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.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- 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 7:30With his own hands he shall bring the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before Yahweh.
- Num 6:20and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh. This is holy for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is offered. After that the Nazirite may drink wine.
- Lev 8:29Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of consecration, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Lev 8:27He put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before Yahweh.
- Num 3:5–43Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
- Exod 29:24You shall put all of this in Aaron’s hands, and in his sons’ hands, and shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh.
- Num 1:49–53“Only the tribe of Levi you shall not count, neither shall you take a census of them among the children of Israel;
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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