| International Standard Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The LORD told Moses, | 1The LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 2"Tell Aaron, 'When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will illuminate the area in front of the lamp stand.'" | 2"Speak to Aaron and tell him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand." |
| 3So Aaron did so, setting up the lamps to illuminate the area in front of the lamp stand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. | 3So Aaron did this; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand just as the LORD had commanded Moses. |
| 4This was how the lamp stand was crafted from hammered gold: From its base to its flowers, it was made of hammered gold. Moses crafted the lamp stand just as the LORD had showed him. | 4This is the way the lampstand was made: it was a hammered work of gold, hammered from its base to its flower petals. The lampstand was made according to the pattern the LORD had shown Moses. |
| 5Then the LORD told Moses, | 5The LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 6"Take the descendants of Levi from the Israelis and purify them. | 6"Take the Levites from among the Israelites and ceremonially cleanse them. |
| 7This is what you are to do for them in order to purify them: Sprinkle purifying water over them, have them shave their skin, and then have them wash their garments, and they will be purified. | 7Do this to them for their purification: Sprinkle them with the purification water. Have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves. |
| 8They are to take a young bull along with its meal offering made of flour mixed with oil. Then you are to take a second young bull as a sin offering. | 8"They are to take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering. |
| 9Assemble the descendants of Levi in front of the appointed place of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of Israel, too. | 9Bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire Israelite community. |
| 10Bring the descendants of Levi into the LORD's presence and have the Israelis lay their hands on the descendants of Levi. | 10Then present the Levites before the LORD, and have the Israelites lay their hands on them. |
| 11"Then Aaron is to present the descendants of Levi as a wave offering before the LORD from the Israelis, because they are to work in the service of the LORD. | 11Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a presentation offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform the LORD's work. |
| 12The descendants of Levi are then to lay their hands on the head of the bulls, offering one for a sin offering and the other one for a burnt offering to the LORD to atone for the descendants of Levi. | 12Next the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. |
| 13You are to make the descendants of Levi stand in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Then you are to wave them as wave offerings to the LORD. | 13"You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before the LORD as a presentation offering. |
| 14This is how you are to separate the descendants of Levi from among the Israelis. The descendants of Levi belong to me. | 14In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to me. |
| 15"After this, the descendants of Levi are to come to serve at the appointed place of meeting, after you have purified them and presented them as wave offerings, | 15After that the Levites may come to serve at the tent of meeting, once you have ceremonially cleansed them and presented them as a presentation offering. |
| 16since they've been set apart for me from among the Israelis. I've taken them for myself instead of the first to open the womb—every firstborn of the Israelis, | 16For they have been exclusively assigned to me from the Israelites. I have taken them for myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn. |
| 17since every firstborn of Israel belongs to me, from human beings to livestock. On the same day that I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated them to myself, | 17For every firstborn among the Israelites is mine, both man and animal. I consecrated them to myself on the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt. |
| 18taking the descendants of Levi instead of every firstborn of the Israelis. | 18But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites. |
| 19I've set the descendants of Levi apart from the Israelis so that Aaron and his sons would work in service at the appointed place of meeting, making atonement on behalf of the Israelis so that there won't be a plague among the Israelis whenever they approach the sanctuary." | 19From the Israelites, I have given the Levites exclusively to Aaron and his sons to perform the work 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." |
| 20So Moses and Aaron and the Israelis did this on behalf of the descendants of Levi. The Israelis did everything that the LORD commanded concerning the descendants of Levi. | 20Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community did this to the Levites. The Israelites did everything to them the LORD commanded Moses regarding the Levites. |
| 21The descendants of Levi therefore purified themselves, washed their clothes, and then Aaron presented them as wave offerings to the LORD. Aaron provided atonement for them to purify them. | 21The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them before the LORD as a presentation offering. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them ceremonially. |
| 22After this, the descendants of Levi entered into their work of service at the appointed place, in the presence of Aaron and his sons. They did everything that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the descendants of Levi. | 22After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. So they did to them as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites. |
| 23Later, the LORD told Moses, | 23The LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 24"Now regarding a descendant of Levi who is 25 years and above, he is to enter work in the service at the appointed place of meeting, | 24"In regard to the Levites: From twenty-five years old or more, a man enters the service in the work at the tent of meeting. |
| 25but starting at 50 years of age, he is to retire from service and is no longer to work. | 25But at fifty years old he is to retire from his service in the work and no longer serve. |
| 26He may minister to his brothers at the Tent of Meeting by keeping watch, but he is not to engage in service. This is how you are to act with respect to the obligations of the descendants of Levi." | 26He may assist his brothers to fulfill responsibilities at the tent of meeting, but he must not do the work. This is how you are to deal with the Levites regarding their duties." |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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