Albert Barnes Commentary Numbers 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 8
"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." — Numbers 8:1-4 (ASV)
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 (Numbers 7:89) actually established among His people.
"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. 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 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. 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." — Numbers 8:5-22 (ASV)
The Levites could only undertake their duties (Numbers 3; Numbers 4) after the formal exchange of the Levites for the first-born (Numbers 3:44–51).
The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests (Leviticus 8) and the less solemn “purification” (Numbers 8:21) of the Levites is marked. These rites of purification are similar to those incumbent on the priests of Egypt.
(Numbers 8:7) Water 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 (Exodus 30:18 and following).
The “sprinkling” of so large a body of men could have been only general, but tokens of individual purification are specified .
(Numbers 8:8) The 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 (Leviticus 8:14 and following) 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.
(Numbers 8:10) The children of Israel – i.e., through the heads of their tribes, who (Numbers 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.
(Numbers 8:11) Offer ... offering – Compare the margin. Aaron pointed to the Levites, and then waved his hands, indicating (compare Leviticus 7:30 note) that the offering was dedicated to God, and, again, by grant from Him, withdrawn for the use of the priests.
(Numbers 8:19) Make an atonement for the children of Israel – i.e., by performing those services that were due from the children of Israel. The omission of these services by the children of Israel would, if not for the interposition of the Levites, have called down “wrath” from God, or (Numbers 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 Deuteronomy 5:25.
Furthermore, 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 Numbers 17:10; Leviticus 10:1 and following; 2 Samuel 6:6 and following.
(Numbers 8:21) Were purified – Rather, purified themselves; as directed in (Numbers 8:7).
"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:" — Numbers 8:24 (ASV)
Twenty and five years old and upward - The permanent limit as distinguished from the temporary (Numbers 4:3, Numbers 4:23, Numbers 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 (1 Chronicles 23:24–28). This rule continued in force from the time of David onward (compare 2 Chronicles 31:17; Ezra 3:8).
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