NUMBERS 8 COMMENTARYEDITED BY GLENN PEASE

Setting Up the Lamps1 The Lord said to Moses,

BARNES "The actual lighting of the lamps (compare the marginal references) was to be done to set forth symbolically the special presence which God had now Num_7:89actually established among His people.GILL, "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:

HENRY 1-4, "Directions were given long before this for the making of the golden candlestick (Exo_25:31), and it was made according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, Exo_38:17. But now it was that the lamps were first ordered to be lighted, when other things began to be used. Observe, 1. Who must light the lamps; Aaron himself, he lighted the lamps, Num_8:3. As the people's representative to God, he thus did the office of a servant in God's house, lighting his Master's candle; as the representative of God to the people, he thus gave them the intimations of God's will and favour, thus expressed (Psa_18:28), Thou wilt light my candle; and thus Aaron himself was now lately directed to bless the people, The Lord make his face to shine upon thee,Num_6:25. The commandment is a lamp, Pro_6:23. The scripture is a light shining in a dark place, 2Pe_1:19. And a dark place indeed even the church would be without it, as the tabernacle (which had no window in it) without the lamps. Now the work of ministers is to light these lamps, by expounding and applying the word of God. The priest lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest of the lamps he lighted one from another, which (says Mr. Ainsworth) signifies that the fountain of all light and knowledge is in Christ, who has the seven spirits of God figured by the seven lamps of fire (Rev_4:5), but that in the expounding of scripture one passage must borrow light from another. He also supposes that, seven being a number of perfection, by the seven branches of the candlestick is shown the full perfection of the scriptures, which are able to make us wise to salvation. 2. To what end the lamps were lighted, that they might give light over against the candlestick, that is, to that part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the show-bread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give light to the other

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side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles are lighted, Mat_5:15. Note, The lights of the world, the lights of the church, must shine as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light.

JAMISON,"Num_8:1-4. How the Lamps are to lighted.the Lord spake unto Moses — The order of this chapter suggests the idea that the following instructions were given to Moses while he was within the tabernacle of the congregation, after the princes had completed their offering. But from the tenor of the instructions, it is more likely that they were given immediately after the Levites had been given to the priests (see Numbers 3:1-4:49), and that the record of these instructions had been postponed till the narrative of other transactions in the camp had been made [Patrick].

K&D 1-4, "Consecration of the Levites. - The command of God to consecrate the Levites for their service, is introduced in Num_8:1-4 by directions issued to Aaron with regard to the lighting of the candlestick in the dwelling of the tabernacle. Aaron was to place the seven lamps upon the candlestick in such a manner that they would shine ָּפָניו These directions are not a mere repetition, but also a more precise definition, of .ֶאל־מּולthe general instructions given in Exo_25:37, when the candlestick was made, to place the seven lamps upon the candlestick in such a manner that each should give light over against its front, i.e., should throw its light upon the side opposite to the front of the candlestick. In itself, therefore, there is nothing at all striking in the renewal and explanation of those directions, which committed the task of lighting the lamps to Aaron; for this had not been done before, as Exo_27:21 merely assigns the daily preparation of the candlestick to Aaron and his sons; and their being placed in the connection in which we find them may be explained from the signification of the seven lamps in relation to the dwelling of God, viz., as indicating that Israel was thereby to be represented perpetually before the Lord as a people causing its light to shine in the darkness of this world. And when Aaron is commanded to attend to the lighting of the candlestick, so that it may light up the dwelling, in these special instructions the entire fulfilment of his service in the dwelling is enforced upon him as a duty. In this respect the instructions themselves, coupled with the statement of the fact that Aaron had fulfilled them, stand quite appropriately between the account of what the tribe-princes had done for the consecration of the altar service as representatives of the congregation, and the account of the solemn inauguration of the Levites in their service in the sanctuary. The repetition on this occasion (Exo_27:4) of an allusion to the artistic character of the candlestick, which had been made according to the pattern seen by Moses in the mount (Exo_25:31.), is quite in keeping with the antiquated style of narrative adopted in these books.

COFFMAN, "This chapter devotes a short paragraph (Numbers 8:1-4) to the lighting of the sacred candlestick, and the balance of the chapter (Numbers 8:5-26) regards the cleansing or purifying of the Levites for their service in the tabernacle.

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The information here is supplementary to that given in previous chapters of the Pentateuch. Much of the Pentateuch appears somewhat in the form of a Mosaic diary, but without any strict attention to the chronological fixation regarding the subjects treated. This structure does not indicate the blending of variant sources, nor contradictory accounts, but happens to be the manner in which Moses produced the book. Many of the critical community think they could have done a much better job, but unfortunately, none of them were ever entrusted with the responsibility for such a narrative as this!"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick. And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof so as to give light in front of the candlestick, as Jehovah commanded Moses. And this was the work of the candlestick, beaten work of gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work: according unto the pattern which Jehovah had showed Moses, so he made the candlestick."The special consideration here is the actual lighting of the candlestick. One of the major characteristics of the sacred narrative is that of returning over and over again to the same subject, with additional details or instructions added in each reference. The same sacred pattern is here:The details of the lampstand are given elsewhere: (1) in Exodus 25:31-40, where it is planned; (2) in Exodus 37:17-34, where it is made; (3) in Exodus 40:24,25, where it is actually set up; (4) in Leviticus 24:2, where details for the sacred oil is given; and (5) here we find the actual lighting of it in a particular manner.[1]"In front of the candlestick ..." (Numbers 8:2). This was necessary because the candlestick was the only source of light within the sanctuary, and the purpose here was evidently that of causing light to illuminate the whole area as much as possible. Efforts of some critics to deny the early existence of this seven-branched candlestick have been totally frustrated. "Excavations at Dothan by Joseph P. Free have found a seven-lipped ceramic lamp from early strata."[2] "These directions are not a mere repetition, but a more precise definition of how the lights were to be lighted."[3]The symbolism of the sacred candlestick was presented at length in my Commentary on Exodus. The true symbolism is the representation therein of Christ, the Word of God (Christ is the Word), and the Church (the Church is Christ in the sense of being his spiritual body). Among the many foolish notions about what the candlestick symbolized are: (1) the seven openings in the human head; (2) "They represent the seven sources of earthly light, the sun, moon, and the five planets."[4] Such errors come from reading ancient mythology and not from the Bible."Speak unto Aaron ..." (Numbers 8:2). Aaron actually lighted the lamp.The course he was ordered to follow was first to light the middle lamp from the

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altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each other: symbolical that all the light of heavenly truth is derived from Christ, and diffused by his ministers throughout the world.[5] (Unger adds this on the symbolism): The true Aaron lighted the lamps when he ascended on high and sent the Holy Spirit (the oil in the lamps) to bear witness of Himself.[6]"Beaten work of gold ..." (Numbers 8:4). This repetition of the material of which the candlestick was made according to the pattern God had shown Moses in the mount (Exodus 25:31ff) is exactly "in keeping with the antiquated style of narrative adopted in these books."[7]

EBC, "2. THE CANDELABRUMNumbers 8:1-4The seven-branched candlestick with its lamps stood in the outer chamber of the tabernacle into which the priests had frequently to go. When the curtain at the entrance of the tent was drawn aside during the day there was abundance of light in the Holy Place, and then the lamps were not required. It may indeed appear from Exodus 27:20, that one lamp of the seven fixed on the candelabrum was to be kept burning by day as well as by night. Doubt, however, is thrown on this by the command, repeated Leviticus 24:1-4, that Aaron shall order it "from evening to morning"; and Rabbi Kimehi’s statement that the "western lamp" was always found burning cannot be accepted as conclusive. In the wilderness, at all events, no lamp could be kept always alight: and from 1 Samuel 3:3 we learn that the Divine voice was heard by the child-prophet when Eli was laid down in his place, "and the lamp of God was not yet gone out" in the temple where the ark of God was. The candelabrum therefore seems to have been designed not specially as a symbol, but for use. And here direction is given, "When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the candlestick." All were to be so placed upon the supports that they might shine across the Holy Place, and illuminate the altar of incense and the table of shewbread.The text goes on to state that the candlestick was all of beaten work of gold; "unto the base thereof and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work," and the pattern was that which Jehovah had showed Moses. The material, the workmanship, and the form, not particularly important in themselves, are anew referred to because of the special sacredness belonging to all the furniture of the tabernacle.The attempt to fasten typical meanings to the seven lights of the candelabrum, to the ornaments and position, and especially to project those meanings into the Christian Church, has little warrant even from the Book of Revelation, where Christ speaks as "He that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks." There can be no doubt, however, that symbolic references may be found, illustrating in various ways the subjects of revelation and the Christian life.

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The "tent of meeting" may represent to us that chamber or temple of reverent inquiry where the voice of the Eternal is heard, and His glory and holiness are realised by the seeker after God. It is a chamber silent, solemn, and dark, curtained in such gloom, indeed, that some have maintained there is no revelation to be had, no glimpse of Divine life or love. But as the morning sunshine flowed into the Holy Place when the hangings were drawn aside, so from the natural world light may enter the chamber in which fellowship with God is sought. "The invisible things of Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity." The world is not God, its forces are not in the true sense elemental-do not belong to the being of the Supreme. But it bears witness to the infinite mind, the omnipotent will it cannot fitly represent. In the silence of the tent of meeting, when the light of nature shines through the door that opens to the sunrise, we realise that the inner mystery must be in profound accord with the outer revelation-that He who makes the light of the natural world must be in Himself the light of the spiritual world; that He who maintains order in the great movements and cycles of the material universe, maintains a like order in the changes and evolutions of the immaterial creation.Yet the light of the natural world shining thus into the sacred chamber, while it aids the seeker after God in no small degree, fails at a certain point. It is too hard and glaring for the hour of most intimate communion. By night, as it were, when the world is veiled and silent, when the soul is shut alone in earnest desire and thought, then it is that the highest possibilities of intercourse with the unseen life are realised. And then, as the seven-branched candlestick with its lamps illuminated the Holy Place, a radiance which belongs to the sanctuary of life must supply the soul’s need. On the curtained walls, on the altar, on the veil whose heavy folds guard the most holy mysteries, this light must shine. Nature does not reveal the life of the Ever-Living, the love of the All-Loving, the will of the All-Holy. In the conscious life and love of the soul, created anew after the plan and likeness of God in Christ, -here is the light. The unseen God is the Father of our spirits. The lamps of purified reason, Christ-born faith and love, holy aspiration, are those which dispel the darkness on our side the veil. The Word and the Spirit give the oil by which those lamps are fed.Must we say that with the Father, Christ also, who once lived on earth, is in the inner chamber which our gaze cannot penetrate? Even so. A thick curtain is interposed between the earthly and the heavenly. Yet while by the light which shines in his own soul the seeker after God regards the outer chamber-its altar, its shewbread, its walls, and canopy-his thought passes beyond the veil. The altar is fashioned according to a pattern and used according to a law which God has given. It points to prayer, thanksgiving, devotion, that have their place in human life because facts exist out of which they arise-the beneficence, the care, the claims of God. The table of shewbread represents the spiritual provision made for the soul which cannot live but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God. The continuity of the outer chamber with the inner suggests the close union there is between the living soul and the living God-and the veil itself, though it separates, is

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no jealous and impenetrable wall of division. Every sound on this side can be heard within; and the Voice from the mercy seat, declaring the will of the Father through the enthroned Word, easily reaches the waiting worshipper to guide, comfort, and instruct. By the light of the lamps kindled in our spiritual nature the things of God are seen; and the lamps themselves are witnesses to God. They burn and shine by laws He has ordained, in virtue of powers that are not fortuitous nor of the earth. The illumination they give on this side the veil proves clearly that within it the Parent Light, glorious, never-fading, shines - transcendent reason, pure and almighty will, unchanging love-the lifewhich animates the universe.Again, the symbolism of the candlestick has an application suggested by Revelation 1:20. Now, the outer chamber of the tabernacle in which the lamps shine represents the whole world of human life. The temple is vast; it is the temple of the universe. Still the veil exists; it separates the life of men on earth from the life in heaven, with God. Isaiah in his oracles of redemption spoke of a coming revolution which should open the world to Divine light. "He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering that is cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations." And the light itself, still as proceeding from a Hebrew centre, is described in the second book of the Isaiah prophecies: "For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as brightness and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. And the nations shall see thy righteousness and all kings thy glory." But the prediction was not fulfilled until the Hebrew merged in the human and He came who, as the Son of Man, is the true light which lighteth every man coming into the world.Dark was the outer chamber of the great temple when the Light of life first shone, and the darkness comprehended it not. When the Church was organised, and the apostles of our Lord, bearing the gospel of Divine grace, went through the lands, they addressed a world still under the veil of which Isaiah spoke. But the spiritual enlightenment of mankind proceeded; the lamps of the candlestick, set in their places, showed the new altar, the new table of heavenly bread, a feast spread for all nations, and made the ignorant and earthly aware that they stood within a temple consecrated by the offering of Christ. St. John saw in Asia, amid the gross darkness of its seven great cities, seven lamp-stands with their lights, some increasing, some waning in brightness. The sacred flame was carried from country to country, and in every centre of population a lamp was kindled. There was no seven-branched candelabrum merely, but one of a hundred, of a thousand arms. And all drew their oil from the one sacred source, cast more or less bravely the same Divine illumination on the dark eye of earth.True, the world had its philosophy and poetry, using, often with no little power, the themes of natural religion. In the outer chamber of the temple the light of nature gleamed on the altar, on the shewbread, on the veil. But interpretation failed, faith in the unseen was mixed with dreams, no real knowledge was gained of what the folds of the curtain hid-the mercy-seat, the holy law that called for pure worship and love of one Living and True God. And then the darkness that fell when the

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Saviour hung on the cross, the darkness of universal sin and condemnation, was made so deeply felt that in the shadow of it the true light might be seen, and the lamp of every church might glow, a beacon of Divine mercy shining across the troubled life of man. And the world has responded, will respond, with greater comprehension and joy, as the Gospel is proclaimed with finer spirit, embodied with greater zeal in lives of faith and love. Christ in the truth, Christ in the sacraments, Christ in the words and deeds of those who compose His Church-this is the light. The candlestick of every life, of every body of believers, should be as of beaten gold. no base metal mixed with that which is precious. He who fashions his character as a Christian is to have the Divine idea before him and re-think it; those who build the Church are to seek its purity, strength, and grace. But still the light must come from God, not from man, the light that burned on the altar of the Divine sacrifice and shines from the glorious personality of the risen Lord.

PETT, "Chapter 8 Yahweh’s Further Response.The One represented by the Voice now set aside three things in order to manifest Himself to His people, the lampstand, the Levites and the Passover. The lampstand would manifest His glory, a permanent reminder that while they were faithful His light would shine on them continually, the Levites would be a permanent living reminder of His activity on their behalf, the Passover a permanent annual reminder that He was the Great Deliverer.Analysis.· The lamps on the lampstand were to be lit in order to give light in front of the lampstand (Numbers 8:1-2).· Aaron did this. He did exactly as Yahweh commanded Moses. He lighted the lamps to give light in front of the lampstand (Numbers 8:3).· The description of the lampstand (Numbers 8:4 a).· The lampstand was made in accordance with the pattern shown in the Mount (Numbers 8:4 b).Verses 1-4Chapter 8 Yahweh’s Further Response.The One represented by the Voice now set aside three things in order to manifest Himself to His people, the lampstand, the Levites and the Passover. The lampstand would manifest His glory, a permanent reminder that while they were faithful His light would shine on them continually, the Levites would be a permanent living reminder of His activity on their behalf, the Passover a permanent annual reminder

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that He was the Great Deliverer.Analysis.· The lamps on the lampstand were to be lit in order to give light in front of the lampstand (Numbers 8:1-2).· Aaron did this. He did exactly as Yahweh commanded Moses. He lighted the lamps to give light in front of the lampstand (Numbers 8:3).· The description of the lampstand (Numbers 8:4 a).· The lampstand was made in accordance with the pattern shown in the Mount (Numbers 8:4 b).Numbers 8:1‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’Again we have reference to the fact that we have here the words of Yahweh spoken through Moses, but here with the added significance that it is made clear that they came through the Voice.

PULPIT, "The Lord spake unto Moses. It does not appear when. The attempt of modern commentators to find a real connection between this section and the offering of the princes or the consecration of the Levites is simply futile. Such connection may be imagined, but the same ingenuity would obviously be equally successful if this section had been inserted in any other place from Exodus 37:1-29, to the end of this book. The more probable explanation will be given below.

BI 1-4, "When thou lightest the lamps.The golden candlestick an emblem of the Church of GodI. The preciousness and sacredness of the church of God.II. The light of the church of God.III. The ministers of the church of God, and their function.IV. The function of the church of God. “I would not give much for your religion,” says Spurgeon, “unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk; but they do shine. A lighthouse sounds no drum, it beats no gong; and yet far over the waters its friendly spark is seen by the mariner. So let your actions shine out your religion. Let the main sermon of your life be illustrated by all your conduct, and it shall not fail to be illustrious.” Application:

1. To individuals. Are our lives luminous in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ?

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2. To Churches. Are we making good our claim to a place in “the Church of the living God” by taking our part in performing the Divine function of that Church? Are we diffusing the light of God in Christ in this dark world? (W. Jones.)

