God’s Word Translation
Numbers 8:17
17Every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set them apart as holy to me.
Numbers 8:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.
- New International Version (NIV)Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself,
- New King James Version (NKJV)For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.
Context of Numbers 8:17
15“Once you have made them clean and presented them as an offering, the Levites may come and do their work at the tent of meeting. 16They will be the only Israelites given to me. I have taken them to be mine as substitutes for every firstborn male offspring of the Israelites. Every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal, is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set them apart as holy to me. 18So I have taken the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn sons of the Israelites. 19The Levites will be the only Israelites I give to Aaron and his sons. They will work for the Israelites at the tent of meeting. They will make peace with the Lord for the Israelites. Then no plague will strike the Israelites when they come near the holy place.”
Read all of Numbers 8Numbers 8:17 word by word
כִּ֣י לִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בִּבְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה בְּי֗וֹם הַכֹּתִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם הִקְדַּ֥שְׁתִּי אֹתָ֖ם לִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For all the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- and beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- on the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- that I smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- I sanctifiedקָדַשׁqâdash · to consecrate: consecateH6942
Cross-references for Numbers 8:17
- Numbers 3:13because every firstborn is mine. The day I killed every firstborn male in Egypt, I set apart as holy every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They will be mine. I am the Lord.”
- Exodus 13:2“Set apart every firstborn male for me. Every firstborn male offspring among the Israelites is mine, whether human or animal.”
- Luke 2:23They did exactly what was written in the Lord’s Teachings: “Every firstborn boy is to be set apart as holy to the Lord.”
- Exodus 12:29At midnight the Lord killed every firstborn male in Egypt from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who ruled the land to the firstborn son of the prisoner in jail, and also every firstborn animal.
- Psalms 78:51He slaughtered every firstborn in Egypt, the ones born in the tents of Ham when their fathers were young.
- Psalms 105:36He killed all the firstborn sons, the first ones born in the land when their fathers were young.
- Psalms 135:8He is the one who killed every firstborn male in Egypt. He killed humans and animals alike.
- Hebrews 11:28Faith led Moses to establish the Passover and spread the blood ⌞on the doorposts⌟ so that the destroying angel would not kill the firstborn sons.
- Exodus 13:14“In the future when your children ask you what this means, tell them, ‘The Lord used his mighty hand to bring us out of slavery in Egypt.
- Exodus 29:44I will dedicate the tent of meeting and the altar for their holy purposes. I will set Aaron and his sons apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.
- Leviticus 27:14“If you give your house to the Lord as something holy, the priest will determine what its value is. The value will be whatever the priest decides.
- Ezekiel 20:12I also gave them certain days to worship me as a sign between us so that they would know that I, the Lord, made them holy.
- John 10:36why do you say that I’m dishonoring God because I said, ‘I’m the Son of God’? God set me apart for this holy purpose and has sent me into the world.
- John 17:19I’m dedicating myself to this holy work I’m doing for them so that they, too, will use the truth to be holy.
- Hebrews 10:29What do you think a person who shows no respect for the Son of God deserves? That person looks at the blood of the promise (the blood that made him holy) as no different from other people’s blood, and he insults the Spirit that God gave us out of his kindness. He deserves a much worse punishment.
- James 1:18God decided to give us life through the word of truth to make us his most important creatures.
Commentaries on Numbers 8:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17For all the first-born - are mine - See the manner of redeeming the first-born, Numbers 18:6.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5-22Verses 5-22 The Levites could only undertake their duties Numbers 3:44-51. The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests Numbers 8:21 of the Levites is marked. These rites of purification are similar to those incumbent on the priests of Egypt. Numbers 8:7 Water of purifying - literally, “sin water:” i. e. water to cleanse from sin; no doubt taken from the laver of the sanctuary, which was used by the priests for purification before they went…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. 12-22The Levites offered the right sacrifices before doing their work in the Tent of Meeting (8:15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-226-7. Take the Levites ... and cleanse them--This passage describes the consecration of the Levites. Although the tribe was to be devoted to the divine service, their hereditary descent alone was not a sufficient qualification for entering on the duties of the sacred office. They were to be set apart by a special ceremony, which, however, was much simpler than that appointed for the priests; neither washing nor anointing, nor investiture with official…Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 8:17
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
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