Numbers 8:18
New International Version
And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.

New Living Translation
Yes, I have claimed the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel.

English Standard Version
and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.

King James Bible
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

New King James Version
I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

New American Standard Bible
But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

NASB 1995
“But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

NASB 1977
“But I have taken the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

Amplified Bible
And I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the Israelites.

Christian Standard Bible
But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites.

American Standard Version
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel.

Contemporary English Version
But now I have chosen these Levites as substitutes for the first-born sons,

English Revised Version
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I have taken the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the Israelites.

Good News Translation
I am now taking the Levites instead of all the first-born of the Israelites,

International Standard Version
taking the descendants of Levi instead of every firstborn of the Israelis.

Majority Standard Bible
But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel.

NET Bible
So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites.

New Heart English Bible
I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And I have taken the Levites for all the first-born of the children of Israel.

World English Bible
I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and I take the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
and I take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel:

Smith's Literal Translation
And I will take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn of the sons of Israel.

New American Bible
But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn Israelites;

New Revised Standard Version
but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I have taken the Levites for all the first-born of the children of Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I have brought the Levites in the place of the firstborn of the children Israel.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I took the Levites in the place of every first-born among the children of Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cleansing the Levites
17For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt. 18But I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the sons of Israel. 19And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”…

Cross References
Exodus 13:2
“Consecrate to Me every firstborn male. The firstborn from every womb among the Israelites belongs to Me, both of man and beast.”

Exodus 13:12-15
you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD. / You must redeem every firstborn donkey with a lamb, and if you do not redeem it, you are to break its neck. And every firstborn of your sons you must redeem. / In the future, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ...

Numbers 3:12-13
“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me, / for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”

Numbers 3:45
“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.

Numbers 18:6
Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting.

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.

Deuteronomy 18:1-5
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them. / This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach. ...

1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

1 Chronicles 23:32
So the Levites were to carry out the responsibilities for the Tent of Meeting and the Holy Place, and, under their brothers the descendants of Aaron, the service of the house of the LORD.

Hebrews 7:11-12
Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? / For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well.

Hebrews 7:23-28
Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. / But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. / Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. ...

Hebrews 8:3-6
And since every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, it was necessary for this One also to have something to offer. / Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer gifts according to the law. / The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” ...

Hebrews 9:6-10
When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties. / But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. / By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing. ...

Hebrews 9:23-24
So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. / For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.

Hebrews 10:11-14
Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. / But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. / Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet, ...


Treasury of Scripture

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

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Children First Firstborn First-Born Instead Israel Levites
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Children First Firstborn First-Born Instead Israel Levites
Numbers 8
1. How the lamps are to be lighted
5. The consecration of the Levites
23. The age and time of their service














But I have taken
The phrase "I have taken" signifies a divine action initiated by God Himself. In Hebrew, the verb "לקחתי" (laqachti) is used, which means "to take" or "to seize." This indicates God's sovereign choice and authority in selecting the Levites for a special purpose. Historically, this reflects God's direct involvement in the lives of the Israelites, emphasizing His active role in guiding and structuring their community. The act of taking the Levites is not merely a human decision but a divine ordination, underscoring the sacredness of their role.

the Levites
The Levites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah. In the context of Numbers, the Levites are set apart for religious duties, serving in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. Their selection is significant because it highlights the concept of holiness and service. The Levites were chosen to be mediators between God and the people, a role that foreshadows the priesthood of all believers in the New Testament. Archaeological findings, such as ancient Levitical cities, provide evidence of their unique status and responsibilities within Israelite society.

in place of all the firstborn
The phrase "in place of all the firstborn" refers to the substitutionary role the Levites play. Originally, the firstborn of every family was consecrated to God, as seen in Exodus 13:2. However, God chose the Levites to represent the firstborn, symbolizing redemption and dedication. This substitution is a profound theological concept, pointing to the idea of one life standing in for another, which is a precursor to the ultimate substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. Theologically, it underscores God's provision and the principle of redemption.

among the Israelites
The term "among the Israelites" situates this divine action within the broader community of God's chosen people. The Israelites, descendants of Jacob, are the covenant people through whom God chose to reveal His law and His plan for salvation. The Levites' role among them is not isolated but integrally connected to the life and worship of the entire nation. This communal aspect highlights the importance of collective identity and responsibility in the faith journey, reminding believers of their interconnectedness within the body of Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But I have taken
וָאֶקַּח֙ (wā·’eq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the Levites
הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (hal·wî·yim)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

in place of
תַּ֥חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the firstborn
בְּכ֖וֹר (bə·ḵō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1060: Firstborn, chief

among the sons
בִּבְנֵ֥י (biḇ·nê)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT Law: Numbers 8:18 I have taken the Levites instead (Nu Num.)
Numbers 8:17
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