Moulded and beaten work (with Exo_32:4):—I have chosen these two texts to point out an instructive lesson regardng the easiness of sin and the difficulty of holiness. The material of the golden calf which Aaron constructed was poured into a mould and shaped without trouble; the material of the seven-branched candlestick had to be beaten out carefully and slowly with much toil and pains.I. The pattern of the calf was easily constructed; it required no originality, no effort of thought, only an exercise of memory; and Aaron cast their golden jewels into the familiar mould, and out of it came the familiar image. So easy, so natural, so inevitable was the process, that Aaron used language regarding it which seemed to imply that, when he lighted the furnace and poured into the mould the molten gold, the image of the calf came out of its own accord. It may be further remarked that, in order to get the image sharp and clear out of the mould, Aaron must have put into the gold an alloy of some inferior metal, or it was already in the ornaments of the Israelites. And is this not true of all sin? It has a mould prepared for it in a world lying in wickedness, and in the deceitful heart of man. The pattern of sin is as old as Adam. The first transgression was not only the root, but also the type of every transgression, just as the whole plant is a development and modification of the primitive leaf, and constructed after its pattern. Why is it that we think so little of articles cast in a mould, in comparison with those wrought by hand? Is it not because these moulded articles are easily made, involving the smallest expenditure of toil or time or thought? They can be manufactured and multiplied by the thousand with the greatest ease once the mould is formed. The maker puts as little as possible of himself into them. He is not an artist, but a mere mechanic. The essence of all sin is a desire to get things in the easiest way—to run things into moulds, rather than to hew or carve or build them with slow, patient toil and care. And hence when persons do not take thought or trouble to do what is right, they always blame circumstances and not themselves for the wrong. When they do not resist temptation they say that they could not help themselves. Sin is regarded as a misfortune demanding pity, and not a wilful act drawing down condemnation.II. The material of the seven-branched golden candlestick was not run into a mould already prepared for it. It was all hand-made work. It was the most elaborate of all the vessels of the sanctuary, because it represented the result of what all the other vessels typified and led up to—the light of the world, and yet it was beaten out of one solid piece of gold. The workman who fashioned it must have pondered minutely over every part, and bestowed immense labour and skill upon all its details; the pattern and symmetry of the whole must have been clearly in his mind, while from one mass of metal he beat out each shaft and floral ornament. The whole idea of it implied personal thought and toil and care. While it is easy for man to sin, it is difficult for man to be holy. He finds moulds for his sin lying ready to his hand, without any trouble. But he has to fashion, as it were, by the toil of his hands and the sweat of his soul, with the Divine help, the means by which he may be rescued from his sin and folly. We can mould a false diamond in glass or paste in a few minutes; but nature requires ages of slow, patient workmanship to crystallise the real diamond from the dark charcoal. We can cover common deal wood

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with an exquisitely grained veneer of walnut or mahogany at a small expense and with little effort; but the grain of the walnut or mahogany represents many years of strain and struggle, during which the tree grew its beautiful markings. Thus in the human world we can make easy imitations of moral and spiritual qualities, which when genuine can only be produced by slow, patient self-discipline, by many prayers and tears and toils. The paste diamond of religion, that glitters so brightly and deceives so many, can be manufactured in the mould of easy compliance with outward church duties and rites; the veneer of godliness can be assumed by a profession which costs nothing, and makes no demand of self-sacrifice upon the inner nature. But the deliverance from sin and the formation of holiness, which the salvation of Christ implies and involves, can only be through toil and suffering. (H. Macmillan, D. D.)

The littered lampWho must light the lamps? Aaron himself (Num_8:3). As the people’s representative to God, he thus did the office of a servant in God’s house, lighting his Master’s candle. As the representative of God to the people, he thus gave them the significations of God’s will and favour, which is thus expressed (Psa_18:28). And thus Aaron himself was now lately directed to bless the people, “The Lord make His face to shine upon thee” (Num_6:25). The commandment is a lamp (Pro_6:23). The Scripture is a light shining in a dark place (2Pe_1:19). And a dark place indeed even the Church would be without it, as the tabernacle without the lamps, for it had no window in it. Now the work of ministers is to light these lamps, by expounding and applying the Word of God. The priest lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar; and the rest of the lamps he lighted one from another : which signifieth that the fountain of all light and knowledge cometh from Christ, who has the seven spirits of God, figured by the seven lamps of fire (Rev_4:5); but that in expounding of Scripture, one passage must borrow light from another. He also supposeth, that seven being a number of perfection, by the seven branches of the candlestick is showed the full perfection of the Scriptures, which are able to make us wise to salvation.

2. To what end the lamps were lighted; that they might give light over against the candlestick, i.e., to the part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the shewbread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give light to the other side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles are lighted (Mat_5:15). The lights of the world, the lights of the Church, must shine as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light. (Matthew Henry, D. D.)

Men who would quench the light of truthNo light shone from the Ship Shoal Lighthouse, near Morgan City, U.S., on two consecutive nights in February. The unusual darkness at that point caused some surprise, but surprise was turned into indignation when the facts became known. One of the keepers had seen a man in a boat who needed assistance, his vessel being becalmed. The keeper kindly towed the boat to the lighthouse and treated the man hospitably. In the night the guest made a murderous attack on the two lighthouse-keepers, shooting both of them and inflicting dangerous wounds. He held possession of the lighthouse for

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forty-eight hours, during which he never lighted the lamps. Then, as he could not find food, he surrendered. A man more utterly depraved it is difficult to imagine. But there are many infidels who are trying to murder men’s souls and to quench the warning light of the Bible.Luminous centres:—The globe of the earth is surrounded by a mass of atmosphere extending forty or fifty miles above the surface. Each particle of air is a luminous centre, receiving its light from the sun, and it radiates light in every direction. Were it not for this, the sun’s light could only penetrate those spaces which are directly accessible to his rays. Thus, the sun shining upon the window of an apartment would illuminate just so much of that apartment as would be exposed to his direct rays, the remainder being in darkness. But we find, on the contrary, that although that part of the room upon which the sun directly shines is more brilliantly illuminated than the surrounding parts, these latter are nevertheless strongly illuminated. In the social world, too, there are luminous centres. These are noble souls, who, being especially blessed themselves, diffuse in every direction some of the blessings which they have received. Were it not for them, and their power of spreading brightness, goodness, and joy, the world would be indeed rayless and cold. (Scientific Illustrations.)

Secondary graces to be kept burning On a dark stormy night, when the waves rolled like mountains, and not a star was to be seen, a boat was rocking and plunging near the Cleveland harbour. “Are you sure this is Cleveland?” asked the captain, seeing only one light from the lighthouse. “Quite sure, sir,” replied the pilot. “Where are the lower lights?” “Gone out, sir.” “Can you make the harbour?” “We must, or perish, sir!” And with a strong hand and a brave heart the old pilot turned the wheel. But, alas I in the darkness he missed the channel, and with a crash upon the rocks the boat was shivered, and many a life lost in a watery grave. Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse; let us keep the lower lights burning!Obligation to keep the light burningIt is one of the chief temptations of Christians, and not least of those whose candlestick is the lofty one of the pulpit, to think unduly of themselves. Our anxiety should be, not, What do you think of us? but, What do you think of our message? Not, Do you esteem the light-holder? but, Do you walk in the light? This truth has likewise its application, on the other hand, for the pew. You go away, and ask, How did you like the sermon? but go home to-day, and ask yourselves, How did you like the truth? You may be ever so well pleased with sermons, and be none the better; but, if you receive the truth, it will save your soul; if you light your candle at the fire of God’s altar, it will burn for ever. And while it shines for your own soul, it will shine through your life, as through lantern, for the good of others also. Only “let your light shine before men,” and they, “seeing your good works, will glorify your Father in heaven.” Let it! It is its property to shine, if it gets fair treatment. It is not a question of the numbers, or rank, or influence of those who shall see it. Eyes or no eyes, you have to shine. The gentian fringes the mountain glacier with its drapery of blue, though seldom a human eye may look upon it. The desert melon smells with a refreshing draught for the wayfarer, though not a human foot in half a century should pass that way. There God has placed it in readiness. If you help to light to heaven and happiness the humblest of God’s creatures, you have done a glorious work.

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The Admiralty order carries with it a lesson to the believer. “Light the lamps every evening at sunsetting, and keep them constantly burning, bright and clear, till sunrising.” There are no qualifications and no exceptions. If, in the world’s night, no lamp were dim, and no light kindled by God’s hand were shaded, it were happier for sinning and suffering humanity. It is only here we have the opportunity to shine in darkness. When the morning of the eternal day dawns upon us, our light shall be swallowed up in the surpassing glory, that needs no light from sun or moon. No bed or sofa is permitted in the watch-room of the lighthouse. None must be tempted to slumber at a post of so much responsibility. And, if such needful guarantees are taken for the safety of those who navigate our seas, is there less need for earnestness and watchfulness to remove peril from the way of those whose voyage must conduct either to glory or to ruin? No slumberous hours, no unguarded moments for those to whom the heavenly light has been entrusted. Nor must danger keep you back from duty. I have read of the keeper of an island lighthouse whose provisions were exhausted, whose frame was emaciated, and to whom the stormy sea for weeks suffered no access or relief, nightly lighting his lamp with an almost dying hand. Anything better than that no warning ray should stream across that perilous channel (R. H. Lundie, M. A,)

Importance of a small lightOnce I was down a coalmine. The man who received me was black and grimy, but he had an honest heart, and his smile was like sunlight crossing the grime. Down in the bowels of the mountain, dark and cheerless, I noticed his little oil-lamp. I knew that there was a sun blazing away up in the solar universe, but what was that? What concerned me down in the pit was the miner’s little lamp, the wick so tiny, the oil so very scanty, the flicker of flame so little noticed, yet it was more precious to me at that time than the blazing sun. Oh believe me for effective work in the mass of a lost humanity, in the blackness and darkness of this fallen world, I believe Christ prizes more the little flicker of a humble Christian who will go and visit a sick one this Sabbath afternoon, than the blazing sun of this public assembly. Oh, you can cheer the heart of God by letting your light shine unnoticed by the world, but be assured that He notices it. (John Robertson.)

The glory of an unobtrusive lightThe light of a true spiritual life must shine more or less conspicuously. From a gifted speaker or writer, it may stream out widely and afar, like the gleam of a beacon flaming from a mountain top. From an unendowed, retiring, obscure disciple, it may be only as the light of a lamp in a narrow room, noticed by few, yet not entirely lost to the view of men. A charming writer, speaking of such a modest soul, says: A tiny flitting bird of slight song may with careful scrutiny be seen twisting in and out of the drooping fir tassels. Many would pass it unnoticed, but the observant eye will detect the gleam of a gold circlet upon the tiny gold-crested wren. Thus men will pass unregarding many a noiseless, retired worker for God in some sphere of seclusion and shade. But they who watch and know will be aware at times of the light of a saint’s glory encircling the modest head.”Liberality and service viewed in the light of the sanctuaryHaving read, in chapter 7., the lengthened statement of the princes’ liberality, we, in our

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wisdom, might suppose that the next thing in order would be the consecration of the Levites, thus presenting, in unbroken connection, “our persons and offerings.” But no. The Spirit of God causes the light of the sanctuary to intervene, in order that we may learn in it the true object of all liberality and service in the wilderness. Is there not lovely and moral appropriateness in this? Why have we not the golden altar, with its cloud of incense, here? Why not the pure table, with its twelve loaves? Because neither of these would have the least moral connection with what goes before or what follows after; but the golden candlestick stands connected with both, inasmuch as it shows us that all liberality and all work must be viewed in the light of the sanctuary, in order to ascertain its real worth. Those “seven lamps” express the light of the Spirit in testimony. They were connected with the beaten shaft of the candlestick which typifies Christ, who, in His Person and work, is the foundation of the Spirit’s work in the Church. All depends upon Christ. Every ray of light in the Church, in the individual believer, or in Israel by and by, all flows from Christ. Nor is this all we learn from our type. “The seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.” Were we to clothe this figure in New Testament language, we should quote our Lord’s words when He says to us, “Let your light so shine before men,” &c. (Mat_5:16). Wherever the true light of the Spirit shines it will always yield a clear testimony to Christ. It will call attention not to itself, but to Him; and this is the way to glorify God. This is a great practical truth for all Christians. The very finest evidence which can be afforded of true spiritual work is that it tends directly to exalt Christ. If attention be sought for the work or the workman, the light has become dim, and the Minister of the sanctuary must use the snuffers. It was Aaron’s province to light tile lamps; and he it was who trimmed them likewise. In other words, the light which, as Christians, we are responsible to yield, is not only founded upon Christ, but maintained by Him, from moment to moment, throughout the entire night. Apart from Him we can do nothing. (C. H. Mackintosh.)

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.’”

CLARKE, "The seven lamps shall give light - The whole seven shall be lighted at one time, that seven may be ever burning.

GILL, "Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him,.... It being his work to light the 13

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, Exo_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, Rev_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, Exo_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 Maimonides (m), 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, Exo_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 Exo_25:37. JAMISON,"Speak unto Aaron, etc. — The candlestick, which was made of one solid, massive piece of pure gold, with six lamps supported on as many branches, a seventh in the center surmounting the shaft itself (Exo_25:31; Exo_37:17), and completed according to the pattern shown in the mount, was now to be lighted, when the other things in the sanctuary began to be applied to religious service. It was Aaron’s personal duty, as the servant of God, to light His house, which, being without windows, required the aid of lights (2Pe_1:19). And the course he was ordered to follow was first to light the middle lamp from the altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each other - a course symbolical of all the light of heavenly truth being derived from Christ, and diffused by His ministers throughout the world (Rev_4:5).the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick — The candlestick stood close to the boards of the sanctuary, on the south side, in full view of the table of showbread on the north (Exo_26:35), having one set of its lamps turned towards the east, and another towards the west; so that all parts of the tabernacle were thus lighted up.CALVIN, "2When thou lightest the lamps. This precept, like many others, is not inserted in its proper place. Moses again declares what was the use of the candlestick, and how the lamps should be arranged, so that their light might be spread through the sanctuary, and that the brightness of the gold might shine over against them; for this was the reason why God would have the lamps lighted against the face of, or opposite to, the candlestick, that the very stand of the light might

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retain its beauty. Moreover, it is expressly stated that Aaron obeyed God’s command, as if in no despicable matter, as he had received it from Moses. To this also refers what immediately follows, that it was made “according unto the pattern” which Moses had seen in the mount; and this was, as I have before explained it, that God is the Father of lights, who illuminates His Church by His Spirit, that it may not wander in darkness; and so, whilst darkness covers the whole earth, He is as an everlasting light to believers instead of the sun and moon, as says Isaiah 60:19

COKE, "Numbers 8:2. When thou lightest the lamps, &c.— Houbigant thinks that the stress here is to be laid upon the word seven; and that the meaning is, "when thou lightest the lamps of the candlestick, take care that all the seven lamps be lighted, and that none of them be omitted." Others, however, instead of over against the candlestick in this and the following verse, would read, on all sides of the candlestick. But the Hebrew פני אלּאמול el mul peni, seems to refer to the lights (the lights at the extremity of the candlestick,) and so to confirm Houbigant's opinion.REFLECTIONS.—The candlestick being prepared, the lamps are ordered to be lighted. Aaron first is employed, though afterwards the priest in waiting performed the service. The fire was taken from the altar, and the lamps were lighted therewith; nor had the tabernacle any other light, but from this candlestick. Note; Christ is the only Light of the world; and if ever we shine, it must be by the sacred fire which his Spirit kindles in us. The use of the lamp was, that they might see to do the work of the tabernacle. Ministers must first have their own spirits lighted up, as the lamp of the Lord, before they can minister acceptably to God, or profitably to men. How shall they who are in darkness themselves, lead others to the light?

ELLICOTT, "(2) When thou lightest the lamps.—Better, When thou settest up the lamps. (Comp. Exodus 25:37.) The golden candlestick was placed against the south wall of the Tabernacle, opposite to the table of shewbread, so that its seven branches were parallel to that wall, with its branches east and west, and consequently the seven lamps, one of which rested upon each of the seven branches, threw their light in front of the candlestick, i.e., towards the north wall, by which arrangement the furniture of the holy place was more effectually lighted than it would have been had the candlestick been placed facing the entrance, with its branches north and south.Over against.—Or, in front of.

BENSON, "Numbers 8:2. When thou lightest the lamps — The priests lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest one from another. Thus, all light and knowledge comes from Christ, who has the seven spirits of God, signified by these seven lamps of fire. Shall give light over against the candlestick — On that part which is before the candlestick. Hebrew, over against the face; or, before the face of the candlestick. That is, in that place toward which the candlestick looked, or

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where it stood in full view. Or rather, the meaning of the order is, that the whole seven lamps should be lighted, which branched out from all sides of the shaft, called the candlestick, (Exodus 25:35,) in order that the sanctuary might be all enlightened, there being no windows in it, so that all the light it had came from the candlestick.

