aaron maketh atonement for them to cleanse them
And the Levites were purified
.... From sin
by the
sprinkling of the sin water
or water of purification on them
Numbers 8:7
and they washed their clothes; that they might have no
defilement about them
neither in their bodies
nor in their garments:
and Aaron offered them as an offering before the Lord; a wave
offering
as in Numbers 8:11
and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them; by offering
the sacrifices for them
Numbers 8:12.
Numbers 8:22 22 After that the Levites went in to do their work in the
tabernacle of meeting before Aaron and his sons; as the Lord commanded Moses concerning the Levites
so they did to them.
YLT
22and afterwards have the
Levites gone in to do their service in the tent of meeting
before Aaron and
before his sons; as Jehovah hath commanded Moses concerning the Levites
so
they have done to them.
And after that went the Levites in
.... Into the court of
the tabernacle
being at the door of it when the above rites and ceremonies of
their consecration were performed:
to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation
before
Aaron and his sons; in their presence
and by their order
as they should direct
them:
as the Lord had commanded Moses
so did they unto them; Aaron and his
sons did to the then present Levites according to the command of God by Moses;
they exactly observed every punctilio of it
and complied with it; and this the
sons of Aaron did continually to the sons of the Levites
as Aben Ezra remarks
in all succeeding ages; when the Levites were consecrated to their service
the
same things were done unto them that are here ordered.
Numbers 8:23 23 Then the Lord spoke to
Moses
saying
YLT
23And Jehovah speaketh unto
Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... At the same time he
gave the instructions about the consecration of the Levites
the time of their
entrance on their service
and of leaving it
was fixed:
saying; as follows.
Numbers 8:24 24 “This is what pertains to the Levites:
From twenty-five years old and above one may enter to perform service in the
work of the tabernacle of meeting;
YLT
24`This [is] that which [is]
the Levites': from a son of five and twenty years and upward he doth go in to
serve the host in the service of the tent of meeting
This is it that belongeth unto the Levites
.... The fixed
and settled time for their service
as is after related:
from twenty and five years old and upward
they shall go in to
wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; in Numbers 4:3; the
time for the Levites entering on the work of the tabernacle is fixed to thirty
years and upward
which Jarchi reconciles thus; at twenty five years old the
Levite goes in to learn the rites of service
and he learns five years
and when
thirty years of age he services; the same is observed by othersF23Ben
Gersom in loc. Bartenora in Pirke Abot
c. 5. sect. 21. ; but what Aben Ezra
proposes seems much better; at thirty years of age a Levite entered into the
service of bearing and carrying burdens; and at twenty five years of age he
entered into the service of the tent or tabernacle
where he was employed in
lighter service
such as opening and shutting the doors of the sanctuary
keeping out strangers and unclean persons
and singing the songs of the
sanctuary; but was not concerned till thirty years of age in carrying the
vessels of the sanctuary on the shoulders
as the Kohathites; or in taking down
and setting up the tabernacle
loading and unloading the wagons
as the
Gershonites and Merarites; which is the business assigned unto them
and spoken
of in Numbers 4:22
where
the age of thirty years
and upward
is mentioned
as the time of their entrance
on it
Numbers 4:23.
Numbers 8:25 25 and at the age of fifty years they must cease
performing this work
and shall work no more.
YLT
25and from a son of fifty
years he doth return from the host of the service
and doth not serve any more
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the
service thereof
.... The heavy service of it:
and shall serve no more; by bearing and carrying the
vessels of the sanctuary upon their shoulders
as Jarchi interprets it; this
according to the Jewish writers
was only in force while the tabernacle was in
the wilderness
and was moved from place to place: but when it had a fixed
habitation
and that laborious service of bearing and carrying the vessels of
it ceased
years made no difference in the Levites
or disqualified them for
service; for it is saidF24Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Cholin
c. 1. sect. 6.
that the Levites were not bound by this law
but in the time
of the tabernacle; but when it was at Shiloh
and at Jerusalem
where there was
no bearing and carrying upon the shoulder
the Levites were not rejected on
account of years
only for their voice
when they had lost that
and could not
sing.
Numbers 8:26 26 They may minister with their brethren in the
tabernacle of meeting
to attend to needs
but they themselves shall do
no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”
YLT
26and he hath ministered with
his brethren in the tent of meeting
to keep the charge
and doth not do
service; thus thou dost to the Levites concerning their charge.'
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the
congregation
.... By giving advice
instructing younger Levites
and doing
lighter service. Jarchi says
they shall return to shutting of doors
singing
and loading wagons; but the last especially seems too burdensome: the ministry
of such is explained by the next clause:
to keep the charge; of the tabernacle
to watch and observe
that no stranger or unclean person enter into it; and this they were capable of
when at the age of fifty
and upwards:
and shall do no service; heavy and laborious:
thus thou shall do unto the Levites touching their charge; dismiss them
from service when at such an age
or however make their service easier; for
this respects ancient men
as Aben Ezra notes; though it may include both their
entrance on their work
and their cessation from it.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》