Numbers 8:17

Complete Jewish Bible

For all the firstborn among the people of Isra'el are mine, both humans and animals; on the day I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set them apart for myself.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
For all the firstborn among the children of Yisra'el are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Mitzrayim, I sanctified them for myself.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
For every firstborn among the Israelites is mine, both humankind and animal. On the day I destroyed every firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them to me,

New Century Version
All the firstborn in Israel—people or animals—are mine. When I killed all the firstborn in Egypt, I set the firstborn in Israel aside for myself.

New English Translation
For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself.

Amplified Bible
"For all the firstborn among the Israelites are Mine, among the men and among the animals; on the day that I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified and set the Israelites apart for Myself.

New American Standard Bible
"For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the people and among the animals; on the day that I fatally struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for Myself.

Geneva Bible (1587)
For all the first borne of the children of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast: since the day that I smote euery first borne in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for my selfe.

Legacy Standard Bible
For every 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.

Contemporary English Version
When I killed the oldest sons of the Egyptians, I decided that the first-born sons in each Israelite family would be mine, as well as every first-born male from their flocks and herds.

Darby Translation
For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both of man and beast; on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I hallowed them to myself.

Easy-to-Read Version
Every firstborn in Israel—man or animal—is mine, because I killed all the firstborn children and animals in Egypt. And I chose to take the firstborn sons to belong to me.

English Standard Version
For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself,

George Lamsa Translation
For all the first-born of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast; on the day that I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

Good News Translation
When I killed all the first-born in Egypt, I consecrated as my own the oldest son of each Israelite family and the first-born of every animal.

Christian Standard Bible®
For 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.

Literal Translation
For every first-born among the sons of Israel among man and among animal, is Mine. I set them apart for Myself in the day I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For euery first borne amonge the children of Israel is myne, both of men and of catell, sens the tyme that I smote all the first borne in the lande of Egipte, and sanctified them vnto myself,

American Standard Version
For all the first-born among the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

Bible in Basic English
For every mother's first son among the children of Israel is mine, the first male birth of man or beast: on the day when I sent death on all the first sons in the land of Egypt, I made them mine.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For all the first borne of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: since the day that I smote euery first borne in the lande of Egypt, I sanctified them for my selfe.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For all the first-born among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.

King James Version (1611)
For all the first borne of the children of Israel, are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote euery first borne in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for my selfe.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For every first-born among the children of Israel is mine, whether of man or beast: in the day in which I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them to myself.

English Revised Version
For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

Berean Standard Bible
For 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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
for alle the firste gendrid thingis of the sones of Israel ben myne, as wel of men as of beestis, fro the dai in which Y smoot ech firste gendrid thing in the loond of Egipt, Y halewide hem to me.

Young's Literal Translation
for Mine [is] every first-born among the sons of Israel, among man and among beast; in the day of my smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself;

Update Bible Version
For all the first-born among the sons of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

Webster's Bible Translation
For all the first born of the children of Israel [are] mine, [both] man and beast: on the day that I smote every first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

World English Bible
For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are mine, both man and animal. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified them for myself.

New King James Version
For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.

New Living Translation
For 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.

New Life Bible
For every first-born among the people of Israel is Mine, both of man and animal. I set them apart for Myself on the day that I killed all the first-born in the land of Egypt.

New Revised Standard
For all the firstborn among the Israelites are mine, both human and animal. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For mine, is every firstborn among the sons of Israel, among men and among beasts, - on the day when I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, did I hallow them unto me.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For all the firstborn of the children of Israel, both of men and of beasts, are mine. From the day that I slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, have I sanctified them to myself:

Revised Standard Version
For all the first-born among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast; on the day that I slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For every 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.

Contextual Overview

⁵ Adonai said to Moshe, ⁶ "Take the L'vi'im from among the people of Isra'el and cleanse them. ⁷ Here is how you are to cleanse them: sprinkle the purification water on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor, and have them wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. ⁸ Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering, which is to be fine flour mixed with olive oil; while you take another bull for a sin offering. ⁹ You are to present the L'vi'im in front of the tent of meeting, and assemble the entire community of the people of Isra'el. ¹⁰ You will present the L'vi'im before Adonai , the people of Isra'el will lay their hands on the L'vi'im, ¹¹ and Aharon will offer the L'vi'im before Adonai as a wave offering from the people of Isra'el, so that they may do Adonai 's service. ¹² The L'vi'im will lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; the one you will offer as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to Adonai to make atonement for the L'vi'im. ¹³ You are to place the L'vi'im before Aharon and his sons, and offer them as a wave offering to Adonai . ¹⁴ In this way you will separate the L'vi'im from the people of Isra'el, and the L'vi'im will belong to me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

all the: Numbers 3:13, Exodus 13:2, Exodus 13:12-15, Luke 2:23

on the day: Exodus 12:29, Psalms 78:51, Psalms 105:36, Psalms 135:8, Hebrews 11:28