POOLE, " i.e. Either,1. On every side of the candlestick. So the candlestick is here put for the bulk or shaft of the candlestick, as Exodus 25:31,35, and the lamps, when they were lighted, were put into the branches of the candlestick, and take it out upon occasion. Thus the meaning is, that all the lamps were to be lighted on that part which was towards the middle, looking that way whence they had their light; for the middle lamp was lighted with the fire of the altar, and from that the other lamps received light. But against this sense it is objected, that the lamps could not be otherwise ordered, but that they must give light round about the candlestick, and therefore that sense seems to make this direction idle and frivolous. Or,2. On that part which is before the candlestick, Heb. over against the face of the candlestick, i.e. in that place towards which the candlestick looked, or where the candlestick stood in full view, i.e. upon the north side, where the table of shewbread stood, as appears from hence, because the candlestick stood close to the boards of the sanctuary on the south side, Exodus 26:35. And thus the lights were on both sides of the sanctuary, which was fit and necessary, because it was wholly dark in itself, and had no window in it.PETT, "Numbers 8:2‘Speak to Aaron, and say to him, “When you light (or ‘set up’) the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” ’When Aaron lit or set up the lamps in the evening (Exodus 30:7-8) he was to ensure that they gave light in front of the lampstand. This was so as to ensure that it shone on the table of showbread which represented Israel in the Dwellingplace. The light of His face was to shine on them (Numbers 6:25), His glory was to rise upon them (Isaiah 60:1). They could ever be aware of His watch over them (Exodus 13:21), and His desire to bless them. As the pillar of fire had gone with them, so would His fire burn continually in the Sanctuary. Yahweh was ever their light when they would receive it, watching over them, shining on them, pouring out blessing on them, and revealing to them the truth through His prophets and through His word directly into their hearts (Psalms 119:105; Psalms 119:130).The thought of Yahweh as the light of His people is a constant one in Scripture. He is the light that leads them and illuminates them (Exodus 13:21); He is the light which brings them salvation (Psalms 27:1); through that light they see light for He is

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the fountain of life (Psalms 36:9); it is His light and His truth that leads men (Psalms 43:3); it is the light of His countenance shining on them that will give them the land (Psalms 44:3), and illuminate them in their walk (Psalms 89:15), and reveal their secret sins (Psalms 90:8). His light will ensure their holiness. Thus His people are to walk in that light (Isaiah 2:5), and when He comes to them they will see great light (Isaiah 9:2); it will shine on them and reveal to them the glory of God (Isaiah 60:1).But the lamp on the lampstand was a burning flame. Thus the light was a symbol of what they had seen on Mount Sinai when the mountain had appeared to be on fire as the glory of Yahweh was revealed on it (Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 5:4; Deuteronomy 5:23; Deuteronomy 9:15 etc.). It was a light that revealed the holiness and glory of Yahweh. For God is often pictured as a burning fire (Isaiah 4:5; Isaiah 33:14; Ezekiel 1:27-28; Ezekiel 8:2; Malachi 3:2).It is interesting that the light follows the voice here. First the voice, then the light. The same is made clear in John’s Gospel. First John the Baptiser, the voice crying in the wilderness, and then the Word. Finally the Word was revealed, the creative Word Who gave life, and that life was the light of men (John 1:1-4). For He was the light coming into the world that the world might believe through Him. As His only Son He revealed God’s glory, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He came as the light of the world, God’s lampstand among men, giving true light (John 8:12), that men might not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12; John 12:46). He is the sevenfold lampstand, and that is why His people in whom He lives are also called on to be His sevenfold lampstands as representing Him (Revelation 1:13; Revelation 1:20; Revelation 2:1).

WHEDON, " THE LAMPS, Numbers 8:1-4.2. The seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick — R.V., “in front of.” The Hebrew here is very explicit, yet it is difficult to imagine how the lamps on the candlestick are to give light over against its face or front. This face was the front shown by the seven arms, as they formed a straight line. Since the chandelier stood on the south side of the holy place, the face or front would be northward toward the table of show-bread, and not eastward toward the door of the tabernacle, so that more light was cast northward than eastward, inasmuch as a priest entering in would see the lamps all in a line as one light. The south side of the chandelier could not be called the front, because the lamps were not symmetrically constructed, the wick not being in the middle, but at the edge, so that the light was thrown upon one side, illumining this front space more than that behind. Throughout the Scriptures oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit by which believers are filled with light and life. Zechariah 4:2-12; Matthew 25:1-13; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9; 1 John 2:20; 1 John 2:27. The show-bread typifies Christ, the Bread of life. The chandelier pouring its full blaze northward upon the showbread beautifully sets forth the great office of

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the Spirit in the “holy place” of the sanctified heart. “He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine and show it unto you.” John 16:14, note.

PULPIT, "When thou lightest the lamps. The command to light the lamps had been given generally ("they shall light the lamps thereof") in Exodus 25:37, and the care of them had been specially confided to Aaron and his sons ("from evening to morning") in Exodus 27:21. The actual lighting of the lamps for the first time by Moses is recorded in Exodus 40:25. In the face of these passages it is incredible that the lamps had not been regularly lighted by Aaron for more than a month before the offering of the princes. The seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick. It is somewhat uncertain what this expression, here repeated from Exodus 25:37, means. The Targums give no explanation of it; the Septuagint merely renders verbally, κατὰ πρόσωπον τῆς λυχνίας φωτιοῦσιν; the Jewish expositors seem to have thought that the light was to be thrown inward towards the central shaft; most modern commentators, with more probability, understand it to mean that the lamps were to be so placed as to throw their light across the tabernacle towards the north side.

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

GILL, "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, Num_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; Exo_25:37.TRAPP, "Numbers 8:3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.

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Ver. 3. He lighted the lamps.] This candlestick, on the south side of the tabernacle, over against the table, figured the law of God shining in his Church; [Proverbs 6:23 2 Peter 1:19] and the lighting of one lamp from another, showed the opening of one text by another. The Rabbins have a saying, Nulla est obiectio in lege quae non habet solutionem in latere; i.e., there is not any doubt in the law, but may be resolved in the context.

PETT, "Numbers 8:3‘And Aaron did so. He lighted its lamps so as to give light in front of the lampstand, as Yahweh commanded Moses.’And Aaron did as he was commanded. Daily he trimmed the lamps so as to shine in front of the lampstand illuminating what symbolised His people. Thereby they could know that the light of His face shone on them. It was the sign of the fulfilment of the priests’ blessing on Israel (Numbers 6:22-27). By His light shining on them He was putting His name on them and blessing them (Numbers 6:27).For two things were to be kept burning continually, and to be fed daily by the priests, the fire from the lampstand (Leviticus 24:2-4) and the fire of the altar (Leviticus 6:8-13), for both spoke of the permanent presence of Yahweh, the one giving continual blessing and the other continual atonement.

4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was made of hammered gold—from its base to its blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.

CLARKE, "This work of the candlestick, etc. - See many curious particulars relative to this candlestick, See the note on Exo_25:31 and Exo_25:39 (note). The candlestick itself was an emblem of the Church of Christ; the oil, of the graces and gifts of the Spirit of God; and the light, of those gifts and graces in action among men. See Rev_1:12-20. God builds his Church and sends forth his Spirit to dwell in it, to sanctify and cleanse it, that it may be shown unto the world as his own workmanship. The seven

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lights in the candlesticks point out the seven Spirits of God, the Holy Ghost being thus termed, Rev_3:1, from the variety and abundance of his gifts and influences; seven being used among the Hebrews to denote any thing full, complete, and perfect. A candlestick or lamp without oil is of no use; oil not burning is of no use. So a Church or society of religious people without the influence of the Holy Ghost are dead while they have a name to live; and if they have a measure of this light, and do not let it shine by purity of living and holy zeal before men, their religion is neither useful to themselves nor to others. Reader, it is possible to be in the Church of God and not be of that Church; it is possible to have a measure of the Spirit and neither profit nor be profited. Feel this dreadful possibility, and pray to God that thou be not a proof of it.

GILL, "And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold,.... As it is also said to be; See Gill on Exo_25:31; and See Gill on Exo_25:36, unto the shalt thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work; of which, see Exo_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.ELLICOTT, " (4) And this work of the candlestick . . . —Better, And this was the work of the candlestick, i.e., the material of which it was made.Beaten gold.—Better, turned (or twisted) gold.Unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof.—Literally, unto its base, unto its flower or blossom, i.e., the whole of the candlestick, from its base to its flowers. The several parts of the candlestick, beginning with the base and ending with the flowers, are enumerated in Exodus 25:31.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:4 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.Ver. 4. Beaten work.] To show that ministers must beat their brains to beat out the sense of the Scriptures, as the fowl beats the shell, to get out the fish, with great vehemency. (a)

PETT, "Numbers 8:4

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‘And this was the working of the lampstand, beaten work of gold. To its base, and to its flowers, it was beaten work, according to the pattern which Yahweh had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.’The lamp was now described. It was made of gold, cleverly hammered out and fashioned, in accordance with God’s pattern shown to Moses in the Mount (compare Exodus 25:31-40). Like a flowering tree it symbolised life and fruitfulness, the very life-giving power of Yahweh. In shape it corresponded to late bronze age lamps of 15th to 13th centuries BC

PULPIT, "And this work of the candlestick. For the meaning of the details here given see Exodus 25:31, sq. According unto the pattern which the Lord had shewed Moses,—viz; in the mount (see Exodus 25:40) so he made the candlestick. This has been recorded in Exodus 37:17. The repetition of the statement in this place seems to be conclusive that these verses are out of their historical position, and that their insertion here is due to some fact connected with the original records with which we are not acquainted. It may be simply this, that these verses originally followed verse 89 of the previous chapter, and followed it still when it was inserted, for reasons already suggested, after the narrative of the offerings of the princes. Why, or how, such an admission should discredit the sacred narrative or imperil the truth of its inspiration it would be hard to say. The only thing really likely to imperil the sacred narrative is to persistently deny the obvious literary conclusions which arise from an honest consideration of the text.

The Setting Apart of the Levites5 The Lord said to Moses:

BARNES "The Levites could only undertake their duties Num. 3; 4 after the formal exchange of the Levites for the first-born Num_3:44-51.

The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests Lev. 8 and the less solemn “purification” Num_8:21 of the Levites is marked. These rites of purification are similar to those incumbent on the priests of Egypt.GILL, "And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... the same time the order about lighting

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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:

HENRY 5-9, "We read before of the separating of the Levites from among the children of Israel when they were numbered, and the numbering of them by themselves (Num_3:6, Num_3:15), that they might be employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now here we have directions given for their solemn ordination (Num_8:6), and the performance of it, Num_8:20. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from their neighbours, but they must be solemnly devoted to God. Note, All that are employed for God must be dedicated to him, according as the degree of employment is. Christian musts be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. Observe in what method this was done:

I. The Levites must be cleansed, and were so. The rites and ceremonies of their cleansing were to be performed, 1. By themselves. They must wash their clothes, and not only bathe, but shave all their flesh, as the leper was to do when he was cleansed, Lev_14:8. They must cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, to clear themselves from that defilement which would not wash off. Jacob, whom God loved, was a smooth man; it was Esau that was hairy. The great pains they were to take with themselves to make themselves clean teaches all Christians, and ministers particularly, by repentance and mortification, to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they may perfect holiness. Those must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. 2. By Moses. He must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them, which was prepared by divine direction. This signified the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, to purify us from an evil conscience, that we may be fit to serve the living God. It is our duty to cleanse ourselves, and God's promise that he will cleanse us.K&D 5-7onsecration of the Levites for their service in the sanctuary. - The choice of

the Levites for service in the sanctuary, in the place of the first-born of the people generally, has been already noticed in Num_3:5., and the duties binding upon them in Num_4:4. But before entering upon their duties they were to be consecrated to the work, and then formally handed over to the priests. This consecration is commanded in Num_8:7., and is not called ָקֵּדׁש, like the consecration of the priests (Exo_29:1; Lev_8:11), but ַטֵהר to cleanse. It consisted in sprinkling them with sin-water, shaving off the whole of the hair from their bodies, and washing their clothes, accompanied by a sacrificial ceremony, by which they were presented symbolically to the Lord as a sacrifice for His service. The first part of this ceremony had reference to outward purification, and represented cleansing from the defilement of sin; hence the performance of it is called ִהְתַחֵּטא (to cleanse from sin) in Num_8:21. “Sprinkle sin-water upon them.” The words are addressed to Moses, who had to officiate at the inauguration of the Levites, as he had already done at that of the priests. “Water of sin” is water having reference to sin, designed to remove it, just as the sacrifice offered for the expiation of sin is called ַחָּטאת

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(sin) in Lev_4:14, etc.; whilst the “water of uncleanness” in Num_19:9, Num_19:13, signifies water by which uncleanness was removed or wiped away. The nature of this purifying water is not explained, and cannot be determined with any certainty. We find directions for preparing sprinkling water in a peculiar manner, for the purpose of cleansing persons who were cured of leprosy, in Lev_14:5., 50ff.; and also for cleansing both persons and houses that had been defiled by a corpse, in Num_19:9. Neither of these, however, was applicable to the cleansing of the Levites, as they were both of them composed of significant ingredients, which stood in the closest relation to the special cleansing to be effected by them, and had evidently no adaptation to the purification of the Levites. At the same time, the expression “sin-water” precludes our understanding it to mean simply clean water. So that nothing remains but to regard it as referring to the water in the laver of the sanctuary, which was provided for the purpose of cleansing the priests for the performance of their duties (Exo_30:18.), and might therefore be regarded by virtue of this as cleansing from sin, and be called “sin-water” in consequence. “And they shall cause the razor to pass over their whole body,” i.e., shave off all the hair upon their body, “and wash their clothes, and so cleanse themselves.” ַּתַער ֶהֱעִביר is to be distinguished from ִּגַּלח. The latter signifies to make balk or shave the hair entirely off, which was required of the leper when he was cleansed (Lev_14:8-9); the former signifies merely cutting the hair, which was part of the regular mode of adorning the body. The Levites also were not required to bathe their bodies, as lepers were (Lev_13:8-9), and also the priests at their consecration (Lev_8:6), because they were not affected with any special uncleanness, and their duties did not require them to touch the most holy instruments of worship. The washing of the clothes, on the other hand, was a thing generally required as a preparation for acts of worship (Gen_35:2; Exo_19:10), and was omitted in the case of the consecration of the priests, simply because they received a holy official dress. ִהֶּטָהרּו for ִהָּטֲהרּו, as in 2Ch_30:18.

CALVIN, "5.And the Lord spake unto Moses. Although the Levites were not allowed to go into the sanctuary, but were only the priests’ ministers, and chiefly employed in servile duties, yet, inasmuch as they carried the tabernacle and the sacred vessels, prepared the sacrifices, took away the ashes and other offscourings from the altar, God would have them consecrated to Himself by a solemn rite. For as all Israel, with respect to the Gentiles, was God’s peculiar people, so the house of Levi was chosen out of the people itself to be His own property, as it is here said. But, lest they should arrogate to themselves more than was right, God anticipates their presumption:first, by putting off their consecration for some time; secondly, by desiring that they should not be initiated by Moses, but by Aaron; and thirdly, by appointing a different ceremony for it. For, if they had been initiated at the same time as the priests, under this pretext they might have contended to be on an equality with them; therefore, although the priests were already separated from the common people, yet the Levites still remain unconsecrated, (privati,) in order that they may learn to reverence the priestly office. And again, since, if they had been dedicated likewise by Moses, there was a danger of their being puffed up with pride against all others, Aaron is appointed to preside over their consecration, that they may modestly submit themselves to his authority. Since, too, they were only purified by water, and sacrifice, and without the addition of anointing, the difference in the

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external rite reminded them that their degree of honor was not similar or the same.

COFFMAN, "CLEANSING OF THE LEVITES"And Jehovah 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 the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. Then let them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil; and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering. And thou shalt present the Levites before the tent of meeting: and thou shalt assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel: and thou shalt present the Levites before Jehovah. And the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites: and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Jehovah for a wave-offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Jehovah. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, unto Jehovah, to make atonement for the Levites. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a wave-offering unto Jehovah."Unger listed the specifics required for the cleansing of the Levites thus:(1) by sprinkling with water (Numbers 8:7a)(2) by shaving all their flesh (Numbers 8:7b)(3) by washing their garments (Numbers 8:7c)(4) by atonement being made for them (Numbers 8:8-12)(5) by identifying them with all Israel who were represented by them (Numbers 8:9,10)(6) by their being waved before Jehovah (Numbers 8:11-13)(7) by the subordination of the Levites to the priests (Numbers 8:13) and(8) by commemorating the event of their being given unto Jehovah instead of the first-born (Numbers 8:16ff).[8]There are a great number of things in this account that cannot be fully explained. Why? The passage does not contain a blueprint for repeating this ceremony. Many things known to ancient Israel with regard to this occasion are simply not revealed to us. Some of the things commanded here, of course, fall within the perimeter of our more complete understanding of what was done.

