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 service in the work and not work any more. They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no 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

• assistשָׁרַתshârath · to ministerH8334
• their brothersאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
• in the tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of meetingמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
• to keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• an obligationמִשְׁמֶ֫רֶתmishmereth · chargeH4931
• shall doעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• workעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: ministryH5656
• Thusכָּ֫כָהkâkâh · thusH3602
• you shall dealעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• with 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 on the congregation of the sons of Israel. So the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony.”
• Numbers 3:32and Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest was the chief of the leaders of Levi, and had the oversight of those who perform the duties of the sanctuary.
• Numbers 18:4They shall be joined with you and attend to the obligations of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; but an outsider may not come near you.
• Numbers 31:30From the sons of Israel’s half, you shall take one drawn out of every fifty of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys and of the sheep, from all the animals, and give them to the Levites who keep charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.”
• 1 Chronicles 23:32Thus they are to keep charge of the tent of meeting, and charge of the holy place, and charge of the sons of Aaron their relatives, for the service of the house of the Lord.
• 1 Chronicles 26:20The Levites, their relatives, had charge of the treasures of the house of God and of the treasures of the dedicated gifts.
• Ezekiel 44:8And you have not kept charge of My holy things yourselves, but you have set foreigners to keep charge of My sanctuary.”
• 1 Timothy 4:15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, 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