Numbers 8:18

New American Standard Bible

"But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I haue taken the Leuites for all the first borne of the children of Israel,

George Lamsa Translation
And I have taken the Levites for all the first-born of the children of Israel.

Hebrew Names Version
I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Yisra'el.

Easy-to-Read Version
But now I will take the Levites in their place. I will take the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons from the other families in Israel.

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

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

Bible in Basic English
And in place of the first sons among the children of Israel, I have taken the Levites.

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

Complete Jewish Bible
But I have taken the L'vi'im in place of all the firstborn among the people of Isra'el,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel.

King James Version (1611)
And I haue taken the Leuites for all the first borne of the children of Israel.

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

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I took the Levites in the place of every first-born among the children of Israel.

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

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

Lexham English Bible
and I have taken the Levites in the place of every firstborn among the Israelites.

Literal Translation
And I take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel.

New Century Version
But I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn in Israel.

New English Translation
So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites.

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

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

New Life Bible
But I have taken the Levites instead of every first-born among the people of Israel.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Therefore have I taken the Levites, - instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel:

Revised Standard Version
and I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the people of Israel.

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

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

Darby Translation
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y took the Leuytis for alle the firste gendrid children of the sones of Israel;

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

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

Update Bible Version
And I have taken the Levites instead of all the first-born among the sons of Israel.

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

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I haue taken the Leuites for all the first borne of the children of Israel.

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

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and toke the Leuites for all the first borne amonge the childre of Israel,

New Revised Standard
but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But I have taken the Levites instead of every firstborn among the sons of Israel.

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

Contextual Overview

⁵ Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁶ "Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them. ⁷ "This is what you shall do to them, for their cleansing: sprinkle purifying water on them, and have them use a razor over their whole body, and they shall wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. ⁸ "Then have them take a bull with its grain offering, fine flour mixed with oil; and you shall take a second bull as a sin offering. ⁹ "So you shall present the Levites in front of the tent of meeting. You shall also assemble the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰ and present the Levites before the LORD; and the sons of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. ¹¹ "Aaron then shall present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may qualify to perform the service of the LORD. ¹² "Now the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then you are to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³ "And you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons so as to present them as a wave offering to the LORD. ¹⁴ "So you shall single out the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Genesis 48:14 - and laid Numbers 3:12 - General

Cross-References

Psalms 121:8
The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time and forever.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. Gave up his right in the firstborn, and instead of them took the Levites for his use and service: see Numbers 3:12.

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.