Numbers 8:21

The phrase, "the children of Israel", is five times used in this verse, to denote the love of God to them, as Jarchi observes. Numbers 8:20 Ver. 20. And Moses and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel,.... The several parties concerned in the consecration of the Levites: these did to the Levites according unto all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel unto them: which, as Jarchi notes, is said to the praise of them that did it, and of what was done by them; everything was done that was ordered, and in the manner in which it was prescribed; Moses sprinkled, or ordered to be sprinkled, the water of purification on them, and set them before the tabernacle, and before the Lord; the children of Israel laid their hands on them, and Aaron waved them, offered the sacrifices for them. Numbers 8:21 Ver. 21. And the Levites were purified,.... From sin, by the sprinkling of the sin water, or water of purification on them, Numbers 8:7; and they washed their clothes; that they might have no defilement about them, neither in their bodies, nor in their garments: and Aaron offered them [as] an offering before the Lord; a wave offering, as in Numbers 8:11; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them; by offering the sacrifices for them, Numbers 8:12. Numbers 8:22 Ver. 22. And after that went the Levites in,....

8:5-26 Here we have directions for the solemn ordination of the Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from others. All who are employed for God, must be dedicated to him, according to the employment. Christians must be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. The Levites must be cleansed. They must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Moses must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them. This signifies the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, that we may be fit to serve the living God. God declares his acceptance of them. All who expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle, must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants, he needs not the service of any of them; so none are merely honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns, he employs; angels themselves have their services.

And the Levites were purified,.... From sin, by the sprinkling of the sin water, or water of purification on them, Numbers 8:7 , and they washed their clothes; that they might have no defilement about them, neither in their bodies, nor in their garments: and Aaron offered them as an offering before the Lord; a wave offering, as in Numbers 8:11, and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them; by offering the sacrifices for them, Numbers 8:12.

19. to make an atonement for the children of Israel, &c.—to aid the priests in that expiatory work; or, as the words may be rendered, "to make redemption for" the Levites being exchanged or substituted for the first-born for this important end, that there might be a sanctified body of men appointed to guard the sanctuary, and the people not allowed to approach or presumptuously meddle with holy things, which would expose them to the angry judgments of Heaven.

[Reformed Biblical] e priests alone might do, but by assisting the priests in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of all the parts of their office, whereby God was pleased both with them and with the people. That there be no plague : this is added as a reason why God appointed them to serve in or about the tabernacle, that they might watch and guard it, and not suffer any of the people to come near it, or meddle with holy things, which if they did, it would certainly bring a plague upon them. Numbers 8:20 Numbers 8:21 The Levites were purified by washing and sprinkling and sacrifices. See Lev_15:13-15 Num_19:11, &c. Numbers 8:22 ## Before Aaron and his sons; in their presence, and by their direction and appointment. Numbers 8:23 Numbers 8:24 ## From twenty and five years old. See Poole " Num_4:3 " . Numbers 8:25 i.e. Upon the difficult and cumbersome part of their work. Numbers 8:26 ## With t heir brethren, by way of advice, and assistance in lesser and easier works. ## Numbers 9:1 NUMBERS CHAPTER 9 The passover kept in the wilderness on the fourteenth day of the first month, Num_9:1-5. By those who were then unclean or journeying, the fourteenth day of the second month, Num_9:6-12. They who otherwise neglect it to be put to death, Num_9:13. Proselytes are to observe the same, Num_9:14. God manifests himself to Israel in a cloud by day, and fire b

[Reformed Biblical] ash or purify them, which was also done with the priests and others when they were to approach to God and his service. See Exo_19:10 ,14 Leviticus 14:9 . Numbers 8:7 ## Of purifying, Heb. o f sin , i.e. for the expiation of sin. This water was mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, Num_19:9, which therefore may seem to have been prescribed before, though it be mentioned after; such kind of transplacings of passages being frequent in Scripture. ## Shave all their flesh; which external rite signified the cutting off their inordinate concupiscences of earthly things, and that singular purity of heart and life which is required in the ministers of God. See Isa_52:11 2Ti_2:21. Numbers 8:8 ## The same sacrifice which was offered for a sin-offering for the whole congregation, Le 4 , because the Levites came in the stead of all the first-bern, which did in a manner represent the whole congregation. Numbers 8:9 Numbers 8:10 ## The children of Israel; not all of them, which was impossible, but some in the name and stead, and by the appointment of all, to wit, either the first-born, or rather the princes or chiefs of each tribe, who used to transact things in the name of their tribes. ## Put thei