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The washing of their garments, for example, was a customary act of all the Jews for ages prior to this time when preparing for worship. Jacob, it will be remembered, commanded his family to wash their clothes and change their garments upon the occasion of their return to Bethel, after the disaster at Shechem (Genesis 35:2). Likewise, the sprinkling with water was a ceremony practiced with variations in the cleansing of lepers.However, the "waving" of the Levites before Jehovah is not explained, but our ignorance of exactly how this was done should not be the occasion of our unbelief that it was actually accomplished, by what means, we know not. We wish to cite here the comments of Gray, a famed critical scholar who, at the turn of the century wrote: "Had the writer clearly thought out the ceremony, he would no doubt have expressed it intelligibly. Either the practical difficulty that a large body of over 20,000 men could not, like loaves of bread, be moved and waved to and fro before the altar never occurred to the author, and he introduced this without thinking HOW it could be done, or else the words have lost their original meaning."[9]An inherent enmity against the Bible appears in such a comment. The notion that the Bible was written by some thoughtless fool who never "thought out" what was being commanded was a current thesis when Gray wrote, and, it is still a major proposition with many liberal scholars who consider themselves too intelligent to believe the Bible. It never occurs to such individuals that the wisest and best men of all ages have fully believed and appreciated the Bible, among them, the inimitable Sir Isaac Newton whose works are quoted in this series. All of the assumptions that support the type of comment in focus here are incorrect.(1) It is nowhere stated that all 20,000 of the Levites were to be devoted to this service in a single ceremony, the thing in view here possibly being the ceremony that was observed for each one, as the times and occasions made their service necessary. It is preposterous that some 20,000 Levites were required to perform in the ordinary functions of that tabernacle at that time.(2) As for the waving, what could be the source of Gray's assumption that this text required even one man, much less 20,000, to be waved in the same manner as a loaf of bread? Where did he get that? Could there not have been some other ceremony, unknown to us, that was observed in waving one man or a hundred thousand?We have not introduced this comment for its value, since it has none, but we have used it as an example of the methods of critical scholars."Thou shalt assemble the whole congregation ..." (Numbers 8:9). "This was done through the device of some representative system."[10] It is an abuse of language to make this mean that over two million people, men, women and children, were

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assembled for this ceremony. Some things were so obvious that God did not need to give specific instructions concerning them. The "laying on of hands" (Numbers 8:10) was likewise "done in some representative way, e.g., by the laying on of hands by the twelve tribal leaders upon the heads of the three division leaders of the Levites."[11]A great deal of scoffing comment concerns HOW the waving was done. First, it needs to be said that not the manner of waving, but the meaning of it is the principal thing here, namely, that the Levites were appointed unto the service of God by this ceremony. Dummelow was correct in the comment that, "HOW the waving was done is not certain, whether the Levites were led by Aaron back and forth before the altar, or whether he merely waved his hand over them."[12] Jamieson thought that, "Aaron brought the Levites one by one to the altar and directed them to make certain movements of their person before it."[13]Cook pointed to some ancient tradition that Aaron "merely pointed to the Levites and then waved his hands appropriately before the altar."[14] If God had considered that all subsequent generations should know exactly how this was done, would he not have written it here?

ELLICOTT, "(5) And the Lord spake unto Moses.—As Moses had already officiated in the consecration of the priests (Leviticus 8), so now, notwithstanding the fact that Aaron and his sons were already consecrated, he is commanded to officiate at the cleansing of the Levites.

WHEDON, "Verses 5-22THE CONSECRATION OF THE LEVITES, Numbers 8:5-22.Already have Aaron and his sons, the purely sacerdotal family of the tribe of Levi, been anointed and inducted into their sacred office. It remains now to set apart the rest of the tribe to their calling as the bearers and custodians of the tabernacle and its furniture. They had recently been presented to Aaron, and by him charged with the duties to which they were to be set apart as substitutes for the firstborn males. Numbers 3:5-13, notes. Thus was fulfilled with singular precision the prophecy of Jacob, Genesis 49:5-7. Up to the time of these ordinations the Israelites had worshipped the God of their fathers after their fathers’ manner, the firstborn being priests, the eldest son of each house inheriting the priestly office. Exodus 24:5. The first step toward a change was made in the institution of an hereditary priesthood in the family of Aaron, during the first retirement of Moses to the solitudes of Sinai. Exodus 28:1. The next extension of the priestly order grew out of the terrible crisis of Exodus 32. The first, and awful self-consecration of the Levites, was when they rallied at the call of Moses, every man against his idolatrous brother-Hebrew, and thus stemmed the progress of the evil. From this hour the tribe stood forth apart,

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recognizing in this bloody vindication of Jehovah the spiritual as higher in value than the natural, and therefore they were counted worthy to be henceforth what Ewald styles “an Israel within an Israel.”

PETT, "Verse 5-6The Dedication of the Levites (Numbers 8:5-26).The voice has spoken to Moses, Yahweh’s chosen; the light, lit by Aaron and his sons, Yahweh’s chosen, shines on the bread that symbolises Yahweh’s people; and now Yahweh comes to the third of the trio of His chosen ones, those whom He has set apart for Himself to serve instead of the firstborn of Israel. He has provided them that the firstborn of Israel may no longer be bound to Tabernacle service. They are holy to Him, made holy through the night of the Passover which will be dealt with subsequently. In the Passover He will then welcome all who are clean.In Numbers 3 the Levites have been numbered, in Numbers 4 they have been assigned their responsibilities, in Numbers 7 they have been given the means of fulfilling those responsibilities, and now they are to be dedicated to their work.We have here the regular chiastic pattern:a The command to take and cleanse the Levites (Numbers 8:5-6).b The purifying, washing and preparation for the making of atonement (Numbers 8:7-8).c The whole congregation assembled to do the will of Yahweh (Numbers 8:9)d Presentation of the Levites before Yahweh at the Tent of meeting and offered as a waveoffering, with threefold repetition to stress the completeness of the offering (Numbers 8:10-15).e The Levites wholly given to Yahweh instead of the firstborn (Numbers 8:16).f All the firstborn were Yahweh’s because He delivered them at the Passover (Numbers 8:17).e The Levites taken instead of all the firstborn (Numbers 8:18).d The Levites given as a gift to Aaron, Yahweh’s representative, to do the service of the Tent of meeting (Numbers 8:19).c All the congregation do the will of Yahweh (Numbers 8:20).

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b The purifying, washing and making of atonement (Numbers 8:21).a Yahweh’s command obeyed (Numbers 8:22).Central to the pattern is the fact the firstborn belonged to Yahweh because of the deliverance from Egypt, and around that is built the fact that the Levites are being taken as substitutes and prepared accordingly. Added as a kind of postscript is the information concerning the ages of commencement and retirement.a From twenty five and upwards the Levites to war the warfare in the work of the Tent of meeting (Numbers 8:24).b At the age of fifty they cease to work and serve no more (Numbers 8:25).a The retired to minister with their brethren in the Tent of meeting to guard and protect it but serve no more (Numbers 8:26).The Command to Take and Cleanse the Levites (Numbers 8:5-6).Numbers 8:5‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’The voice had spoken to Moses, it had called on him to tell Aaron to light the lamp, now it called on him to separate out the Levites.

BI 5-7, "Take the Levites and cleanse them.The Divine principle of cleansingHere we have, in type, the only Divine principle of cleansing. It is the application of death to nature and all its habits. It is the word of God brought to bear upon the heart and conscience in a living way. Moses, as representing the claims of God, cleanses the Levites according to those claims; and they, being cleansed, are able to bring the sharp razor to bear upon all that was the mere growth of nature, and to wash their garments, which expresses, in typical form, the cleansing their habits according to the word of God. This was God’s way of meeting all that appertained to Levi’s natural state—the self-will, the fierceness, and the cruelty. The pure water and the sharp razor were called into action—the washing and shaving had to go on, ere Levi was fit to approach the vessels of the sanctuary. Thus it is in every case. There is, there can be, no allowance of nature among God’s workers. There never was a more fatal mistake than to attempt to enlist nature in the service of God. It matters not how you may endeavour to improve or regulate it. It is not improvement, but death that will avail. What is the meaning of the initiatory act of Christianity—the act of baptism? Does it not set forth the blessed fact that “our old man”—our fallen nature—is completely set aside, and that we are introduced into an entirely new position? Truly so. And how do we use the razor? By rigid self-judgment, day by day; by the stern disallowance of all that is of nature’s

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growth. This is the true path for all God’s workers in the wilderness. (C. H. Mackintosh.)

6 “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.

GILL, "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 1Ch_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, Isa_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, 2Co_6:6.

JAMISON 6-7, "Take the Levites ... and cleanse them — This passage describes the consecration of the Levites. Although the tribe was to be devoted to the divine service, their hereditary descent alone was not a sufficient qualification for entering on the duties of the sacred office. They were to be set apart by a special ceremony, which, however, was much simpler than that appointed for the priests; neither washing nor anointing, nor investiture with official robes, was necessary. Their purification consisted, along with the offering of the requisite sacrifices (Lev_1:4; Lev_3:2; Lev_4:4), in being sprinkled by water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer (Num_19:9), and shaved all over, and their clothes washed - a combination of symbolical acts which was intended to remind them of the mortification of carnal and worldly desires, and the maintenance of that purity in heart and life which became the servants of God.

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CALVIN, "6.Take the Levites from among. To take them from among the children of Israel, is equivalent to subtracting them from the number of the people, that they might not be included in the general census, and accounted to be one of the tribes. This separation, then, as he will more clearly express a little further on, devoted the Levites to God for the service of the sanctuary. That under this pretext the Papal clergy should claim immunity for themselves, so that they may live as they like in exemption from the laws, is not only an unsound deduction, but one full of impious mockery; for, since the ancient priesthood attained its end in Christ, the succession, which they allege, robs Christ of His right, as if the full truth had not been manifested in Him. Besides, inasmuch as all their privileges only depend on the primacy of the Pope, if they would have them ratified they must needs prove, first of all, that the Pope is appointed by God’s command to be the head of the whole Church, and therefore that he is the successor of Christ. As to Aaron, since he was the minister of their installation, in this way he was set over the Levites to rule them at his discretion. Meanwhile this ministry is thus entrusted to a man, in such a manner as not to stand in the way of God’s gratuitous good pleasure.

WHEDON, " 6. Take the Levites — Separation must precede consecration. Exodus 33:16; 2 Corinthians 6:17.Cleanse them — This was done by three rites — sprinkling, shaving, and washing the clothes. This ceremonial purification of their bodies not only taught the necessity of spiritual sanctification, but to devout believers it had a tendency to this high end. Faith in God evinced by obedience is purifying.

PETT, "Numbers 8:6“Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.”They were to be taken out from among the children of Israel and specially cleansed. We are not told when this happened, but it was clearly before the numbering, or they would have been numbered with Israel. This cleansing was to set them apart to the holy service of Yahweh, for they had to guard the Sanctuary, dismantle it and carry it, erect it, and repair it. This was their holy service. They would keep the Sanctuary holy, but in a subsidiary position to the priests. Only the priests could lay the sacrifices on the altar, apply the blood, enter the Holy Place, light the lamps and offer incense. But the Levites must see to the heavy duties outside the Holy Place.

PULPIT, "And cleanse them. Before they actually entered upon their new duties they were to be solemnly hallowed. This hallowing, however, is not called ַקֵּדׁש, as is that of the priests (Exodus 29:1 ), but ַטֵהר, cleansing. There was in their case no ceremonial washing, no vesting in sacred garments, no anointing with holy oil, or sprinkling with the blood of sacrifices. The Levites, in fact, remained simply

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representatives of the congregation, whereas the priests were representatives also of Christ.

7 To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing on them; then have them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes. And so they will purify themselves.

BARNES "Num_8:7Water of purifying - literally, “sin water:” i. e. water to cleanse from sin; no doubt taken from the laver of the sanctuary, which was used by the priests for purification before they went into the tabernacle to minister (compare Num_5:17; Exo_30:18 ff).The “sprinkling” of so large a body of men could have been only general, but tokens of individual purification are specified (compare also Lev_14:8).CLARKE, "Sprinkle water of purifying - mey chattath, water of sin, or מי חטאת

water of the sin-offering. As this purifying water was made by the ashes of the red heifer, cedar-wood, hyssop, and scarlet; and the heifer herself was sacrificed, and her blood sprinkled seven times before the tabernacle, Num_19:3-6; she may be considered as a proper sacrifice for sin, and consequently the water thus prepared be termed the water of the sin-offering. As the ashes were kept ready at hand for purifying from all legal pollutions, the preparation might be considered as a concentration of the essential properties of the sin-offering, and might be resorted to at all times with comparatively little expense or trouble, and no loss of time. As there were so many things by which legal pollution might be contracted, it was necessary to have always at hand, in all their dwellings, a mode of purifying at once convenient and inexpensive.As the water by which the Levites were here purified must have been the water prepared from the ashes of the red heifer, this ordinance was undoubtedly instituted before this time, though not described till Num_19:1-10 of this book; but that chapter might be in connection with any of the preceding ordinances, as well as where it is now found.We see from Heb_9:13, Heb_9:14, that these ashes mingled with water, and sprinkled on the unclean, and which sanctified to the purification of the flesh, were intended to typify the blood of Christ, which purges the conscience from dead works to serve the living God, Heb_9:15; for as without this sprinkling with the water of the sin-offering

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the Levites were not fit to serve God in the wilderness, so without this sprinkling of the blood of Christ no conscience can be purged from dead works to serve the living God. See the notes on Num_19:1-10 (note).

GILL, "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, Mal_3:3, sprinkle water of purifying upon them; or "water of sin" (n); 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, Num_19:1, yet it was very probably given before; and the Jews say (o), 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", Heb_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", Heb_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 gods (p): 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 Act_6:2 2Ti_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, Heb_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. CALVIN, "7.And thus shalt thou do unto them. Aaron is commanded first to sprinkle the water of purifying upon them, to cleanse them from their uncleanness; and not only so, but they are commanded to wash their clothes, that they may diligently beware of any impurity being anywhere about them, whereby their

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persons may be infected. Thirdly, they are commanded to shave their skin with a razor, that, putting off their flesh, they may begin to be new men. A sacrifice is afterwards added, and that twofold, to make an atonement for them. These things being completed, Aaron, in right and to the honor of the priesthood, is commanded to offer them just like the holy bread or incense. But the end of this was, that they might acknowledge that they were no longer their own masters, but devoted to God, that they might engage themselves in the service of the sanctuary. It was in testimony of alienation that some of the people were ordered at the same time to lay their hands upon them; as if by this ceremony all the tribes bore witness that with their consent the Levites passed over to be God’s peculiar property, that they might be a part or appendage of the sanctuary. For private individuals (as we shall see hereafter) were accustomed to lay their hands on their sacrifices, yet not with the same object as the priests. (177)

COKE, "Numbers 8:7. Sprinkle water of purifying— In the Hebrew, as Dr. Beaumont observes, the sin-water, i.e. the water of purification from sin, is called the sin-offering. The manner of preparing this water is seen, chap. Numbers 19:17. Sprinkled with this water, the Levites were next to shave all their flesh; another sign of their entering into a state of purity, the study whereof is incumbent upon all, but especially on the ministers of religion; see Leviticus 14:8-9. Calmet thinks it probable, that the same ceremony was observed by the priests on the day of their consecration, though we have no precept concerning it. The priests of Egypt, in like manner, shaved their whole bodies every third day, as a mark of purity and cleanliness. Hence they are sometimes characterised by the name of the bald tribe; grege calvo. Juv. Sat. 6. And so the heathens had their water of lustration, (probably borrowed from the Mosaic law) wherewith they were accustomed to sprinkle themselves in token of purification, as in Virgil, AEneid vi. l. 229, 230.Idem ter socios pura circumtulit unda, Spargens rore levi et ramo felicis olivae."A verdant branch of olive in his hands, He mov'd around, and purify'd the bands; Slow as he pass, the lustral waters shed," &c.

ELLICOTT, " (7) Water of purifying.—Literally, water of sin, or, of sin-offering (Hebrew, hattath). As in the case of the holy water, to which reference is made in Numbers 6:17, so here also there is no explanation given of the particular water which was to be used in cleansing the Levites. The bullock which was appointed to be offered as a sin-offering at the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 8:14) is described by the same word which is here employed (in the Authorised Version, sin-offering); and in Leviticus 4:14, the sacrifice which was appointed to be offered for the expiation of sin (in the Authorised Version, the sin) is also spoken of under the same name; so also is the sin-offering of the Levites in Numbers 8:8 of this chapter. The sin-water evidently denotes the water appointed to be used in the purification of sin; and the reference is probably (as in Numbers 6:17)

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to the water which was kept in the brazen laver in front of the Tabernacle. It is possible, however, that some direction which is not here recorded may have been given respecting putting the ashes of the sin-offering into water. (Comp. Numbers 19:9, where the water of purification is described under the same name: “it is a purification for sin.” Literally, it is hattath.) In this case, however, the sin-offering, which is not mentioned until Numbers 8:8, must have been sacrificed previously to the sprinkling.Let them shave all their flesh.—Literally, cause the razor to pass over all their flesh. A different word is used in Leviticus 14:8-9 to denote the more complete removal of the hair which was enjoined at the cleansing of the leper.And let them wash their clothes.—The bodies of the priests were washed at their consecration (Leviticus 14:8-9), and those of the lepers at their cleansing (Leviticus 8:6); but the Levites, who were not brought into such immediate contact with the holy things as the priests, were only required to wash their clothes, which was an ordinary preparation for Divine worship (Exodus 19:10; comp. Genesis 35:2).

