Numbers 8

1. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

2. “Speak to Aaron, and say to him, ‘Set up the lampwicks toward the front of the seven lamps to give light toward the front of the lampstand.’ ”

3. And Aaron did so. He lighted its lampwicks toward the front of the lampstand as the LORD commanded Moses.

4. And this work of the lampstand was of beaten gold to its base and to its blossoms; it was beaten work. According to the pattern which the LORD had showed Moses, so he made the lampstand.

5. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

6. “Take the Levites from among the children of Israel and purify them.

7. And this is what you shall do to them to purify them. Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh and wash their clothes, and make themselves clean.

8. Then let them take a young bull with its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil, and another young bull shall you take for a sin offering.

9. And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation. And you shall gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together.

10. And you shall bring the Levites before the LORD. And the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites.

11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering on behalf of the children of Israel, so that they may do the service of the LORD.

12. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bulls. And you shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, to the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.

13. And you shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering to the LORD.

14. So you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel. And the Levites shall be Mine.

15. And after that the Levites shall go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. And you shall purify them and offer them for a wave offering.

16. For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel, instead of those that open every womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel. I have taken them for Myself.

17. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are Mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for Myself.

18. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

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, so that there may be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.”

20. And Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel did to the Levites according to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites. So the children of Israel did to them.

21. And the Levites purified themselves, and they washed their clothes. And Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the LORD. Then Aaron made an atonement for them to purify them.

22. And after that the Levites went in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron and before his sons. Even as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did to them.

23. And the LORD spoke to Moses saying,

24. “This is that which pertains to the Levites. From twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

25. And from the age of fifty years they shall stop waiting upon the service and shall serve no more.

26. But they shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation to keep the charge; only he shall do no service. Thus shall you do in regard to the Levites as to their duties.”