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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 7:30His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.
- Num 6:20And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
- Lev 8:29And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses’ part; as the LORD commanded Moses.
- Lev 8:27And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD.
- Num 3:5–43And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
- Exod 29:24And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.
- Num 1:49–53Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel:
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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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