INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 8 In this chapter orders are given for the lighting the seven lamps of the candlestick, Numbers 8:1; and for the consecration of the Levites to their office, by a purification of them, Numbers 8:5; by a separation of them from the children of Israel, and the imposition of th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... Whether immediately after the offerings of the princes, or at another time, is not certain; Aben Ezra thinks it was in the night God spake unto him, because then the lamps were lighted and burning: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO AARON, AND SAY UNTO HIM,.... It being his work to light the lamps, though, as Ben Gersom observes, it was not incumbent on an high priest alone to do this, for it also belonged to the sons of Aaron, who were common priests, Exodus 27:21; though it is probable that as this was the first ti... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AARON DID SO, HE LIGHTED THE LAMPS THEREOF OVER AGAINST THE CANDLESTICK,.... As God had taken up his residence in the most holy place, as appears by the voice speaking from off the mercy seat, Numbers 7:89; and sacrifices were begun to be offered in the outward court on the altar of burnt offeri... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS WORK OF THE CANDLESTICK [WAS] OF BEATEN GOLD,.... As it is also said to be; Exodus 25:31; and Exodus 25:36: UNTO THE SHALT THEREOF, UNTO THE FLOWERS THEREOF, [WAS] BEATEN WORK; of which, see Exodus 25:31; ACCORDING UNTO THE PATTERN WHICH THE LORD HAD SHOWED MOSES; when on Mount Sinai wit... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... the same time the order about lighting the lamps was given; and this section is joined to the former, Aben Ezra thinks, to show that Aaron employed himself in lighting the lamps, but in the rest of the services the Levites helped him, and stood before him to do wha... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THUS SHALL THOU DO UNTO THEM, TO CLEANSE THEM,.... Or order Aaron to do unto them; the cleansing of the Levites was the work of Aaron, either by himself or by his order; in which he was a type of Christ, who is the refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi, Malachi 3:3; SPRINKLE WATER OF PURIFYI... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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 AS... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SHALT BRING THE LEVITES BEFORE THE LORD,.... From the door of the tabernacle, to the altar of burnt offering, where the Lord was in some sense present to accept the sacrifices offered to him: AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL PUT THEIR HANDS UPON THE LEVITES; as were used to be put upon sac... [ Continue Reading ]
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 himse... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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,... [ Continue Reading ]
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 b... [ Continue Reading ]
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 T... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I HAVE TAKEN THE LEVITES FOR ALL THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. Gave up his right in the firstborn, and instead of them took the Levites for his use and service: see Numbers 3:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Israe... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LEVITES WERE PURIFIED,.... From sin, by the sprinkling of the sin water, or water of purification on them, Numbers 8:7; AND THEY WASHED THEIR CLOTHES; that they might have no defilement about them, neither in their bodies, nor in their garments: AND AARON OFFERED THEM [AS] AN OFFERING BEFO... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES,.... At the same time he gave the instructions about the consecration of the Levites, the time of their entrance on their service, and of leaving it, was fixed: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS [IS IT] THAT [BELONGETH] UNTO THE LEVITES,.... The fixed and settled time for their service, as is after related: FROM TWENTY AND FIVE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD, THEY SHALL GO IN TO WAIT UPON THE SERVICE OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION; in Numbers 4:3; the time for the Levites entering on the... [ Continue Reading ]
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 whi... [ Continue Reading ]
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 s... [ Continue Reading ]