I sanctified: Exodus 13:14, Exodus 13:15, Exodus 29:44, Leviticus 27:14, Leviticus 27:15, Leviticus 27:26, Ezekiel 20:12, John 10:36, John 17:19, Hebrews 10:29, James 1:18

Reciprocal: Numbers 8:14 - and the Levites

Cross-References

Genesis 1:22
Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, multiply and fill the water of the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 1:28
God blessed them: God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea, the birds in the air and every living creature that crawls on the earth."

Genesis 8:13
By the first day of the first month of the 601st year the water had dried up from off the earth; so Noach removed the covering of the ark and looked; and, yes, the surface of the ground was dry.

Genesis 8:14
It was on the twenty-seventh day of the second month that the earth was dry.

Genesis 8:15
(iv) God said to Noach,

Genesis 9:1
God blessed Noach and his sons and said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth.

Genesis 9:7
And you people, be fruitful, multiply, swarm on the earth and multiply on it."

Psalms 107:38
He blesses them, their numbers grow, and he doesn't let their livestock decrease.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For all the firstborn of the children of Israel [are] mine,

[both] men and beasts,.... Not only in common with other of his creatures, but in a special respect on account of his signal deliverance of them; they were his, as Jarchi expresses it, by the line of judgment, or rule of justice and equity, because he protected them among the firstborn of the Egyptians, saved them when he slew theirs, as follows:

in the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt; both of men and beasts:

I sanctified them for myself; claimed them as his own, and set them apart for his own use, or ordered them to be set apart: see Exodus 13:2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Levites could only undertake their duties Numbers 3:0; Numbers 4:0 after the formal exchange of the Levites for the first-born Numbers 3:44-51.

The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests Leviticus 8:0 and the less solemn “purification” Numbers 8:21 of the Levites is marked. These rites of purification are similar to those incumbent on the priests of Egypt.

Numbers 8:7

Water of purifying - literally, “sin water:” i. e. water to cleanse from sin; no doubt taken from the laver of the sanctuary, which was used by the priests for purification before they went into the tabernacle to minister (compare Numbers 5:17; Exodus 30:18 ff).

The “sprinkling” of so large a body of men could have been only general, but tokens of individual purification are specified (compare also Leviticus 14:8).

Numbers 8:8

The two bullocks were “to make an atonement for the Levites,” and therefore are presented in their name. These offerings are similar to those prescribed in Leviticus 8:14 ff at the consecration of the priests, except that the burnt-offering was on that occasion a ram. The larger victim corresponds to the larger number of the Levites.

Numbers 8:10

The children of Israel - i. e. through the heads of their tribes, who Numbers 7:2 no doubt acted for their tribesmen. This act, the distinguishing feature of the ceremony, represented the transfer to the Levites of the sacred duties originally incumbent on the whole people.

Numbers 8:11

Offer ... offering - Compare the margin Aaron pointed to the Levites, and then waved his hands, indicating (compare Leviticus 7:30 note) that the offering was dedicated to God, and, again, by grant from Him, withdrawn for the use of the priests.

Numbers 8:19

Make an atonement for the children of Israel - i. e. by performing those services which were due from the children of Israel; the omission of which by the children of Israel would, but for the interposition of the Levites, have called down “wrath” from God, or Numbers 1:53 “plague.” The institution of the Levites was an extension of that mediatorial system which the people themselves, terrified at the direct manifestations to them of the divine presence, desired; see Deuteronomy 5:25. Further, it is suggested to us here as an act of mercy on the part of God; yet even the priests and Levites themselves were not always sufficiently heedful and reverent. Compare Numbers 17:10; Leviticus 10:1 ff; 2 Samuel 6:6 following.

Numbers 8:21

Were purified - Rather, purified themselves; as directed in Numbers 8:7.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 8:17. For all the first-born - are mine — See the manner of redeeming the first-born, Numbers 18:6.