Then the LORD spoke
to Moses
, saying
,
"Speak to Aaron
and say
to him, `When you 1mount
the lamps
, the seven
lamps
will agive
light
in the front
of the lampstand
.' "
Aaron therefore did
so
; he 1mounted
its lamps
at the front
of the lampstand
, just
as the LORD
had commanded
Moses
.
aNow this was the workmanship
of the lampstand
, hammered
work
of gold
; from its base
to its flowers
it was hammered
work
; baccording to the pattern
which
the LORD
had shown
Moses
, so
he made
the lampstand
.
Again the LORD spoke
to Moses
, saying
,
"Take the Levites
from among
the sons
of Israel
and acleanse
them.
"Thus you shall do
to them, for their 1cleansing
: sprinkle 2purifying
awater
on them, and let them 3 buse
a razor
over
their whole
4body
and cwash
their clothes
, and they will be clean
.
"Then let them take a 1bull
with aits grain offering
, fine
flour
mixed
with oil
; and a second
1bull
you shall take
for a sin
offering
.
"So ayou shall present the Levites
before
the tent
of meeting
. bYou shall also assemble
the whole
congregation
of the sons
of Israel
,
and present the Levites
before
the LORD
; and the sons
of Israel
ashall lay
their hands
on the Levites
.
"Aaron then shall 1present
the Levites
before
the LORD
as a awave
offering
from the sons
of Israel
, that they may 2qualify
to perform
the service
of the LORD
.
"Now athe Levites shall lay
their hands
on the heads
of the bulls
; then offer
the one
for a sin
offering
and the other
for a burnt
offering
to the LORD
, to make
atonement
for the Levites
.
"You shall have the Levites stand
before
Aaron
and before
his sons
so as to present
them as a wave
offering
to the LORD
.
"Thus you shall separate the Levites
from among
the sons
of Israel
, and athe Levites
shall be Mine.
"Then after that the Levites
may go
in to serve
the tent
of meeting
. But you shall cleanse
them and apresent
them as a wave
offering
;
for they are awholly given
to Me from among
the sons
of Israel
. I have taken
them for Myself binstead
of every
first
issue
of the womb
, the firstborn
of all
the sons
of Israel
.
"For aevery firstborn
among the sons
of Israel
is Mine, among the men
and among the animals
; on the day
that I struck
down
all
the firstborn
in the land
of Egypt
I sanctified
them for Myself.
"But I have taken the Levites
instead
of every
firstborn
among the sons
of Israel
.
" aI have given the Levites
as 1a gift
to Aaron
and to his sons
from among
the sons
of Israel
, to perform
the service
of the sons
of Israel
at the tent
of meeting
and to make
atonement
on behalf
of the sons
of Israel
, so that there will be no
bplague
among the sons
of Israel
by 2their coming
near
to the sanctuary
."
Thus did Moses
and Aaron
and all
the congregation
of the sons
of Israel
to the Levites
; according to all
that the LORD
had commanded
Moses
concerning the Levites
, so
the sons
of Israel
did
to them.
aThe Levites, too, purified
themselves from sin
and washed
their clothes
; and Aaron
presented
them as a wave
offering
before
the LORD
. Aaron
also made
atonement
for them to cleanse
them.
Then after that the Levites
went
in to perform
their service
in the tent
of meeting
before
Aaron
and before
his sons
; just
as the LORD
had commanded
Moses
concerning
the Levites
, so
they did
to them.
Now the LORD spoke
to Moses
, saying
,
"This is what
applies to the Levites
: from atwenty-five
years
old
and upward
1they shall enter
to perform
service
in the work
of the tent
of meeting
.
"But at the age of fifty
years
they shall 1retire
from service
in the work
and not work
any
more
.
"They may, however, 1assist their brothers
in the tent
of meeting
, ato keep
an obligation
, but they themselves shall do
no
work
. Thus
you shall deal
with the Levites
concerning their obligations
."