New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1The LORD said to Moses, | 1The LORD told Moses, |
2“Give Aaron the following instructions: When you set up the seven lamps in the lampstand, place them so their light shines forward in front of the lampstand.” | 2"Tell Aaron, 'When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will illuminate the area in front of the lamp stand.'" |
3So Aaron did this. He set up the seven lamps so they reflected their light forward, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. | 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. |
4The entire lampstand, from its base to its decorative blossoms, was made of beaten gold. It was built according to the exact design the LORD had shown Moses. The Levites Dedicated | 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. |
5Then the LORD said to Moses, | 5Then the LORD told Moses, |
6“Now set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel and make them ceremonially clean. | 6"Take the descendants of Levi from the Israelis and purify them. |
7Do this by sprinkling them with the water of purification, and have them shave their entire body and wash their clothing. Then they will be ceremonially clean. | 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. |
8Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering. | 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. |
9Then assemble the whole community of Israel, and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle. | 9Assemble the descendants of Levi in front of the appointed place of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of Israel, too. |
10When you present the Levites before the LORD, the people of Israel must lay their hands on them. | 10Bring the descendants of Levi into the LORD's presence and have the Israelis lay their hands on the descendants of Levi. |
11Raising his hands, Aaron must then present the Levites to the LORD as a special offering from the people of Israel, thus dedicating them to the LORD’s service. | 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. |
12“Next the Levites will lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls. Present one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to purify the Levites and make them right with the LORD. | 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. |
13Then have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons, and raise your hands and present them as a special offering to the LORD. | 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. |
14In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me. | 14This is how you are to separate the descendants of Levi from among the Israelis. The descendants of Levi belong to me. |
15After this, they may go into the Tabernacle to do their work, because you have purified them and presented them as a special offering. | 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, |
16“Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes. | 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, |
17For all the firstborn males among the people of Israel are mine, both of people and of animals. I set them apart for myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. | 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, |
18Yes, I have claimed the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons of Israel. | 18taking the descendants of Levi instead of every firstborn of the Israelis. |
19And of all the Israelites, I have assigned the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They will serve in the Tabernacle on behalf of the Israelites and make sacrifices to purify the people so no plague will strike them when they approach the sanctuary.” | 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." |
20So Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel dedicated the Levites, carefully following all the LORD’s instructions to Moses. | 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. |
21The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron lifted them up and presented them to the LORD as a special offering. He then offered a sacrifice to purify them and make them right with the LORD. | 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. |
22After that the Levites went into the Tabernacle to perform their duties, assisting Aaron and his sons. So they carried out all the commands that the LORD gave Moses concerning the Levites. | 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. |
23The LORD also instructed Moses, | 23Later, the LORD told Moses, |
24“This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, | 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, |
25and they must retire at the age of fifty. | 25but starting at 50 years of age, he is to retire from service and is no longer to work. |
26After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.” | 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." |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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