CHAPTER 8
“Speak
to
Aaron
and tell him:
When you set up
the seven
lamps,
they are to light the area
in
front
of the lampstand.”
And Aaron
did
so;
he set up
the lamps
facing
toward
the front
of the lampstand,
just as
the LORD
had commanded
Moses.
This is how
the lampstand
was constructed:
it was made of hammered
gold
from
its base
to
its blossoms,
fashioned
according to the pattern
the LORD
had shown
Moses.
This is what
you must do
to cleanse them:
Sprinkle
them
with the water
of purification.
Have them shave
their whole
bodies
and wash
their clothes,
and so purify themselves.
Then have them take
a young bull
with its grain offering
of fine flour
mixed
with oil,
and you are to take
a second
young bull
for a sin offering.
Bring
the Levites
before
the Tent
of Meeting
and assemble
the entire
congregation
of the Israelites.
You are to present
the Levites
before
the LORD
and have the Israelites
lay
their hands
upon
them.
Aaron
is to present
the Levites
before
the LORD
as a wave offering
from the sons
of Israel,
so that they may perform
the service
of the LORD.
And the Levites
are to lay
their hands
on
the heads
of the bulls,
and offer
to the LORD
one
as a sin offering
and the other
as a burnt offering,
to make atonement
for
the Levites.
You are to have the Levites
stand
before
Aaron
and his sons
and then present
them before the LORD
as a wave offering.
In this way you shall separate
the Levites
from
the rest of the Israelites,
and the Levites
will belong
to Me.
After
you have cleansed
them
and presented
them as a wave offering,
they
may come
to serve
at the Tent
of Meeting.
For
the Levites
have been wholly given
to Me
from among
the sons
of Israel.
I have taken
them for Myself
in place of
all
who come first
from the womb,
the firstborn
of all
the sons
of Israel.
For
every
firstborn
among the sons
of Israel
is Mine,
both man
and beast.
I set them apart
for Myself
on the day
I struck down
all
the firstborn
in the land
of Egypt.
And I have given
the Levites
as a gift
to Aaron
and his sons
from among
the Israelites,
to perform
the service
for the Israelites
at the Tent
of Meeting
and to make atonement
on their
behalf,
so that no
plague
will come
against the Israelites
when they
approach
the sanctuary."
Moses,
Aaron,
and the entire
congregation
of Israel
did
to the Levites
everything
that
the LORD
had commanded
Moses
they
should do.
The Levites
purified
themselves and washed
their clothes,
and Aaron
presented
them
as a wave offering
before
the LORD.
Aaron
also made atonement
for them
to cleanse them.
After
that,
the Levites
came
to perform
their service
at the Tent
of Meeting
in the presence
of Aaron
and his sons.
So
they did
to the Levites
just as
the LORD
had commanded
Moses.
“This
applies
to the Levites:
Men twenty-five
years of age
or older
shall enter
to perform
the service
in the work
at the Tent
of Meeting.
After that, they may assist
their brothers
in fulfilling
their duties
at the Tent
of Meeting,
but they themselves are not
to do
the work.
This is how
you are to assign
responsibilities
to the Levites.”