BENSON, "Numbers 8:7. Sprinkle water of purifying — Hebrew, water of sin, or sin-water; that is, water of purification from sin. Thus the sacrifice of atonement from sin is termed the sin-offering. This water was prepared with the ashes of a red heifer which had been offered for a burnt-offering, Numbers 19:17. Shave all their flesh — This external rite signified the cutting off their inordinate desire of earthly things, and that singular purity of heart and life which is required in the ministers of God. And wash their clothes — Another rite expressive of moral purity.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:7 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.Ver. 7. Sprinkle water of purifying, &c.] This taught that none were meet for the holy ministry, but by the free favour of Christ, and by the sanctification of his Spirit. [2 Corinthians 2:16 Galatians 1:15] Ministers are fullones animarum, their office is to whiten others; themselves therefore should be as those Nazarites [Lamentations 4:7] "whiter than snow."Shave all their flesh.] As the lepers did; Levites are by nature no better than lepers: ministers, men subject to like passions as others, and liable to more temptations.

POOLE, " Of purifying, Heb. of sin, i.e. for the expiation of sin. This water was mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, Numbers 19:9, which therefore may seem to have been prescribed before, though it be mentioned after; such kind of transplacings of passages being frequent in Scripture.

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Shave all their flesh; which external rite signified the cutting off their inordinate concupiscences of earthly things, and that singular purity of heart and life which is required in the ministers of God. See Isaiah 52:11 2 Timothy 2:21.

WHEDON, " 6. Take the Levites — Separation must precede consecration. Exodus 33:16; 2 Corinthians 6:17.Cleanse them — This was done by three rites — sprinkling, shaving, and washing the clothes. This ceremonial purification of their bodies not only taught the necessity of spiritual sanctification, but to devout believers it had a tendency to this high end. Faith in God evinced by obedience is purifying.

PETT, "Verse 7-8The Method of Cleansing. The Purifying, Washing of Clothes and Preparation For The Making of Atonement (Numbers 8:7-8).Numbers 8:7“And thus shall you do to them, to cleanse them. Sprinkle the water of sin on them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.”The only water ever described as sprinkled was the ‘water of uncleanness’ described in Numbers 19:9; Numbers 19:17-19. This was water which had been purified by the use of the ashes of the red heifer. It is probable therefore that we are to see this as ‘the water of sin (or ‘of the purification for sin offering)’ which was to be sprinkled on them, for the ashes are described as a ‘purification for sin offering’ (same word as for ‘sin’ - 19:9). The water would therefore be ‘the water of the purification for sin offering’. The second thing required was that they were to shave themselves all over, and the third that they washed their clothes. But there is no suggestion that they wash themselves. The sprinkled sacrificial water would make atonement, and purify them from any taint of death, the shaving was for the removal of uncleanness, and the washing of clothes was for the removal of earthiness. All symbolised a setting apart from the earth to be holy to Yahweh.The ceremony was dissimilar to all others. In the case of the priests they were washed with water by Moses, but they did not shave themselves all over, nor wash their clothes. The lack of the latter may, however, have been because they wore special garments for entry into the Sanctuary. In the case of the skin diseased they shaved themselves fully, washed their clothes and bathed themselves (Leviticus 14:4), possibly because they had been living outside the camp, and were now entering its special holiness. Those who had been in contact with the dead had only

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to wash their clothes and bathe themselves (19:19).The washing of clothes was thus a regular feature for the removal of external earthiness preparatory to meeting with God or entering a holy place, but the shaving of themselves all over seems to indicate a more in depth removal of uncleanness, a moving up a stage in removing every last taint of uncleanness.

PULPIT, "Sprinkle water of purifying upon them. Rather, "water of sin," so called because it had to do with the removal of sin, just as "water of separation" (Numbers 19:9, Numbers 19:13) was that which delivered from the legal state of separation. It is not likely to have been prepared in the same manner as this latter (Numbers 19:9), both because of the great difference between the two cases, and because the ordinance of the red heifer belonged to a later period. Nor is it likely to have resembled that used for cleansing the leper, or the water of jealousy. But it is rash to conclude that, because we do not read any special directions for its preparation, it must, therefore, have been nothing trot water from the laver which stood in the outer court. That water appears, indeed, to be called "holy water" in Numbers 5:17, which is intelligible enough; but no probable reason can be shown why it should be called "sin water;" it would seem as reasonable to call the water which our Lord turned into wine "sill water," because it stood there "for the purifying of the Jews." It is better to say that we do not know, because it is not recorded, how this water was prepared, or how it corresponded to its name. The Levites who were to be sprinkled would seem to have included all the males, some twenty thousand in number; because it was all the males, and not only those between thirty and fifty, who were to be dedicated in place of the first-born. In any case it was, of course, impossible that Moses could have sprinkled them individually (see below on Numbers 5:11). Let them shave all their flesh. Literally, "let them cause the razor to pass over their whole body." Some distinguish between ָעַבר ּתַער here and ִגַּלה in Le Numbers 14:8, Numbers 14:9, as though the latter meant a much more complete shaving off of the hair than the former; but this difference is doubtful; the fact that the whole body as well as the head was to be shaved implies that it was more than a mere cutting short of the hair. Let them wash their clothes. This was constantly enjoined on all the faithful as a preparation for any special religious service (see on Exodus 19:10). And so make themselves clean. The shaving and washing had, no doubt, a symbolic significance, but their primary object was simply and obviously personal cleanliness; it is the hair and the clothes that chiefly harbour impurities, especially in a hot climate.

8 Have them take a young bull with its grain 36

offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.[a]

BARNES "Num_8:8The two bullocks were “to make an atonement for the Levites,” and therefore are presented in their name. These offerings are similar to those prescribed in Lev_8:14 ff at the consecration of the priests, except that the burnt-offering was on that occasion a ram. The larger victim corresponds to the larger number of the Levites.

GILL, "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 men (q). 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, Num_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.

K&D, "After this purification the Levites were to bring two young bullocks, one with the corresponding meat-offering for a burnt-sacrifice, the other for a sin-offering.

BENSON, "Numbers 8:8. A young bullock — The same sacrifice which was offered for a sin-offering for the whole congregation, because the Levites came in the stead of all the firstborn, who did, in a manner, represent the whole congregation.

WHEDON, "8. Sin offering — See Leviticus iv, notes. This occurrence of the sin-offering, in all consecratory as well as expiatory rites, impressively teaches the widespread pollution of sin either inadvertent and involuntary or wilful and known.

PETT, "Numbers 8:837

“Then let them take a young bull ox, and its grain offering, milled wheat grain mingled with oil; and another young bull ox shall you take for a purification for sin offering.”As always the shedding of blood was required. A bull ox was required to cover the many (Leviticus 4:13-14). One was to be a whole burnt offering (verse 12; compare Leviticus 1:3), and would be accompanied by a grain offering, the other was to be a purification for sin offering. The Levites were being both dedicated and purified.

PULPIT, "Another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. The ordinary sin offering was a shaggy one of the goats (see on Numbers 7:16); but a bullock had been prescribed for the sin of the high priest, and for the sin of the congregation, in certain circumstances, and the analogy is followed here. It might seem as if the larger animal were meant to distinguish aggregate or collective guilt (see on Le Numbers 4:3); but the scapegoat offered for the sin of the whole people makes against such a supposition.

9 Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting and assemble the whole Israelite community.

GILL, "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 Lev_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.

JAMISON 9-10, "thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of 38

Israel together, etc. — As it was plainly impossible that the whole multitude of the Israelites could do this, a select portion of them must be meant. This party, who laid their hands upon the Levites, are supposed by some to have been the first-born, who by that act, transferred their peculiar privilege of acting as God’s ministers to the Levitical tribe; and by others, to have been the princes, who thus blessed them. It appears, from this passage, that the imposition of hands was a ceremony used in consecrating persons to holy offices in the ancient, as, from the example of our Lord and His apostles, it has been perpetuated in the Christian Church.

K&D, "Moses was then to cause them to draw near before the tabernacle, i.e., to enter the court, and to gather together the whole congregation of Israel, viz., in the persons of their heads and representatives.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:9 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:Ver. 9. The whole assembly.] By their representatives the elders, or the firstborn; figuring the Church of Christ, those "firstborn which are written in heaven." [Hebrews 12:23]

WHEDON, "Verse 9-109, 10. The whole assembly — Representatively, through the elders and principal persons of the several tribes. See Numbers 1:18; Numbers 14:2; Numbers 14:7, notes. Moreover, it would be impossible for all the children of Israel to put their hands upon the Levites. This is a natural form by which benediction has been expressed in all ages and among all people. It is usually the act of one superior in age or official position. Neither Moses nor Aaron monopolizes this ceremony, because the aim of this symbolic act is not to confer authority, but to transfer to the Levites the national obligation to serve Jehovah in the person of the firstborn of Israel. Hence the rite is performed by the tribe-princes in behalf of all the people, “as a sign that they released them from the possession of the nation, and assigned and handed them over to Jehovah” (Knobel) as perpetual substitutes for the firstborn. The authority came solely from him. No man, no body of men can make a true minister in holy things of one whom God has not qualified and called.

PETT, "Verse 9The Whole Congregation Assembled To Do the Will of Yahweh (Numbers 8:9).Numbers 8:9

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“And you shall present the Levites before the tent of meeting. And you shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel,”This is not in chronological order, but introduces the gathering of the people where it is convenient. Much would be taking place at the same time. The people would thus have already gathered first prior to the presentation. The writer’s point is that they had been gathered prior to the ceremony. It is the presenting of the Levites ‘before the Tent of meeting’, as an official presentation, that follows chronologically after the taking of the ox bulls, the former at least following the assembling of the congregation. As always chronology is unimportant.

10 You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.

BARNES "Num_8:10The children of Israel - i. e. through the heads of their tribes, who Num_7:2 no doubt acted for their tribesmen. This act, the distinguishing feature of the ceremony, represented the transfer to the Levites of the sacred duties originally incumbent on the whole people.

CLARKE, "Shall put their hands upon the Levites - It has been argued from this that the congregation had a part in the appointment of their own ministers, and that this was done by the imposition of hands. However that may be, it appears that what was done on this occasion meant no more than that the people gave up this whole tribe to God in place of their firstborn; and that by this act they bound themselves to provide for them who, because of their sacred service, could follow no secular work. And surely it was right, that they who served the altar should live by the altar. The ministers of God perform offices for the people which the people cannot perform for themselves; and nothing can be more reasonable than that the people should give them the necessaries and comforts of life while they are thus employed in their behalf.

GILL, "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:

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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 Num_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, 1Ti_4:14.HENRY10-11, " The Levites, being thus prepared, must be brought before the Lord

in a solemn assembly of all Israel, and the children of Israel must put their hands upon them (Num_8:10), so transferring their interest in them and in their service (to which, as a part, the whole body of the people was entitled) to God and to his sanctuary. They presented them to God as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, to perform a reasonable service; and therefore, as the offerers in all other cases did, they laid their hands upon them, desiring that their service might be accepted in lieu of the attendance of the whole congregation, particularly the first-born, which they acknowledge God might have insisted on. This will not serve to prove a power in the people to ordain ministers; for this imposition of hands by the children of Israel upon the Levites did not make them ministers of the sanctuary, but only signified the people's parting with that tribe out of their militia, and civil incorporations, in order to their being made ministers by Aaron, who was to offer them before the Lord. All the congregation of the children of Israel could not lay hands on them, but it is probable that the rulers and elders did it as the representative body of the people. Some think that the first-born did it because in their stead the Levites were consecrated to God. Whatever God calls for from us to serve his own glory by, we must cheerfully resign it, lay our hands upon it, not to detain it but to surrender it, and let it go to him that is entitled to it.K&D, "After this the Levites were to come before Jehovah, i.e., in front of the altar;

and the children of Israel, i.e., the tribe-princes in the name of the Israelites, were to lay their hands upon them, not merely “as a sign that they released them from the possession of the nation, and assigned them and handed them over to Jehovah” (Knobel), but in order that by this symbolical act they might transfer to the Levites the obligation resting upon the whole nation to serve the Lord in the persons of its first-born sons, and might present them to the Lord as representatives of the first-born of Israel, to serve Him as living sacrifices.

COKE, "Numbers 8:10. The children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites— That is, the children of Israel, by their rulers, who were their representatives. By this sign the children of Israel signified their separating the Levites to the service of the sanctuary, instead of their first-born; and transferring upon them that charge which would otherwise have belonged to the first-born.

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ELLICOTT, " (10) Shall put their hands upon the Levites.—The same phrase is here used as in Numbers 8:12, and elsewhere, of the offerer who was required to lay his hand upon the victim which he offered in sacrifice. By this symbolical act the obligation which rested upon the whole nation in regard to the dedication of the firstborn was transferred to the Levites, who were thenceforth to be dedicated to the service of the Lord, and given over to the priests as the representatives of the Lord.

BENSON, "Numbers 8:10. The children of Israel — Not all of them, which was impossible, but some in the name of all the princes or chiefs of each tribe, who used to transact things in the name of their tribes. Put their hands — Whereby they signified their transferring that right of ministering to God from the firstborn, in whose hands it formerly was, to the Levites, and their entire resignation and dedication of them to God’s service.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:Ver. 10. Shall put their hands.] Imposition of hands is an ancient rite at the ordination of ministers.

POOLE, " The children of Israel; not all of them, which was impossible, but some in the name and stead, and by the appointment of all, to wit, either the first-born, or rather the princes or chiefs of each tribe, who used to transact things in the name of their tribes.Put their hands upon the Levites; whereby they signified their transferring of that right of ministering to God from the first-born, in whose hands it formerly was, unto the Levites, and their renouncing of their interest in the Levites, from whom they might otherwise have expected help by their persons or purses, as they did from other tribes, in their common concernments, and their entire resignation and dedication of them to God’s service; as the person offering, by laying his hand upon the head of his sacrifice, Leviticus 1:4, signified his translation of his guilt upon the beast, and his dedication of it unto God.

PETT, "Verses 10-16The Threefold Offering of the Levites As A Wave-offering to Yahweh (Numbers 8:10-15).Numbers 8:10-11

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“And you shall present the Levites before Yahweh. And the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites, and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Yahweh for a waveoffering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Yahweh.”It is repeated that the Levites were to be presented, but this time more directly as ‘before Yahweh’ (being ‘presented before the Tent of meeting’ usually means precisely this). Then representatives of the people would come forward, probably the princes, and on behalf of all the people lay their hands on the Levites, identifying the people with them. The Levites were being offered to perform service on their behalf. The Levites were then officially ‘waved’ (specially presented) before Yahweh by Aaron, clothed in all his High Priestly regalia, acting again on behalf of the people. The wave offering is offered or described three times, once by Aaron (verse 11), and twice by Moses (Numbers 8:13 & Numbers 8:15), emphasising its completeness. The purpose was that from then on they would ‘do the service of Yahweh’. While journeying it would be an arduous service with the constant dismantling and erecting of the Dwellingplace, packing it on the carts and taking it off, and the bearing of the furniture through the wilderness, to say nothing of the constant guard duty when the camp was at rest, together with other duties.

PULPIT, "Before the Lord. As in Numbers 5:16, either near the brazen altar, or more probably before the entrance of the tabernacle. And the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites. Presumably by means of their representatives, probably the tribe princes. This laying on of hands signified that the obligation to assist personally in the service of the sanctuary was transferred from the whole congregation to the Levites.

11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

BARNES "Num_8:11Offer ... offering - Compare the margin Aaron pointed to the Levites, and then

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waved his hands, indicating (compare Lev_7:30 note) that the offering was dedicated to God, and, again, by grant from Him, withdrawn for the use of the priests.GILL, "And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord,.... Or "wave" (r)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 Num_3:7; with this compare Isa_66:20.

HENRY, " The Levites themselves were offered before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, Num_8:11. Aaron gave them up to God, as being first given up by themselves, and by the children of Israel. The original word signifies a wave-offering,not that they were actually waved, but they were presented to God as the God of heaven, and the Lord of the whole earth, as the wave-offerings were. And in calling them wave-offerings it was intimated to them that they must continually lift up themselves towards God in his service, lift up their eyes, lift up their hearts, and must move to and fro with readiness in the business of their profession. They were not ordained to be idle, but to be active and stirring.

