36 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Numbers 8 In this chapter orders are given for the lighting the seven lamps of the candlestick, Numbers 8:1; and for the consecration of the Levites to their office, by a purification of them, Numbers 8:5; by a separation of them from the children of Israel, and the imposition of their hands on them, and of the hands of the Levites...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Whether immediately after the offerings of the princes, or at another time, is not certain; Aben Ezra thinks it was in the night God spake unto him, because then the lamps were lighted and burning: saying; as follows.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is concerning the lamps or lights of the sanctuary. I. The burning lamps in the candlestick, which the priests were charged to tend, ver. 1-4. II. The living lamps (if I may so call them), The Levites, who as ministers were burning and shining lights. The ordination of the priests we had an account of, Lev. viii. Here we have an...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him,.... It being his work to light the lamps, though, as Ben Gersom observes, it was not incumbent on an high priest alone to do this, for it also belonged to the sons of Aaron, who were common priests, Exodus 27:21; though it is probable that as this was the first time of lighting them, it might be done by Aaron...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Aaron did so, he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick,.... As God had taken up his residence in the most holy place, as appears by the voice speaking from off the mercy seat, Numbers 7:89; and sacrifices were begun to be offered in the outward court on the altar of burnt offering, it was proper that the service of God in the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And this work of the candlestick [was] of beaten gold,.... As it is also said to be; [See comments on Exodus 25:31]; and [See comments on Exodus 25:36]: unto the shalt thereof, unto the flowers thereof, [was] beaten work; of which, see Exodus 25:31; according unto the pattern which the Lord had showed Moses; when on Mount Sinai with him: so he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... the same time the order about lighting the lamps was given; and this section is joined to the former, Aben Ezra thinks, to show that Aaron employed himself in lighting the lamps, but in the rest of the services the Levites helped him, and stood before him to do what he commanded them: they were ordered to be...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. These men were to be the servants of God; they are the type of God’s elect, — a people set apart unto divine service, to be zealous for good works. “Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.” That is just the way...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Take the Levites from among the children of Israel,.... Among whom they were mixed, as were all the tribes mixed together as Aben Ezra says, before they took their journey from Mount Sinai; however, from hence forward, they were distinguished from Israelites, as they are both in Scripture and in Jewish writings; see 1 Chronicles 9:2; though this...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thus shall thou do unto them, to cleanse them,.... Or order Aaron to do unto them; the cleansing of the Levites was the work of Aaron, either by himself or by his order; in which he was a type of Christ, who is the refiner and purifier of the sons of Levi, Malachi 3:3; sprinkle water of purifying upon them; or "water of sin" (n); water which...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bullock with his meat of offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering....
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then let them take a young bullock,.... Of two years old, as the Jewish writers gather from the other in the next clause, being called the second; though the wise men say one of three years old is fit for such a sacrifice; nay, others say, if four or five years old; but the decision is according to the wise men (q) with his meat offering, [even]...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation,.... Not without it, but within it, in the court of the tabernacle, at least at the door of it, where stood the altar of burnt offering, on which sacrifices for them were now to be offered: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together; the...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
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: and thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord,.... From the door of the tabernacle, to the altar of burnt offering, where the Lord was in some sense present to accept the sacrifices offered to him: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites; as were used to be put upon sacrifices, for the Levites were themselves offered...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord,.... Or "wave" (r) them, as a wave offering, which was moved to and fro, backwards and forwards; not that they were actually so waved and moved to and fro by Aaron, which could not be done by him; though it is possible he might make such a motion himself, and they might do the like after him,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks,.... Or "on the head" (s); on the head of everyone of them, as Aben Ezra, thereby, as it were, transferring their sins to them, for these were to make atonement for them, as the latter part of the verse shows; and this was a figure of the imputation of sin to Christ, and taught...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons,.... After atonement was made for them, as Aben Ezra observes; then they were presented to Aaron and his sons, to whom they were given to he their ministers, and assistants to them: and offer them [for] an offering unto the Lord: or, and "waved them", c. as before, that is, order...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And thou shalt let the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine. We are to offer up to God our spirit, soul and body, which is our reasonable service; and if we be indeed God’s children, we are to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel,.... By sprinkling the water of purification upon them; by offering sacrifices for them; by presenting them before the Lord, with the hands of the people of Israel put upon them; by offering and waving them before the Lord, and by setting them before Aaron and his sons, as...