Cleansing of the Levites

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: sprinkle the (A)water of purification upon them, and (B)let them go with a razor over all their body, and wash their clothes and cleanse themselves. Then let them take a bull from the herd and (C)its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, (D)and you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin offering. (E)And you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting (F)and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel. 10 When you bring the Levites before the Lord, the people of Israel (G)shall lay their hands on the Levites, 11 and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the people of Israel, that they may do the service of the Lord. 12 Then the Levites (H)shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer (I)the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the Lord to make atonement for the Levites.

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The Setting Apart of the Levites

The Lord said to Moses: “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.(A) To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing(B) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies(C) and wash their clothes.(D) And so they will purify themselves.(E) Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;(F) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.[a](G) Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting(H) and assemble the whole Israelite community.(I) 10 You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.(J) 11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering(K) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

12 “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,(L) using one for a sin offering(M) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,(N) to make atonement(O) for the Levites.

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 8:8 Or purification offering; also in verse 12