Numbers 8
Lutheran reading notes
In Numbers chapter 8, the story continues to develop the theme of Israel’s wilderness journey and preparation for the promised land. Lutheran interpretation often highlights how the events reveal humanity’s need for God’s grace and the reliability of God's promises. The chapter illustrates both the reality of human weakness and the faithfulness of God who works through history.
1
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 8:1 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
2
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
Numbers 8:2 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
3
And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Numbers 8:3 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Numbers 8:4 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
5
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 8:5 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
6
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
Numbers 8:6 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {let them shave...: Heb. let them cause a razor to pass over, etc}
Numbers 8:7 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, {even} fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
Numbers 8:8 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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:
Numbers 8:9 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
10
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
Numbers 8:10 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {offer: Heb. wave} {offering: Heb. wave offering} {they...: Heb. they may be to execute, etc}
Numbers 8:11 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
Numbers 8:12 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
13
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them {for} an offering unto the LORD.
Numbers 8:13 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
14
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
Numbers 8:14 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
15
And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them {for} an offering.
Numbers 8:15 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
For they {are} wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, {even instead of} the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Numbers 8:16 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
17
For all the firstborn of the children of Israel {are} mine, {both} man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.
Numbers 8:17 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
18
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
Numbers 8:18 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {a gift: Heb. given}
Numbers 8:19 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
20
And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
Numbers 8:20 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them {as} an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.
Numbers 8:21 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
22
And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.
Numbers 8:22 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
23
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Numbers 8:23 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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: {to...: Heb. to war the warfare of, etc}
Numbers 8:24 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
25
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service {thereof}, and shall serve no more: {cease...: Heb. return from the warfare of the service}
Numbers 8:25 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
Numbers 8:26 highlights pilgrimage and testing with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.