JAMISON 11-13, "And Aaron shall offer the Levites — Hebrew, “as a wave offering”; and it has been thought probable that the high priest, in bringing the Levites one by one to the altar, directed them to make some simple movements of their persons, analogous to what was done at the presentation of the wave offerings before the Lord. Thus were they first devoted as an offering to God, and by Him surrendered to the priests to be employed in His service. The consecration ceremonial was repeated in the case of every Levite who was taken (as was done at a later period) to assist the priests in the tabernacle and temple. (See on 2Ch_29:34).

K&D, "This transfer was to be completed by Aaron's waving the Levites as a wave-offering before Jehovah on behalf of the children of Israel, i.e., by his offering them symbolically to the Lord as a sacrifice presented on the part of the Israelites. The ceremony of waving consisted no doubt in his conducting the Levites solemnly up to the altar, and then back again. On the signification of the verb, see at Lev_7:30. The design of the waving is given in Num_8:11, viz., “that they might be to perform the service of Jehovah” (Num_8:24-26 compared with Num 4:4-33).

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COKE, "Numbers 8:11. Aaron shall offer the Levites, &c.— Shall wave the Levites for a wave-offering. Margin of our English Bibles. See Exodus 29:26. As Aaron, properly speaking, could not wave the Levites, it is probable, that lifting up his hands, and turning about to all quarters of the heavens, (as he did when he offered a wave-offering,) the Levites, after his example, imitated the same motion; and so were offered, as it were, a wave-offering to God. So Bishop Patrick. Le Clerc conjectures, that they were only presented before God at the altar, or went round about the altar at Aaron's command; for the word often signifies to offer in general.

ELLICOTT, "(11) And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering.—Literally, and Aaron shall wave the Levites as a wave-offering before the Lord. The manner in which the Levites were thus set apart to the Lord is not expressed. It may have been done by leading them backwards and forwards in front of the Tabernacle and in the presence of the people, or by the waving of Aaron’s hands. The same word is used elsewhere in reference to offerings of different kinds—as, e.g., of gold in Exodus 35:22. (Comp. Numbers 8:13; Numbers 8:15; Numbers 8:21 of this chapter.) The symbolical meaning of the ceremony is obvious from the concluding words of the verse, and is further explained in Numbers 8:13-14. (Comp. Leviticus 7:30 and Note.)

BENSON, "Numbers 8:11. Aaron shall offer — Hebrew, Shall wave the Levites for a wave- offering; not that Aaron did so wave them, which be could not do, but it is probable that he lifted up his hands, and turned to all quarters of the heavens, as he did when he offered a wave-offering; and that he caused them to imitate his motions, and to wave themselves toward the several parts of the world; in order that they might hereby signify their readiness to serve God, according to their capacity, wheresoever they should be.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:11 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.Ver. 11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites.] Heb., Wave the Levites; which might figure, ministers’ miseries and afflictions, by Satan’s sifting them, and wicked men’s turmoiling them, as Jeremiah, that "man of contentions." [Jeremiah 15:12]

POOLE, "For an offering, Heb. for a wave-offering. Of which see Exodus 29:24. Not that Aaron did so wave them, which he could not do, but that he caused or commanded them to imitate that motion, and to wave themselves towards the several parts of the world; whereby they might signify their readiness to serve God

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according to their capacity wheresoever they should be; though the word may be taken more generally for any offering made to God, as Exodus 35:22.

WHEDON, "11. Aaron shall offer the Levites — Literally, wave the Levites. In the wave offering portions of the victims were waved to and fro at the altar, (Leviticus 7:30, note,) but in the case of men they no doubt were solemnly led backward and forward before the altar.

PULPIT, "And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering. Rather, "Aaron shall wave" them "for a wave offering" (Hebrew, nuph; see Exodus 29:24); and so in Numbers 8:13, Numbers 8:15, and Numbers 8:21. This injunction seems conclusive that the whole ceremonial was to be symbolically per. formed, for the Levites could not possibly be waved in any literal sense. Some have supposed that they were marched up and down before the altar, forgetting that the court would scarcely afford standing room for 1000 people, while the Levites between thirty and fifty numbered more than 8000. It is certain that the Levites could only be brought before the Lord, could only be waved (howsoever that was done), could only lay their hands upon the bullocks, by representation. If we suppose, e.g; that a hundred men of position and command among them entered the court as representatives of the tribe, then we can understand how the ceremonial here commanded might have been effectively carried out. That they may execute the service of the Lord. Literally, "that they may be to execute the service of the Lord." Their being waved made them over in a figure to the Lord to be wholly his, and to live only for his service, and at his command. But just as wave offerings were assigned by Divine permission to the use of the priests, so were the Levites given to Aaron and his sons for ever.

12 “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, using one for a sin offering to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.

GILL, "And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks,.... 46

Or "on the head" (s); 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, Num_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.

HENRY, " Sacrifices were to be offered for them, a sin-offering first (Num_8:12), and then a burnt-offering, to make an atonement for the Levites, who, as the parties concerned, were to lay their hands upon the head of the sacrifices. See here, 1. That we are all utterly unworthy and unfit to be admitted into and employed in the service of God, till atonement be made for sin, and thereby our peace made with God. That interposing cloud must be scattered before there can be any comfortable communion settled between God and our souls. 2. That it is by sacrifice, by Christ the great sacrifice, that we are reconciled to God, and made fit to be offered to him. It is by him that Christians are sanctified to the work of their Christianity, and ministers to the work of their ministry. The learned bishop Patrick's notion of the sacrifice offered by the Levites is that the Levites were themselves considered as an expiatory sacrifice, for they were given to make atonement for the children of Israel, (Num_8:19), and yet not being devoted to death, any more than the first-born were, these two sacrifices were substituted in their stead, upon which therefore they were to lay their hands, that the sin which the children of Israel laid upon them (Num_8:10) might be transferred to these beasts.JAMISON,"And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks,.... Or "on the head" (s); 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, Num_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:

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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.

K&D 12-19, "The Levites were then to close this transfer of themselves to the Lord with a sin-offering and burnt-offering, in which they laid their hands upon the sacrificial animals. By this imposition of hands they made the sacrificial animals their representatives, in which they presented their own bodies to the Lord as a living sacrifice well-pleasing to Him. The signification of the dedication of the Levites, as here enjoined, is still further explained in Num_8:13-19. The meaning of Num_8:13. is this: According to the command already given (in Num_8:6-12), thou shalt place the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and wave them as a wave-offering before the Lord, and so separate them from the midst of the children of Israel, that they may be Mine. They shall then come to serve the tabernacle. So shalt thou cleanse them and wave them. The same reason is assigned for this in Num_8:16, Num_8:17, as in Num_3:11-13 ֹּכל) ר ְּבכ for ר cf. Num_3:13); and in Num_8:18 ,ָּכל־ְּבכ and Num_8:19, what was commanded in Num_3:6-9 is described as having been carried out. On Num_8:19 see Num_1:53.

BENSON, "Numbers 8:12-15. Lay their hands — To signify that they were offered by them and for them. Set the Levites before Aaron and his sons — Give the Levites to them, or to their service. Unto the Lord — For to him they were first properly offered, and by him given to the priests in order to his service. The Levites shall go in — Into the court, where they were to wait upon the priests at the altar of burnt-offering; and, at present, into the tabernacle, to take it down and set it up.TRAPP, "Numbers 8:12 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.Ver. 12. The one for a sin offering.] The sin offering for actual sin; the burnt offering for original.

WHEDON, " 12. The Levites shall lay their hands — This imposition of hands differs from that in Numbers 8:10, inasmuch as it symbolically transfers guilt, (see Leviticus 1:4, note,) which is implied in an atonement. See Leviticus 4:20; Leviticus 16:10-34, notes. Even those whom God has accepted as a gift must be atoned for before they can begin to serve around the sanctuary. But there are in the Pentateuch no precepts regulating the personal conduct and life of the Levites as are there given for the priests, Leviticus 21.

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PETT, "Numbers 8:12“And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks, and you must offer the one for a purification for sin offering, and the other for a whole burnt offering, to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites.”The Levites would then identify themselves with the offerings by laying their hands on them. These offerings would result in their dedication and purification, but most of all they would make them at one with God, ‘covered’ before God. They would be atoned for. PULPIT, "Shall lay their hands upon the beads of the bullocks. In token that they constituted these victims the ritual representatives and embodiments, the one of their sin, to be consumed and done away as by fire, the other of their life and strength, to be wholly offered unto God and accepted as by fire.

13 Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering to the Lord.

GILL, "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.COKE, "Numbers 8:13. And thou shalt set the Levites— Houbigant renders this verse, Then thou shalt bring the Levites to Aaron and to his sons, and shalt apply them to [the service of] the Lord: others would have it, Thou shalt present them to Aaron and his sons, after having offered them as an offering unto the Lord. So in Numbers 8:15. And thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them, &c. should be, after

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thou shalt have cleansed them, and have, &c.

ELLICOTT, "(13) And offer them for an offering.—Literally, and wave them as a wave- offering, as in Numbers 8:11. So also in Numbers 8:15.

POOLE, " Before Aaron and his sons, i.e. put them into the power of Aaron and his sons, to employ them in holy ministrations; for so that phrase is sometimes used, as Genesis 13:9,the land is before thee, i.e. in thy power, to use or enjoy it. Or setting the Levites before them did signify the giving the Levites to them, or to their service.For an offering unto to the Lord; for to him they were first properly offered, and by him given to the priests in order to his service.

PETT, "Numbers 8:13“And you shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for a waveoffering to Yahweh.”Either this is a different waveoffering, an offering repeated threefold (ceremonies can be very repetitive in order to bring out different points) or verse 11 had simply mentioned this in a preparatory fashion, and this was now its fulfilment. But it may well be that there were three such presentations (Numbers 8:11; Numbers 8:13; Numbers 8:15). Such threefold presentations often occur in ceremonies. Then the purpose of this one would have been to present them on behalf of Aaron and his sons. Thus first they had been offered as an offering of the children of Israel (Numbers 8:11), here they are offered on behalf of Aaron and his sons, and in Numbers 8:15 they are offered wholly to Yahweh in order to replace the firstborn.

14 In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.

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GILL, "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.''

HENRY, ". God here declares his acceptance of them: The Levites shall be mine,Num_8:14. God took them instead of the first-born (Num_8:16-18), of which before, Num_3:41. Note, What is in sincerity offered to God shall be graciously owned and accepted by him. And his ministers who have obtained mercy of him to be faithful have particular marks of favour and honour put upon them: they shall be mine, and then (Num_8:15) they shall go in to do the service of the tabernacle. God takes them for his own, that they may serve him. All that expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants (he needs not the service of any of them), so, on the other hand, none are taken merely as honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns he employs; angels themselves have their services.

JAMISON,"and the Levites shall be mine — that is, exempt from all military duty or secular work - free from all pecuniary imposition and wholly devoted to the custody and service of the sanctuary.CPFFMAN, ""Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine. And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tent of meeting: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for a wave offering. For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even all the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For all the first-born among the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself. And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel. 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 tent 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 nigh unto the sanctuary."It seems to be significant that in this summary of the law of the Levites one finds the expression "the children of Israel" no less than eight times. A Jewish writer concluded from this that: "Why this special emphasis upon the children of Israel in this particular section?

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Since only the Levites were chosen for service in the sanctuary, other Israelites might have been disturbed, wondering why they had not been deemed worthy to perform these functions ... This frequent mention of the children of Israel shows that God held all of His people in the utmost affection, not just the Levites.[15]"And to make atonement ..." (Numbers 8:19). This is quite an unexpected place to find the word "atonement," for it cannot have its usual meaning in this place. As Wade pointed out, "The meaning is, `afford a covering, a screen.' The Hebrew here cannot mean `to expiate sin.' It has in view the prevention of sin, since it would have been sinful for unhallowed persons to approach the sanctuary."[16]

PETT, "Numbers 8:14“Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine.”And this was how the Levites would be separated off from the children of Israel and become Yahweh’s. From then on they would belong to Yahweh. They would be wholly set apart to His service.

15 “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering, they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.

GILL, "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

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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 used (t). JAMISON,"after that, shall the Levites go in to do the service of the

tabernacle of the congregation — into the court, to assist the priests; and at removal into the tabernacle - that is, into the door of it - to receive the covered furniture.ELLICOTT, " (15) And after that shall the Levites go in . . . —i.e., into the court of the Tabernacle to keep watch there, and to assist the priests at the altar of burnt-offering, and to take down and set up the Tabernacle as occasion might require.

PETT, "Numbers 8:15 a“And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tent of meeting.”Once that had occurred they could perform their service for the Tent of meeting. From this point on it would be their responsibility to generally maintain and care for the accoutrements for the worship of the Sanctuary as far as it was allowed.The Levites Wholly Given to Yahweh Instead of the Firstborn of Israel (Numbers 8:16).Numbers 8:15-16 (15b-16)“And you shall cleanse them, and offer them for a waveoffering, for they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that opens the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them to me.”This now gives another reason why they needed to be cleansed, and offered as a waveoffering. It was because they were being offered as substitutes for the male firstborn of the children of Israel. They were being taken instead of them (compare 3:45-51). This is a further explanation of why Moses had to offer them, and may indicate a third step in the ceremony.

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, the first male offspring 53

from every Israelite woman.

GILL, "For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel,.... All of them, entirely, and most certainly; or, "given, given" (u), 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 Num_3:12, and See Gill on Num_3:13.

CALVIN, "16.For they are wholly given. Lest the other tribes should complain that the number of the people was diminished, God declares that the Levites were alienated from the race of Abraham, since He had acquired them to Himself when He smote all the first-born of Egypt; for it is certain that the first-born of the people, as well as those of their animals, were miraculously rescued from the common destruction. Since, then, God delivered them by special privilege, He thus bound them to Himself by the blessing of their redemption. But this reason would seem no longer to hold good, when God, in demanding the price of redemption, set the first-born free, (178) as was elsewhere stated; else He would require the same thing twice over, which would be unjust. The solution, however, of this is easy; when, in the first census, the first-born of the twelve tribes were counted, they were found to exceed the Levites in number. An exchange was then made, viz., that all the first-born of the twelve tribes, being 22,000 in number, should be free from the tribute, and that God should take the Levites in their place as His ministers. Only 273 were redeemed, because this was the excess of their number above that of the Levites. Thus was it brought to pass, that God was content with these just and equal terms, so as not to oppress the people by a heavy burden. But this compensation, which was only made on that one particular day, did not prevent the Israelites from owing their children, who were not then born, to God. Since, then, this obligation still lay upon them as regarded their posterity, the law was passed that they should redeem their first-born. If any should object that it was not fair for those who should be born of the Levites to be consecrated to God, — I reply, that on this point there was no unfairness, for of whatever tribe they might be descended, they were already His property, together with all their offspring; the condition of the people was not therefore made worse by the exchange; and hence, in all equity, God appointed for the future at what price the Israelites should redeem their first-born. In saying that they were “given” to Him, He means to assert that they were His by compact; (179)

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and in this sense He declares that from the day in which He smote the first-born of Egypt, the first-born of Israel had become His; and then adds, that He then took the Levites; as much as to say, that He only dealt with his people with respect to the time past.

ELLICOTT, "(16) Instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel.—It is difficult to determine whether the second clause is to be regarded as an exact equivalent, or as a limitation of the first. If an exact equivalent, a different meaning must be assigned to the firstborn from that which it commonly bears in the Pentateuch, where it appears to be restricted to the firstborn son on the father’s side. (Cf. Exodus 13:2.)

WHEDON, " 16. Wholly given — The Hebrew nethunim, nethunim, given, given, is emphatic by repetition. (See Numbers 3:9, note.) At first they were the only attendants of the priests, and performed all the menial service.Subsequently they were re-enforced by three hundred and twenty captive Midianites, (Numbers 31:47,) and still later by the condemned Gibeonites. Joshua 9:27, note. When the service became more stately and onerous David and the princes further strengthened the Levites by the gift of the Nethinim, either prisoners of war or a remnant of the Canaanites, to live within the enclosure of the temple and to do its rougher work. Ezra 8:20. Two hundred and twenty of these were enrolled by Ezra among the Levites to supply their lack of service through a decline of their zeal for Jehovah.

17 Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

CLARKE, "For all the first-born - are mine - See the manner of redeeming the first-born, Num_18:6.

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GILL, "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 Exo_13:2.

PETT, "Verse 17-18All the Firstborn Were Yahweh’s Because He Had Delivered Them at the Passover (Numbers 8:17).Numbers 8:17-18“For all the first-born among the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast.”This leads up to the central fact, that the firstborn among the children of Israel were Yahweh’s, whether man or beast (Numbers 3:13; Numbers 8:17; Exodus 13:2; Exodus 13:12; Exodus 22:29-30; Exodus 34:19). This specific fact is emphasised and is central to the passage (see analysis above). It was therefore no light thing that they were being replaced by the Levites. Here in the Levites were the representatives of every Israelite family, replacing their sons as representatives. That was why the people owed such a debt to the Levites, and were never to forget them (Deuteronomy 12:19).So the dedicated Levites represented their dedicated firstborn, as the Nazirites represented their dedication as a people. Each was to be seen as indicating their responsibility towards Yahweh.The Levites Taken Instead of All the Firstborn (Numbers 8:18).

