Numbers 8:26

Numbers 8:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
• New International Version (NIV)They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties."
• New King James Version (NKJV)They may minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”

Context of Numbers 8:26

24“This is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall enter to perform service in the work of the Tent of Meeting, 25but at the age of fifty years, they shall retire from the service of the [tabernacle] work and serve no longer. They may assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting to keep an obligation, but they shall do no [heavy or difficult] work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations.”

Numbers 8:26 word by word

וְשֵׁרֵ֨ת אֶת־אֶחָ֜יו בְּאֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַעֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַעֲבֹ֑ד כָּ֛כָה תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַלְוִיִּ֖ם בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But shall ministerשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
• with their brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
• in the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
• to keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• the chargeמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
• and shall doעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• no serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: ministryH5656
• Thus shalt thou doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• unto the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881

Cross-references for Numbers 8:26

• Numbers 1:53But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony, so that there will be no wrath against the congregation of the Israelites. The Levites shall be in charge of the tabernacle of the Testimony.”
• Numbers 3:32Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, was chief of the leaders of the Levites; he supervised those who performed the duties of the sanctuary.
• Numbers 18:4They shall join you and attend to the duties of the Tent of Meeting—all the service of the tent—and no stranger [no layman, anyone who is not a Levite] may approach you [and your sons].
• Numbers 31:30From the Israelites’ half [of the spoil] you shall take one out of every fifty of the persons, the oxen, the donkeys, the flocks, and of all the livestock, and give them to the Levites who are in charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.”
• 1 Chronicles 23:32So they shall be responsible for the Tent of Meeting, the Holy Place, and the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the Lord.
• 1 Chronicles 26:20Of the Levites, Ahijah was in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts.
• Ezekiel 44:8And you have not kept charge of My holy things yourselves, but you have chosen foreigners [to please yourselves] and have set them in charge of My sanctuary.”
• 1 Timothy 4:15Practice and work hard on these things; be absorbed in them [completely occupied in your ministry], so that your progress will be evident to all.

Commentaries on Numbers 8:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26To keep the charge, and shall do no service - They shall no longer be obliged to perform any laborious service, but act as general directors and counsellors; therefore they were to be near the camp, sing praises to God, and see that no stranger or unclean person was permitted to enter. So the Jews and many other persons have understood this place. If it required so much legal purity to fit the Levites for their work in the tabernacle, can we suppose that…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-26Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23-26These are guidelines for the length of the Levites' service. Whereas 4:3 says their service in the Tent of Meeting started at age 30, 8:24 says age 25. This difference might show changes in age requirements over time, depending on how many Levite men were available. Those aged 25–29 might have been unofficial workers or apprentices. Both passages set the retirement age at 50. Retired Levites could serve as guards of the Tent of Meeting (see Psalm 84:10).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2626. But shall minister with their brethren--in the performance of easier and higher duties, instructing and directing the young, or superintending important trusts. "They also serve who only wait" [Milton].Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 8:26

• Levites

In the dictionaries

• Bend
• Sinai
• Wait
• Agrapha
• Apocrypha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genealogy
• Heth (1)

Commentaries on Numbers 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings