Numbers 8:21

Numbers 8:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the Lord; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.
• New International Version (NIV)The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes. Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement for them to purify them.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes, and Aaron offered them as a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the Lord, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them.

Context of Numbers 8:21

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.” 20Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel did what the Lord commanded Moses to do to the Levites. The Levites performed the ceremonies to take away their sins and washed their clothes. Aaron presented them as an offering to the Lord and made peace with the Lord for them in order to make them clean. 22After that, the Levites came and did their work at the tent of meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. They did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 23The Lord said to Moses,

Numbers 8:21 word by word

וַיִּֽתְחַטְּא֣וּ הַלְוִיִּ֗ם וַֽיְכַבְּסוּ֙ בִּגְדֵיהֶ֔ם וַיָּ֨נֶף אַהֲרֹ֥ן אֹתָ֛ם תְּנוּפָ֖ה לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיְכַפֵּ֧ר עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם אַהֲרֹ֖ן לְטַהֲרָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• were purifiedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• and they washedכָּבַסkâbas · to washH3526
• their clothesבֶּ֫גֶדbeged · garmentH899
• and Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• offeredנוּףnûph · to waveH5130
• an offeringתְּנוּפָהtenûphâh · wave offeringH8573
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• made an atonementכִּפֶּרkâphar · to atoneH3722
• for them to cleanseטָהֵרţâhêr · be pureH2891

Cross-references for Numbers 8:21

• Numbers 8:7This is what you must do to make them clean: Sprinkle them with water to take away their sins. Make them shave their whole bodies and wash their clothes. Then they will be clean.
• Numbers 19:12The unclean person must use this water on the third day and the seventh day to take away his sin. Then he will be clean. But if he doesn’t use this water on the third day and the seventh day, he will not be clean.
• Numbers 8:11Aaron will present the Levites to the Lord as an offering from the Israelites. Then they will be ready to do the Lord’s work.
• Numbers 3:12“Out of all the Israelites, I have taken the Levites to be substitutes for every firstborn male offspring among them. The Levites are mine,
• Numbers 8:12“The Levites will place their hands on the heads of the young bulls. Sacrifice one of them as an offering for sin and the other one as a burnt offering to the Lord. These sacrifices will make peace with the Lord for the Levites.

Commentaries on Numbers 8:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21And Aaron made an atonement for them - Though the Levites had been most solemnly consecrated to the Lord's service, and though all legal washings and purifications were duly performed on the occasion, yet they could not approach God till an atonement had been made for them. How strange is it, after all these significations, of the will and purpose of God relative to man, that any priest or any people will attempt to draw nigh to God without an atonement!…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 8:21

• Atonement
• Levites
• Priest
• Purification

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Bend
• Sinai
• Wait
• Agrapha
• Apocrypha
• Chronicles, Books of
• Criticism
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genealogy

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