Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.
Parallel translations
- WEB and Aaron shall offer the Levites before Yahweh for a wave offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel, that it may be theirs to do the service of Yahweh.
- KJV And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.
- NKJV and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord like a wave offering from the children of Israel, that they may perform the work of the Lord.
- NASB 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.
- NLT Raising 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Aaron offers the Levites as a wave offering on Israel's behalf, dedicating them to God's service. They become wholly devoted to the LORD's work.
Overview
The Levites are presented like a wave offering, symbolically lifted up and given to God, so they may do his service in the people's place. Their whole lives become the offering. This pictures the believer's call to present oneself as a living sacrifice, set apart for God (Romans 12:1).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Lev 7:30With his own hands he is to bring the offerings made by fire to the LORD; he shall bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast as a wave offering before the LORD.
- Num 6:20The priest shall then wave them as a wave offering before the LORD. This is a holy portion for the priest, in addition to the breast of the wave offering and the thigh that was presented. After that, the Nazirite may drink wine.
- Lev 8:29He also took the breast—Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination—and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD had commanded him.
- Lev 8:27He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and waved them before the LORD as a wave offering.
- Num 3:5–43Then the LORD said to Moses,
- Exod 29:24Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.
- Num 1:49–53“Do not number the tribe of Levi in the census with the other Israelites.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
In the wilderness Christ is the water from the rock, the bronze serpent lifted up that the dying might look and live (John 3:14), and the star and scepter that Balaam saw rising out of Jacob.
How Numbers 8:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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