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,
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting. You shall assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
- KJV And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:
- BSB Bring the Levites before the Tent of Meeting and assemble the whole congregation of Israel.
- NKJV And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
- NLT Then assemble the whole community of Israel, and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
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
The Levites are presented before the tent as the whole assembly gathers. Their dedication is a public, congregational act.
Overview
Bringing the Levites before the Tent of Meeting with all Israel assembled makes their consecration a corporate event. The whole nation participates because the Levites serve on the people's behalf. This public setting-apart anticipates how Christ's people are openly consecrated and commissioned for service (Acts 13:2-3).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Exod 40:12“You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water.
- Lev 8:3and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”
- Exod 29:4–37You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water.
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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 8:9 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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