8
1 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
2 “Speak
to Aaron, and tell
him, ‘When you
light the lamps,
the seven lamps
shall give light
in front of
the lamp stand.’ ”
3 Aaron did
so. He lit its
lamps to light
the area in front
of the lamp stand,
as the LORD
commanded Moses.
4 This
was the
workmanship of
the lamp stand, beaten
work of gold.
From its base
to its flowers,
it was beaten
work. He made
the lamp stand according to
the pattern which
the LORD had
shown Moses.
5 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
6 “Take
the Levites from
among the children
of Israel, and
cleanse them.
7 You
shall do this
to them to
cleanse them:
sprinkle the water
of cleansing on
them, let them
shave their whole
bodies with a
razor, let them
wash their clothes,
and cleanse
themselves.
8 Then let
them take a
young bull and
its meal offering,
fine flour mixed
with oil; and
another young bull
you shall take
for a sin
offering.
9 You
shall present the
Levites before
the Tent of
Meeting. You shall
assemble the whole
congregation of
the children of
Israel.
10 You
shall present the
Levites before the
LORD. The children
of Israel shall
lay their hands
on the Levites,
11 and Aaron
shall offer the
Levites before the
LORD for a
wave offering on
the behalf of the
children of Israel,
that it may
be theirs to do
the service of
the LORD.
12 “The
Levites shall lay
their hands on
the heads of
the bulls, and
you shall offer
the one for
a sin offering
and the other for
a burnt offering
to the LORD,
to make atonement
for the Levites.
13 You
shall set the
Levites before Aaron
and before his
sons, and offer
them as a
wave offering to
the LORD.
14 Thus
you shall separate
the Levites from
among the children
of Israel, and
the Levites shall
be mine.
15 “After that,
the Levites shall
go in to
do the service
of the Tent of
Meeting. You shall
cleanse them, and
offer them as
a wave offering.
16 For
they are wholly
given to me
from among the
children of Israel;
instead of all
who open the
womb, even the
firstborn of all
the children of
Israel, I have
taken them to
me.
17 For
all the firstborn
among the children
of Israel are
mine, both man
and animal. On the
day that I
struck all the
firstborn in
the land of Egypt,
I sanctified them
for myself.
18 I
have taken the
Levites instead of
all the firstborn
among the children
of Israel.
19 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 Tent of
Meeting, and to
make atonement for
the children of
Israel, so that
there will be
no plague among
the children of
Israel when the
children of Israel
come near to
the sanctuary.”
20 Moses,
and Aaron, and all
the congregation
of the children
of Israel did
so to the
Levites. According to
all that the
LORD commanded
Moses concerning
the Levites, so
the children of
Israel did to
them.
21 The
Levites purified
themselves from
sin, and they
washed their clothes;
and Aaron offered
them for a
wave offering
before the LORD
and Aaron made
atonement for them
to cleanse them.
22 After
that, the Levites
went in to
do their service
in the Tent of
Meeting before Aaron
and before his
sons: as the
LORD had commanded
Moses concerning
the Levites, so
they did to
them.
23 The
LORD spoke to
Moses, saying,
24 “This
is what is
assigned to the
Levites: from
twenty-five years
old and upward
they shall go
in to wait
on the service
in the work
of the Tent of
Meeting;
25 and
from the age
of fifty years
they shall retire
from doing the
work, and shall
serve no more,
26 but
shall assist
their brothers in
the Tent of
Meeting, to
perform the duty,
and shall perform
no service. This
is how you
shall have the
Levites do their
duties.”