American Standard Version
Numbers 8:26
26but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.
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
24This is that which belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service in the work of the tent of meeting: 25and from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the work, and shall serve no more, but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.
Read all of Numbers 8Numbers 8:26 word by word
וְשֵׁרֵ֨ת אֶת־אֶחָ֜יו בְּאֹ֤הֶל מוֹעֵד֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣ר מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת וַעֲבֹדָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַעֲבֹ֑ד כָּ֛כָה תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה לַלְוִיִּ֖ם בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם׃ פRead the interlinear
Cross-references for Numbers 8:26
- Numbers 1:53But the Levites shall encamp round about the tabernacle of the testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.
- Numbers 3:32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be prince of the princes of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
- Numbers 18:4And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
- Numbers 31:30And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one drawn out of every fifty, of the persons, of the oxen, of the asses, and of the flocks, even of all the cattle, and give them unto the Levites, that keep the charge of the tabernacle of Jehovah.
- 1 Chronicles 23:32and that they should keep the charge of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, for the service of the house of Jehovah.
- 1 Chronicles 26:20And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.
- Ezekiel 44:8And ye have not kept the charge of my holy things; but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.
- 1 Timothy 4:15Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto 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
In the dictionaries
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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries