New English Translation
Numbers 8:17
17For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself.
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“After this, the Levites will go in to do the work of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. 16For they are entirely given to me from among the Israelites. I have taken them for myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn sons of all the Israelites. For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself. 18So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites. 19I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the work for the Israelites in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the Israelites, so there will be no plague among the Israelites when the Israelites come near the sanctuary.”
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 all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.”
- Exodus 13:2“Set apart to me every firstborn male – the first offspring of every womb among the Israelites, whether human or animal; it is mine.”
- Luke 2:23(just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male will be set apart to the Lord”),
- Exodus 12:29It happened at midnight – the Lord attacked all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle.
- Psalms 78:51He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their reproductive power in the tents of Ham.
- Psalms 105:36He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of their reproductive power.
- Psalms 135:8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals.
- Hebrews 11:28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
- Exodus 13:14In the future, when your son asks you ‘What is this?’ you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery.
- Exodus 29:44“So I will set apart as holy the tent of meeting and the altar, and I will set apart as holy Aaron and his sons, that they may minister as priests to me.
- Leviticus 27:14“‘If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand.
- Ezekiel 20:12I also gave them my Sabbaths as a reminder of our relationship, so that they would know that I, the Lord, sanctify them.
- John 10:36do you say about the one whom the Father set apart and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?
- John 17:19And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.
- Hebrews 10:29How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?
- James 1:18By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
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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