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Read the Bible

New American Standard Bible

Numbers 8:26

"They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to fulfill an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. In this way you shall deal with the Levites in their obligations."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Levites;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Levites, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Levite;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Age, Old (the Aged);   Priest, Christ as;   Worship;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Numbers, Book of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levites ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Le'vites;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;   Levites;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Events of the Encampment;   Priesthood, the;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Priests and Levites;  

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
But they shal minister with their brethre in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, to keepe things committed to their charge, but they shall doe no seruice: thus shalt thou doe vnto the Leuites touching their charges.
George Lamsa Translation
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation to keep guard, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites concerning their charge.
Hebrew Names Version
but shall minister with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites concerning their duties."
Easy-to-Read Version
Men who are at least 50 years old will be on duty to help their brothers, but they will not do the work themselves. That is what you must do for the Levites so that they can do their duty."
English Standard Version
They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties."
American Standard Version
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.
Bible in Basic English
But be with their brothers in the Tent of meeting, taking care of it but doing no work. This is what you are to do in connection with the Levites and their work.
Contemporary English Version
They may help the other Levites in their duties, but they must no longer be responsible for any work themselves. Remember this when you assign their duties."
Complete Jewish Bible
They will assist their brothers who are performing their duties in the tent of meeting, but they themselves will not do any of the work. This is what you are to do with the L'vi'im in regard to their duties."
JPS Old Testament (1917)
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, but they shall do no manner of service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.'
King James Version (1611)
But shall minister with their brethren in the Tabernacle of the Congregation, to keepe the charge, and shall doe no seruice: thus shalt thou doe vnto the Leuites, touching their charge.
Amplified Bible
They may assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting to keep an obligation, but they shall do no [heavy or difficult] work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations."
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And his brother shall serve in the tabernacle of witness to keep charges, but he shall not do works: so shalt thou do to the Levites in their charges.
English Revised Version
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.
Berean Standard Bible
After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites."
Lexham English Bible
They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep their responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levities and their responsibilities."
Literal Translation
But he shall serve with his brothers in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge; only he shall not serve at a service. So you shall do to the Levites concerning their charge.
New Century Version
They may help their fellow Levites with their work at the Meeting Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. This is the way you are to give the Levites their jobs."
New English Translation
They may assist their colleagues in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish the Levites regarding their duties."
New King James Version
They may minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties."
New Living Translation
After 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."
New Life Bible
They may help their brothers in the meeting tent to do what needs to be done but they themselves must not do the work. These are the rules for the Levites when giving them their duties."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
yet shall they wait upon their brethren in the tent of meeting, by keeping charge, but laborious work, shall they not perform, - thus, shalt thou do unto the Levites, as touching their charges.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall be the ministers of their brethren in the tabernacle of the covenant, to keep the things that are committed to their care, but not to do the works. Thus shalt thou order the Levites touching their charge.
Revised Standard Version
but minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties."
Good News Translation
After that, he may help his fellow Levites in performing their duties in the Tent, but he must not perform any service by himself. This is how you are to regulate the duties of the Levites."
King James Version
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
Darby Translation
but he shall minister with his brethren in the tent of meeting, and keep the charge, but he shall not serve [in] the service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites with regard to their charges.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei schulen be the mynystris of her bretheren in the tabernacle of boond of pees, that thei kepe tho thingis that ben bitakun to hem; sothely thei schulen not do tho werkis; thus thou schalt dispose Leuytis in her kepyngis.
Young's Literal Translation
and he hath ministered with his brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and doth not do service; thus thou dost to the Levites concerning their charge.'
World English Bible
but shall minister with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites concerning their duties."
Update Bible Version
but shall minister with their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus you shall do to the Levites concerning their charges.
Webster's Bible Translation
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites concerning their charge.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to kepe thynges committed to their charge: but shall do no more seruice. Thus therfore shalt thou do vnto the Leuites touchyng their charge,
Christian Standard Bible®
He 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.”
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
but shal appoynte their brethren to waite and to serue in the Tabernacle of wytnesse: but the office shal not they execute. Thus shalt thou do with the Leuites in their seruyces, that euery one maye wayte vpon his awne charge.
New Revised Standard
They may assist their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they shall perform no service. Thus you shall do with the Levites in assigning their duties.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations."
Legacy Standard Bible
They may, however, minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting in order to keep up their responsibility, but they themselves shall perform no service. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their responsibilities."

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

to keep: Numbers 1:53, Numbers 3:32, Numbers 18:4, Numbers 31:30, 1 Chronicles 23:32, 1 Chronicles 26:20-29, Ezekiel 44:8, Ezekiel 44:11

and shall: 1 Timothy 4:15

Reciprocal: Numbers 3:7 - keep

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation,.... By giving advice, instructing younger Levites, and doing lighter service. Jarchi says, they shall return to shutting of doors, singing and loading wagons; but the last especially seems too burdensome: the ministry of such is explained by the next clause,

to keep the charge; of the tabernacle, to watch and observe that no stranger or unclean person enter into it; and this they were capable of when at the age of fifty, and upwards:

and shall do no service; heavy and laborious:

thus thou shall do unto the Levites touching their charge; dismiss them from service when at such an age, or however make their service easier; for this respects ancient men, as Aben Ezra notes; though it may include both their entrance on their work, and their cessation from it.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 8:26. To keep the charge, and shall do no service. — They shall no longer be obliged to perform any laborious service, but act as general directors and counsellors; therefore they were to be near the camp, sing praises to God, and see that no stranger or unclean person was permitted to enter. So the Jews and many other persons have understood this place.

1. IF it required so much legal purity to fit the Levites for their work in the tabernacle, can we suppose that it requires less spiritual purity to fit ministers of the Gospel to proclaim the righteousness of the Most High, and administer the sacred ordinances of Christianity to the flock of Christ? If these must be without spot, as the priests before without blemish, and these were only typical men, we may rest assured that a Christian minister requires no ordinary measures of holiness to prepare him for an acceptable and profitable discharge of his office.

2. If the Christian ministry be established to prepare men for the kingdom of God, of the holiness of which the purity of the camp was but a faint emblem, how can any man expect to enter that place of blessedness, who has not his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water; his life and conversation agreeable to the sacred precepts laid down in the Gospel of Christ? If the law of Moses were more read in reference to the Gospel, the Gospel itself and its requisitions would be much better understood.

Reader, however it may be with thee, Antinomianism is more general among religious people than is usually imagined. What multitudes of all denominations are expecting to enter into the kingdom of God without any proper preparation for the place! Without holiness none shall see the Lord; and from this decision of the Divine justice there shall never be any appeal.


 
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