1.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2.
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
3.
And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Num 8:3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
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 2Pe 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.
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.
Num 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
a Kοπιαν, παρα το κοπτειν .
5.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
6.
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
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.
Num 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. 2Co 2:16 Gal 1:15 Ministers are fullones animarum, their office is to whiten others; themselves therefore should be as those Nazarites Lam 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.
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.
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:
Num 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." Heb 12:23
10.
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
Num 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.
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.
Num 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." Jer 15:12
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.
Num 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.
13.
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.
14.
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
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.
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.
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.
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: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
Num 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 semper
Munera sunt, Author quae pretiosa facit. ”
Ministers also are given as an honorary to the Church. Eph 4:11
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.
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.
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.
23.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
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:
Num 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:
Ver. 24. From twenty-five years. ] See Trapp on " Num 4:30 "
25.
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:
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.