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.”
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.”

Context of Numbers 8:26

24"This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. 25And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. 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."

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 may be no wrath on the congregation of the people of Israel. And the Levites shall keep guard over the tabernacle of the testimony."
• Numbers 3:32And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the chiefs of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who kept guard over the sanctuary.
• Numbers 18:4They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you.
• Numbers 31:30And from the people of Israel's half you shall take one drawn out of every fifty, of the people, of the oxen, of the donkeys, and of the flocks, of all the cattle, and give them to the Levites who keep guard over the tabernacle of the Lord."
• 1 Chronicles 23:32Thus they were to keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and to attend the sons of Aaron, their brothers, for the service of the house of the Lord.
• 1 Chronicles 26:20And of the Levites, Ahijah had 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, but you have set others to keep my charge for you in my sanctuary.
• 1 Timothy 4:15Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

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