18 And I have taken the Levites in place of all the 56

firstborn sons in Israel.

GILL, "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 Num_3:12.PETT, "Numbers 18:18“On the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself, and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.”The firstborn were Yahweh’s because He had spared them when He smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exodus 11-13). As a result He had sanctified them for Himself for they had been under His special protection. Theirs was to be the privilege of serving His Sanctuary. But now these firstborn sons were released from their solemn privilege because Yahweh had chosen to take the Levites in their place. This was no doubt partly because of the recognition from experience of the untrustworthiness of the firstborn at times of crisis, in contrast with the trustworthiness of the Levites. But it was still a significant exchange.

19 From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites and to make atonement for them so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”

BARNES "Num_8:1957

Make an atonement for the children of Israel - i. e. by performing those services which were due from the children of Israel; the omission of which by the children of Israel would, but for the interposition of the Levites, have called down “wrath” from God, or Num_1:53 “plague.” The institution of the Levites was an extension of that mediatorial system which the people themselves, terrified at the direct manifestations to them of the divine presence, desired; see Deu_5:25. Further, it is suggested to us here as an act of mercy on the part of God; yet even the priests and Levites themselves were not always sufficiently heedful and reverent. Compare Num_17:10; Lev_10:1 ff; 2Sa_6:6 following.GILL, "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, Num_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, Num_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, Num_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.

HENRY, "They are then given as a gift to Aaron and his sons (Num_8:19), yet so as that the benefit accrued to the children of Israel. 1. The Levites must act under the priests as attendants on them, and assistants to them, in the service of the sanctuary. Aaron offers them to God (Num_8:11), and then God gives them back to Aaron, Num_8:19. Note, Whatever we give up to God, he will give back to us unspeakably to our advantage. Our hearts, our children, our estates, are never more ours, more truly, more comfortably ours, than when we have offered them up to God. 2. They must act for the people. They were taken to do the service of the children of Israel, that is, not only to do the service which they should do, but to serve their interests, and do that which would really redound to the honour, safety, and prosperity of the whole nation. Note, Those that faithfully perform the service of God do one of the best services that can be done to the public; God's ministers, while they keep within the sphere of their office and

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conscientiously discharge the duty of it, must be looked upon as some of the most useful servants of their country. The children of Israel can as ill spare the tribe of Levi as any of their tribes. But what is the service they do the children of Israel? It follows, it is to make an atonement for them, that there be no plague among them. It was the priests' work to make atonement by sacrifice, but the Levites made atonement by attendance, and preserved the peace with heaven which was made by sacrifice. If the service of the priests in the tabernacle had been left to all the first-born of Israel promiscuously, it would have been either neglected or done unskillfully and irreverently, being done by those that were not so closely tied to it, nor so diligently trained to it, nor so constantly used to it, as the Levites were; and this would bring a plague among the children of Israel -meaning, perhaps, the death of the first-born themselves, which was the last and greatest of the plagues of Egypt. To prevent this, and to preserve the atonement, the Levites were appointed to do this service, who should be bred up to it under their parents from their infancy, and therefore would be well versed in it; and so the children of Israel, that is, the first-born, should not need to come nigh to the sanctuary; or, when any Israelites had occasion, the Levites would be ready to instruct them, and introduce them, and so prevent any fatal miscarriage or mistake. Note, It is a very great kindness to the church that ministers are appointed to go before the people in the things of God, as guides, overseers, and rulers, in religious worship, and to make that their business. When Christ ascended on high, he gave these gifts, Eph_4:8, Eph_4:11, Eph_4:12.JAMISON,"to make an atonement for the children of Israel, etc. — to aid the

priests in that expiatory work; or, as the words may be rendered, “to make redemption for” the Levites being exchanged or substituted for the first-born for this important end, that there might be a sanctified body of men appointed to guard the sanctuary, and the people not allowed to approach or presumptuously meddle with holy things, which would expose them to the angry judgments of Heaven.CALVIN, "19.And I have given the Levites. He declares on what terms He desires to have them as His own, viz., that they may be directed by Aaron, and obey his commands; for by “a gift” is not to be understood such an act as that whereby a person resigns and cedes his own right to another; but, when He devotes them to the ministry of the sanctuary, He desires that they should have a leader and master. At the end of the verse, Moses teaches that this is done for the advantage and profit of the whole people: whence it follows, that there was no room for ill-will towards them, unless the people should perhaps be annoyed that God had taken measures for their welfare. A two-fold advantage is pointed out; first, because they were to be the intercessors or ministers of reconciliation, (for either sense would be appropriate;) secondly, because, whilst they would be the guardians of the sanctuary, they would prevent the Israelites from bringing destruction upon themselves, by their rash approach to it.

COKE, "Numbers 8:19. And to make an atonement for, &c.— The Levites being regularly called to perform the duties of the tabernacle, their service was acceptable to God, and (as figurative of the great Antitype of the whole Levitical Priesthood) averted his displeasure from Israel; which is the meaning of the phrase to make an

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atonement for, as appears from the following words. So ch. Numbers 25:13. Phineas is said to have made an atonement for Israel, because his pious zeal against two notorious offenders averted the divine judgment from the community. Some have thought, that the phrase signifies, that the Levites were thus accepted in lieu of the people themselves; an opinion which they think the 10th and 11th verses countenance.In the tabernacle of the congregation— The Levites entered not into the tabernacle. The preposition ב beth, signifies at, before, about, near; in any one of which senses it may be properly used here. See Noldius.

ELLICOTT, " (19) As a gift.—Hebrew, given, as in Numbers 8:16.That there be no plague among the children of Israel.—The appointment of the Levites in the place of the firstborn was calculated to insure the reverent and orderly discharge of the duties of the Sanctuary, and to operate as a safeguard against those sins of omission and commission into which the firstborn would have been more likely to be betrayed, and which would have provoked the Divine wrath against the Israelites generally.

BENSON, "Numbers 8:19. To do the service of Israel — To serve God in their stead; to do what otherwise they would have been obliged to do in their own persons. To make an atonement — Not by offering sacrifices, which the priests alone might do, but by assisting the priest in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of all the parts of their office, whereby God was pleased both with them and with the people. That there be no plague — This is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in the tabernacle, that they might guard it, and not suffer any of the people to come near it, or meddle with holy things; which if they did, it would certainly bring a plague upon them.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:19 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.Ver. 19. As a gift to Aaron.]“ Clarissima semperMunera sunt, Author quae pretiosa facit. ”Ministers also are given as an honorary to the Church. {Ephesians 4:11}

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POOLE, " The service of the children of Israel, i.e. to serve God in their stead and behalf, to do what otherwise they had been obliged to do in their own persons.In the tabernacle: how in it, See Poole "Numbers 8:15".To make an atonement for the children of Israel; not by offering sacrifices, which the priests alone might do, but by assisting the priests in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of all the parts of their office, whereby God was pleased both with them and with the people. That there be no plague: this is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in or about the tabernacle, that they might watch and guard it, and not suffer any of the people to come near it, or meddle with holy things, which if they did, it would certainly bring a plague upon them.

WHEDON, " 19. To make an atonement — This looks toward priestly functions to be discharged by the Levites. Though it is not probable that they alone ever sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices, which is a purely sacerdotal act, yet they assisted the priests who sprinkled the blood “which they received of the hand of the Levites,” (2 Chronicles 30:16,) and were drawn more and more clearly to the priests by being released from menial service through the substitution of the Nethinim. Hence they soon became teachers, interpreters, chanters of Hebrew psalmody, and special guardians of the sanctity of the sabbath. Nehemiah 13:22. The last prophet of the Old Testament predicts that in the latter days the Lord “shall purify the sons of Levi.”That there be no plague — The inner sanctuaries of the tabernacle, the apartment of the priests, and the holy of holies were inaccessible to strangers, that is, non-Levites. Hence the appointment of the Levites to be guardians of the tabernacle and safeguards of the people lest they be smitten by the stroke of Jehovah’s wrath. See Numbers 1:51; Numbers 1:53, notes.

PETT, " The Levites Given As a Gift to Aaron, Yahweh’s Representative, To Do the Service of the Tent of Meeting (Numbers 8:19).Numbers 18:19“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 tent 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 nigh to the sanctuary.”And having taken the Levites He has given them as a gift to Aaron and his sons. This was done for two reasons. Firstly that they might do the service in the Tent of

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meeting which otherwise the firstborn of Israel would have to do. And secondly in order that, by replacing the firstborn, they might make atonement for the children of Israel so that when the people of Israel approached Yahweh, they would not have to be punished with the plague because their firstborn had not been given to the Sanctuary.

PULPIT, "To make an atonement for the children of Israel. This is a remarkable expression, and throws light upon the nature of atonement. It is usually confined to purely sacerdotal ministrations, but it clearly has a somewhat different scope here. The idea that the Levites "made an atonement" by assisting the priests in the subordinate details of sacrifice hardly needs refutation: as well might the Gibeonites be said to "make an atonement" because they supplied the altar fire with wood. The real parallel to this is to be found in the case of Phinehas, of whom God testified that "he hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel," and "made an atonement for the children of Israel" (Numbers 25:11, Numbers 25:13). It is evident that Phinehas turned away the wrath of God not by offering any sacrifices, but by making the sin which aroused that wrath to cease: he made an atonement for the people by discharging for them that holy and bounden duty (of putting away sin) which the rest of them failed to perform. Similarly the Levites made an atonement not by offering sacrifice (which they could no more do than the children of Judah), but by rendering unto God those personal duties of attendance and service in his courts which all the people ought to have rendered had they only been fit. That there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary. See Numbers 1:53. The children of Israel were in this strait. As "an holy nation," they were all bound, and their first-born as redeemed from the destroyer were specially bound, to render certain religious duties to God. But if they had attempted to render them they would have erred through ignorance and foolishness, and so have incurred Divine wrath and punishment, when they came nigh unto the sanctuary. From this strait the substitution of the Levites delivered them.

20 Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

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GILL, "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.

K&D, "Num_8:20-22 contain an account of the execution of the divine command.

CALVIN, "20.And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation The Levites also are now inaugurated for the performance of their duties, but in their proper order, because their condition was inferior. Here it must be noted that the sons of Moses and their descendants were placed in this lower rank, and excluded from all expectation of the priesthood. Hence the ingratitude of the whole people, and especially of the tribe of Levi, was all the more base, when they presumptuously sought the honor from which Moses had shut out his children for ever. It was then no ordinary act of obedience in him to execute what God had appointed respecting the Levites. Aaron is here mentioned, because he consecrated the Levites in right of his priesthood. As regards the people, their consent is merely commended, because they agreed to what was the pleasure of God. But this virtue in them only increased their ignominy afterwards, when they sought to overthrow that divine decree of which they had approved.

COFFMAN, ""Thus did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the Levites: according unto all that Jehovah commanded Moses touching the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them. And the Levites purified themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them for a wave-offering before Jehovah; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tent of meeting before Aaron, and before his sons: as Jehovah had commanded Moses, concerning the Levites, so did they unto them."Whatever the scholars may find difficult in the matter of the "waving" of all those Levites, Aaron had no trouble at all with it. The sacred text says that he did it. This is similar to that passage about casting the money "unto the potter" in the house of

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the Lord (Zechariah 11:13). The critics have been looking for that "potter" for a hundred years without finding him, but Zechariah had no trouble with it, the Holy Scriptures say that "he did it!"

PETT, " Moses, Aaron and All the Congregation Do The Will of Yahweh (Numbers 8:20).Numbers 8:20‘Thus did Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, to the Levites. According to all that Yahweh commanded Moses touching the Levites, so did the children of Israel to them.’It is now stressed that both Moses and Aaron, and the whole people, obeyed Yahweh fully. They did to the Levites what Yahweh had commanded. From now on the Levites would see to the Dwellingplace, acting on behalf of the people and instead of their sons, and in return the people would ensure the liberal support of the Levites.In Numbers 8:8 the whole congregation had been assembled for this purpose. Now they saw to its fulfilment.

21 The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement for them to purify them.

BARNES "Num_8:21Were purified - Rather, purified themselves; as directed in Num_8:7.

CLARKE, "And Aaron made an atonement for them - Though the Levites had been most solemnly consecrated to the Lord’s service, and though all legal washings and purifications were duly performed on the occasion, yet they could not approach God till

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an atonement had been made for them. How strange is it, after all these significations, of the will and purpose of God relative to man, that any priest or any people will attempt to draw nigh to God without an atonement! As sure as God hath spoken it, there is no entrance into the holiest but through the blood of Jesus, Heb_10:19, Heb_10:20.

GILL, "And the Levites were purified,.... From sin, by the sprinkling of the sin water, or water of purification on them, Num_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 Num_8:11, and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them; by offering the sacrifices for them, Num_8:12.CALVIN, "21.And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes We have already spoken of the washing, for since it was required of all private individuals, much less would it be allowable for the Levites to handle the sacred things, unless they were first purified. But what follows as to their presentation by the hands of Aaron, was a shadowing forth by symbol of the truth, which at length shone out at the coming of Christ; for it had been of old predicted by the Prophets, that, in the renovation of the Church, those who had hitherto been but of the multitude should become Levites. Therefore, by this figure, God would declare that none even of His elect servants would be approved of and accepted by Him, unless sanctified by the one Priest. (415) And thence an atonement is joined with their offering, in order that the Levites might be pure.

PETT, " The Carrying Out of the Purifying, Washing of Clothes And Making of Atonement for the Levites Is Summarised (Numbers 8:21).Numbers 8:21‘And the Levites purified themselves from sin, and they washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them for a waveoffering before Yahweh; and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.’Compare verses 7-8. In accordance with Yahweh’s requirements, the Levites purified themselves from sin by means of the water of the purification for sin offering, shaved their bodies and washed their clothes. Then Aaron offered the Levites as a ‘waveoffering’ before Yahweh, presenting them to Him, and through the offerings made atonement for them to cleanse them.

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22 After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

GILL, "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.CALVIN, "22.And after that went the Levites in to do their service In these words Moses signifies that, in the type, nothing was omitted relative to the ancient priesthood which pertains to the legitimate service of God, the main point in which is obedience, and thence the purity which flows from it. The Levites are said to have done their service before Aaron, because they humbly submitted themselves to the yoke, and allowed themselves to be controlled by the will of the priest, since God had so enjoined. But the progress of the history will presently shew how prone man’s nature is to rebellion. Hence it arises that the end does not always correspond with the beginning, but that sad and unhappy conclusions sometimes follow successful commencements.

PETT, " Yahweh’s Original Command Obeyed (Numbers 8:22).Numbers 8:22‘And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tent of meeting before

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Aaron, and before his sons, as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they to them.’Once this was accomplished the Levites went in to do their service in the Dwellingplace. This would include ‘policing’ the courtyard of the Dwellingplace, assisting some who brought offerings with the slaughter of their sacrifices, generally ministering around inside the courtyard and out, general maintenance of its fabric and appurtenances, preventing those from approaching the Dwellingplace who should not, and being responsible for the Dwellingplace in all its movements.And all this was done as Yahweh had commanded Moses (see Numbers 8:5-6).A number of lessons arise for us out of these verses. Firstly the need to be as concerned about minor ministries among God’s people as well as the more prominent ones. Secondly a recognition that God is equally concerned about them. Thirdly the need for unity among God’s people in making such appointments within the will of God. Fourthly that all, whatever their ministry, regularly need purifying by the blood of Jesus in their ministry and especially at its commencement. It is also a reminder of the need for substitutionary atonement, as the Levites took the place of the firstborn. But how we should rejoice that our substitute before the throne is not the Levites, but our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Making us sufficient to approach God without fear.

PULPIT, "In the tabernacle of the congregation. This can only mean that they went in after the holy things had been packed up in order to take the fabric to pieces; no one but the priests went into the tabernacle for any other purpose, or at any other time.

23 The Lord said to Moses,

GILL, "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:

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K&D, "The Levitical period of service is fixed here at twenty-five years of age and upwards to the fiftieth year. “This is what concerns the Levites,” i.e., what follows applies to the Levites. “From the age of twenty-five years shall he (the Levite) come to do service at the work of the tabernacle; and at fifty years of age shall he return from the service of the work, and not work any further, but only serve his brethren at the tabernacle in keeping charge,” i.e., help them to look after the furniture of the tabernacle. “Charge” (mishmereth), as distinguished from “work,” signified the oversight of all the furniture of the tabernacle (see Num_3:8); “work” (service) applied to laborious service, e.g., the taking down and setting up of the tabernacle and cleaning it, carrying wood and water for the sacrificial worship, slaying the animals for the daily and festal sacrifices of the congregation, etc.

COFFMAN, ""And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, This is that which belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service in the work of the tent of meeting, and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the work, and shall serve no more, but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges."There are a number of important considerations in these verses. First, there is the "contradiction" in the giving of age twenty-five as the age when Levites began their service, whereas, previously the age of thirty years was specified. Different situations in view explain the difference: "The age varied for different kinds of service:(1) for a soldier, it was age twenty,(2) for a priest, it was age thirty, and(3) for the Levites, it was age twenty-five."[17]As for the age of thirty indicated for Levites in Numbers 4:3, this evidently referred particularly to those charged with moving the sacred furniture of the tabernacle. The work envisioned here is of a much wider nature. Another explanation, suggested by some, is that an apprenticeship of five years was also required, which would account for the variation. Whitelaw commented that: "The directions in Numbers 4:3 (for an age of thirty years) concerned the transport of the tabernacle and its belongings; this was a permanent regulation designed for ordinary labors of the sanctuary at a time when the Levites would be scattered throughout their cities, and could only serve by courses. Even at the age of twenty-five, it was difficult to provide the required number in the latter days of King David."[18]"To keep the charge ..." (Numbers 8:26; Numbers 1:53). This expression has the

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meaning of "stand guard over," or "standing guard."[19]

WHEDON, "Verses 23-26AGE LIMITS TO LEVITICAL SERVICE, Numbers 8:23-26.There is great propriety in fixing the limits of active service in the case of all who are set apart to an office for life. Yet the priests for some reason were not restricted in this respect. The office of the sons of Aaron did not require the same degree of physical strength as that of the Levites; whereas, the service of the latter being more severe, especially until the tabernacle was permanently located, it was more necessary that they should be protected by the law. See Numbers 4:3. For the discrepancy between twenty-five years, the lower limit in this chapter, and thirty years, as prescribed in chapter iv, see General Remarks, (2,) at the end of the latter chapter. “In Moses’s time the Levites from the age of twenty-five were employed in the lighter kinds of service, while, for the transportation of the heavier materials of the tabernacle, when the Israelites were on the march, men older and stronger were required. After the temple was built, its much less onerous service permitted the standard of age to be lowered to twenty years. After the age of fifty the Levites were simply to keep the charge, or guard, in the tabernacle, but were exempted from all laborious duties.” — Haley.

PETT, "Verses 23-26Limits on Levite Ministry (Numbers 8:23-26).The soldiers of Israel commenced their responsibilities at twenty years old, but the work of the Levites was so sacred that they had to be more mature before they entered on it, and had to have a five year apprenticeship before they could fully participate. This would bring home to them the seriousness of their responsibilities. Here the age at which they were to commence that apprenticeship is described.Analysis.a From twenty five and upwards the Levites were to ‘war the warfare’ in the work of the Tent of meeting (Numbers 8:24).b At the age of fifty they were to cease to perform the laborious work and serve no more (Numbers 8:25).a The retired were to minister with their brethren in the Tent of meeting to guard and protect it but were to serve no more (Numbers 8:26).Numbers 8:23

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‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’This phrase cuts this section off from the last. It indicates a new revelation, but again stresses that it was Yahweh’s word through Moses. The constant stress on this brings out that Joshua, or Eleazar, or whoever was responsible wanted it known that what he recorded were the words of Moses, spoken by the Voice, and of no one else. BI, "The Levites; from twenty and five years.ServiceI. The service God demands of all levites.

1. Burden-bearing.2. Singing.3. Study of the law, “Search the Scriptures.”4. Attendance on the ordinances of the sanctuary.

II. God demands the service in our prime. “From twenty and five.”III. God demands this service when it can be most easily rendered. He suits the burden to the back. All He asks is, that we shall do what we can. (R. A. Griffin.)

The Divine Master and His human servantsI. The necessity of fitness for the divine service. In learning any handicraft or trade, years are spent under instructors; for the practice of law or medicine men must have special training; and is it not important that they who engage in religious services should be qualified for such services?II. The variety of employment in the divine service.

1. An encouragement to persons of feeble powers and narrow opportunities to try to do good.2. A rebuke to those who plead inability as an excuse for their indolence in religious service.

III. The care of the great master for his servants. Conclusion. This subject supplies—1. Encouragement to enter into this service. “Come thou with us,” &c.2. Encouragement to persevere in this service. A glorious reward awaits those who patiently continue in well-doing. (W. Jones.)

Age and youth in relation to service1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years old (Num_8:24). They were not charged with the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of it till they

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were thirty years old (Num_4:3). But they were entered to be otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old—a very good age for ministers to begin their public work. The work then required that strength of body, and the work now requires that maturity of judgment and staidness of behaviour which men rarely arrive at till about that age : and novices are in danger of being lifted up with pride.2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old; then they were to return from the warfare, as the phrase is (Num_8:25), not cashiered with disgrace—but preferred rather to the rest, which their age required, to be loaded with the honours of their office, as hitherto they had been with the burdens of it. They shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle, to direct the junior Levites, and set them in; and they shall keep the charge, as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle, to see that no stranger intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness; but they shall not be put upon any service which may be a fatigue to them. If God’s grace provide that men shall have ability according to their work, man’s prudence should take care that men have work but according to their ability. The aged are most fit for truths, and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work, and to do the service. “Those that have used the office of a servant well, purchase to themselves a good degree” (1Ti_3:13). Yet indeed gifts are not tied to ages (Job_32:9), but “all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit.” (Matthew Henry, D. D.).

24 “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,

BARNES "Twenty and five years old and upward - The permanent limit as distinguished from the temporary Num_4:3, Num_4:23, Num_4:30, though David found it necessary to extend the period of the Levites’ service by causing it to commence at 20 years of age 1Ch_23:24-28. This rule continued in force from the time of David downward (compare on 2Ch_31:17; Ezr_3:8).

CLARKE, "From twenty and five years old - See the note on Num_4:3, where the two terms of twenty-five and thirty years are reconciled.

GILL, "This is it that belongeth unto the Levites,.... The fixed and settled time for 71

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 Num_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 others (w); 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 Num_4:22, where the age of thirty years, and upward, is mentioned, as the time of their entrance on it, Num_4:23.

HENRY, " The time of their ministration is fixed. 1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years old, Num_8:24. They were not charged with the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of it till they were thirty years old, Num_4:3. But they were entered to be otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old, a very good age for ministers to begin their public work at. The work then required that strength of body and the work now requires that maturity of judgment and steadiness of behaviour which men rarely arrive at till about that age; and novices are in danger of being lifted up with pride. 2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old; then they were to return from the warfare, as the phrase is (Num_8:25), not cashiered with disgrace, but preferred rather to the rest which their age required, to be loaded with the honours of their office, as hitherto they had been with the burdens of it. They shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle, to direct the junior Levites, and set them in; and they shall keep the charge, as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle, to see that no stranger intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness, but they shall not be put upon any service which may be a fatigue to them. If God's grace provide that men shall have ability according to their work, man's prudence should take care that men have work only according to their ability. The aged are most fit for trusts, and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work, and to do the service. Those that have used the office of a servant well purchase to themselves a good degree, 1Ti_3:13. Yet indeed gifts are not tied to ages (Job_32:9), but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit. Thus was the affair of the Levites settled.

JAMISON,"from twenty and five years old, etc. — (Compare Num_4:3). They entered on their work in their twenty-fifth year, as pupils and probationers, under the superintendence and direction of their senior brethren; and at thirty they were admitted to the full discharge of their official functions.CALVIN, "24.This is it, that belongeth to the Levites. The age is here prescribed when the Levites should begin and end the execution of their office. God commands

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them to commence in their 25th year and grants them their dismissal in their 50th; and for both these provisions there is very good reason. For, if they had been admitted in early youth, their levity might have greatly detracted from the reverence due to sacred things: not only because those, whose manhood is not yet mature, are generally given to pleasure and intemperance, but because either by negligence, or levity, or want of thought, or ignorance and error, they might have made many grievous mistakes in the service of God; and, whilst they were by no means fitted to exercise their charge until they should have attained prudence and gravity, so also, lest they should fail from old age, it was right that they should be seasonably dismissed; for as we have before said, their duties were laborious, and such as demanded bodily strength. If, however, any should choose to make an application of this to the pastoral office, it should be generally remembered, that none should be chosen to it except such as have already given proofs of their moderation, and float those who diligently devote themselves to it should not be unreasonably pressed upon, nor should more be required of them than their ability can bear; for some foolishly count their years, as if it were a sin to choose a pastor before his 24th year, although he might be otherwise fully provided with the necessary qualifications.

ELLICOTT, " (24) From twenty and five years old and upward.—This regulation may be understood as referring to the age at which the Levites were to enter upon their duties after the people had taken possession of the land of Canaan, and it appears to have remained in force until the time of David, who substituted the age of twenty for that of twenty-five, because the necessity of carrying the Tabernacle and its furniture from place to place, which arose but seldom after the entrance into Canaan, finally ceased after the removal of the ark to Mount Zion. The time of service during the wanderings in the wilderness was from thirty to fifty (Numbers 4:3; Numbers 4:23; Numbers 4:30), during which time the constant removal of the Tabernacle required the services of men in the full vigour of life. The chronological order of events is not always observed in this book, and the directions contained in Numbers 8:23-26 may have been given at a later period, but inserted here in connection with the account of the appointment of the Levites to their office. On the other hand, it is quite possible that from the first the Levites entered upon the lighter parts of their office at the age of twenty-five years, but were not employed before they were thirty years of age in the more onerous duties of removing the Tabernacle, or in bearing on their shoulders the sacred vessels, as in the case of the Kohathites.To wait upon the service.—Literally, to war the warfare, or to serve the (military) service. Similarly, in the following verse, he shall return from the warfare of the service.

TRAPP, "Numbers 8:24 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:

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Ver. 24. From twenty-five years.] {See Trapp on "Numbers 4:30"}

WHEDON, "24. Wait upon the service — Literally, war the warfare. This is often referred to by St. Paul. 1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 2:3-5. It signifies service involving strenuous efforts and hardships. The widespread establishment of synagogues in later ages afforded to both priests and Levites a broad field of labour. For though they were not required to teach in the synagogue, yet whenever they were present precedence was given to them. The Levites seldom appear in the New Testament except as the type of a formal worship without sympathy and without love. They had ceased “to war a good warfare.” See Luke 10:32.

PETT, "Numbers 8:24-26“This is what belongs to the Levites. From twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to war the warfare in the work of the tent of meeting, and from the age of fifty years they shall return from the warfare of the work, and shall serve no more, but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites touching their charges.”Those who were numbered for the work of dismantling, bearing and erecting the dwellingplace and looking after its contents were those Levites who were thirty years to fifty years old (Numbers 3:3; Numbers 3:22-23; Numbers 3:29-30; Numbers 3:34-35; Numbers 3:38-39; Numbers 3:42-43; Numbers 3:46-47). They were the ones mobilised for the purpose. However, for such sacred work we would expect a period of preparation. To move from no involvement to such important work at one step would have prevented the building up of an awareness of the holiness of the task, and would have encouraged carelessness.A five year breaking in period was clearly recommended. Thus the Levite would commence his part in the holy service of Yahweh, being trained in lesser tasks, from the age of twenty five. The young hotheads had to be broken in before having a part in the holiest of tasks. The same was probably true for the priesthood.Note how militant terms are used for their service. It was to be recognised that their service equalled that of the trained soldiers of the other tribes, and that while their warfare was of a different kind it was nonetheless real.But once the Levites became fifty they were to cease to be mobilised for the movement of the dwelling place, being instead given policing duties, ‘keeping the charge’, watching over what the Levites had been charged with.

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It is always possible that the original charge was commencement at thirty, and that it became recognised for one reason or another more hands were needed so that Moses later dropped the age limit to twenty five. The chiastic structure might be seen as supporting that this was an additional note. But our view is that it is what we would expect, for we would actually expect a breaking in and training period for such a sacred duty, and that is what this provides. It would seem to us therefore that our interpretation presents the most likely scenario.It should be noted what problems there would be for Levite parents, even granted their separate camp, in that in the other tribes the young men began service at twenty while the Levites had to wait until they were older. The younger Levites would no doubt feel the restraint and be eager to begin doing something. To wait ten years with little to do would have been unbearable. It is unlikely that the restraint was one of shortage of strength. It was rather one that had in mind the holiness of the task.A lesson for the church today is the danger of men being ‘called to the ministry’ too young. This suggests that training for the ministry should not begin until at least twenty five years old. It would ensure that ministers had experience of life before they began their training, and that they had really had time to consider the seriousness of what they were taking on.

PULPIT, "From twenty and five years old and upward. A short time before the minimum age had been fixed at thirty (Numbers 4:3). That direction, however, concerned the transport of the tabernacle and its belongings; this was a permanent regulation designed for the ordinary labours of the sanctuary at a time when the Levites would be scattered throughout their cities, and could only serve by courses. For the latter purpose many more would be required; and indeed they were found insufficient as it was in the latter days of David, when the wealth and devotion of the kingdom were fast increasing (see on 1 Chronicles 23:24-27). To wait upon the service. Literally, "to war the warfare;" the idea of the militia sacra is kept up.

25 but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer.

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GILL, "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 said (x), 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.

JAMISON,"from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, etc. — that is, on the laborious and exhausting parts of their work.BENSON, "Verse 25-26Numbers 8:25-26. From the age of fifty — they shall cease waiting — Shall be excused from carrying the parts and vessels of the tabernacle, and all the toilsome duties of the service, and shall only give advice and direction, and assist in lesser and easier works. How merciful and full of compassion are the laws of God! When his servants became advanced in years in his service, they were not required to do the same work which they did when younger. But doubtless many of them, who were of age to take the benefit of this kind provision made for them, would show their love to God by still exerting in some way their last remains of strength in his service. And surely happy are they who, by the blessing of God on a temperate life, are preserved to old age, with strength to labour in His service who gave them being, and died to redeem them.

26 They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”76

CLARKE, "To keep the charge, and shall do no service - They shall no longer be obliged to perform any laborious service, but act as general directors and counsellors; therefore they were to be near the camp, sing praises to God, and see that no stranger or unclean person was permitted to enter. So the Jews and many other persons have understood this place.

1. If it required so much legal purity to fit the Levites for their work in the tabernacle, can we suppose that it requires less spiritual purity to fit ministers of the Gospel to proclaim the righteousness of the Most High, and administer the sacred ordinances of Christianity to the flock of Christ? If these must be without spot, as the priests before without blemish, and these were only typical men, we may rest assured that a Christian minister requires no ordinary measures of holiness to prepare him for an acceptable and profitable discharge of his office.2. If the Christian ministry be established to prepare men for the kingdom of God, of the holiness of which the purity of the camp was but a faint emblem, how can any man expect to enter that place of blessedness, who has not his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water; his life and conversation agreeable to the sacred precepts laid down in the Gospel of Christ? If the law of Moses were more read in reference to the Gospel, the Gospel itself and its requisitions would be much better understood.Reader, however it may be with thee, Antinomianism is more general among religious people than is usually imagined. What multitudes of all denominations are expecting to enter into the kingdom of God without any proper preparation for the place! Without holiness none shall see the Lord; and from this decision of the Divine justice there shall never be any appeal.

GILL, "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.

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JAMISON,"But shall minister with their brethren — in the performance of easier and higher duties, instructing and directing the young, or superintending important trusts. “They also serve who only wait” [Milton].

K&D, "Num_8:26“So shalt thou do to the Levites (i.e., proceed with them) in their services.” ִמְׁשָמֹרת

from ִמְׁשֶמֶרת, attendance upon an official post. Both the heading and final clause, by which this law relating to the Levites' period of service is bounded, and its position immediately after the induction of the Levites into their office, show unmistakeably that this law was binding for all time, and was intended to apply to the standing service of the Levites at the sanctuary; and consequently that it was not at variance with the instructions in ch. 4, to muster the Levites between thirty and fifty years of age, and organize them for the transport of the tabernacle on the journey through the wilderness (Num 4:3-49). The transport of the tabernacle required the strength of a full-grown man, and therefore the more advanced age of thirty years; whereas the duties connected with the tabernacle when standing were of a lighter description, and could easily be performed from the twenty-fifth year (see Hengstenberg's Dissertations, vol. ii. pp. 321ff.). At a later period, when the sanctuary was permanently established on Mount Zion, David employed the Levites from their twentieth year (1Ch_23:24-25), and expressly stated that he did so because the Levites had no longer to carry the dwelling and its furniture; and this regulation continued in force from that time forward (cf. 2Ch_31:17; Ezr_3:8). But if the supposed discrepancy between the verses before us and Num_4:3, Num_4:47, is removed by this distinction, which is gathered in the most simple manner from the context, there is no ground whatever for critics to deny that the regulation before us could have proceeded from the pen of the Elohist.

ELLICOTT, " (26) To keep the charge.—A clear distinction is here made between the service which involved heavy manual labour in carrying the furniture of the Tabernacle and in slaughtering the victims, and the charge or oversight of the furniture and the vessels of the Sanctuary.

PULPIT, "Shall minister … to keep the charge, and shall do no service. The word "charge" (Hebrew, mishmereth) seems to signify the care of the furniture and belongings of the tabernacle, while "service" means the laborious work of transport, or of preparing sacrifice. The duties of the Levite over fifty were in fact honorary, given to him probably for his own sake, that he might have some place and post in the house of God. This careful provision for those who should attain the age of fifty shows that the commandment was designed for the promised land rather than for the wilderness.

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