Bilangan 28:18

28:18 And on the first day there is to be a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work ¹  on it.

Bilangan 28:25

28:25 On the seventh day you are to have a holy assembly, you must do no regular work.

Bilangan 29:35

29:35 “‘On the eighth day you are to have a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work on it.

Bilangan 18:21

18:21 See, I have given the Levites all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they perform – the service of the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 4:33

4:33 This is the service of the families of the Merarites, their entire service concerning the tent of meeting, under the authority of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

Bilangan 4:24

4:24 This is the service of the families of Gershonites, as they serve ²  and carry it.

Bilangan 29:7

The Day of Atonement

29:7 “‘On the tenth day of this seventh month you are to have a holy assembly. You must humble yourselves; ³  you must not do any work on it.

Bilangan 4:4

4:4 This is the service of the Kohathites in the tent of meeting, relating to the most holy things. ⁴ 

Bilangan 29:1

Blowing Trumpets

29:1 “‘On the first day of the seventh month, you are to hold a holy assembly. You must not do your ordinary work, for it is a day of blowing trumpets for you.

Bilangan 7:7

7:7 He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their service required;

Bilangan 7:5

7:5 “Receive these gifts ⁵  from them, that they may be ⁶  used in doing the work ⁷  of the tent of meeting; and you must give them to the Levites, to every man ⁸  as his service requires.” ⁹ 

Bilangan 29:12

The Feast of Temporary Shelters

29:12 “‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you are to have a holy assembly; you must do no ordinary work, and you must keep a festival to the Lord for seven days.

Bilangan 4:27

4:27 “All the service of the Gershonites, whether ¹⁰  carrying loads ¹¹  or for any of their work, will be at the direction of ¹²  Aaron and his sons. You will assign them all their tasks ¹³  as their responsibility.

Bilangan 3:8

3:8 And they are responsible for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and for the needs of the Israelites, as they serve ¹⁴  in the tabernacle.

Bilangan 8:25

8:25 and at the age of fifty years they must retire from performing the work and may no longer work.

Bilangan 4:26

4:26 the hangings for the courtyard, the curtain for the entrance of the gate of the court, ¹⁵  which is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, along with all the furnishings for their service and everything that is made for them. So they are to serve. ¹⁶ 

Bilangan 3:7

3:7 They are responsible for his needs ¹⁷  and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attending ¹⁸  to the service of the tabernacle.

Bilangan 7:8

7:8 and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their service required, under the authority ¹⁹  of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Bilangan 18:31

18:31 And you may ²⁰  eat it in any place, you and your household, because it is your wages for your service in the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 4:28

4:28 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites concerning the tent of meeting. Their responsibilities will be under the authority ²¹  of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. ²² 

Bilangan 4:31

4:31 This is what they are responsible to carry as their entire service in the tent of meeting: the frames ²³  of the tabernacle, its crossbars, its posts, its sockets,

Bilangan 28:26

Firstfruits

28:26 “‘Also, on the day of the first fruits, when you bring a new grain offering to the Lord during your Feast of Weeks, you are to have a holy assembly. You must do no ordinary work.

Bilangan 16:9

16:9 Does it seem too small a thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the community of Israel to bring you near to himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the community to minister to them?

Bilangan 3:26

3:26 the hangings of the courtyard, ²⁴  the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard that surrounded the tabernacle and the altar, and their ropes, plus all the service connected with these things. ²⁵ 

Bilangan 4:35

4:35 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting;

Bilangan 4:39

4:39 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting –

Bilangan 4:43

4:43 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered the company for the work in the tent of meeting –

Bilangan 4:47

4:47 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, everyone who entered to do the work of service and the work of carrying ²⁶  relating to the tent of meeting –

Bilangan 4:30

4:30 You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 4:3

4:3 from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company ²⁷  to do the work in the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 4:23

4:23 You must number them from thirty years old and upward to fifty years old, all who enter the company to do the work of the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 8:11

8:11 and Aaron is to offer ²⁸  the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the Israelites, that they may do the work ²⁹  of the Lord.

Bilangan 18:6

18:6 I myself have chosen ³⁰  your brothers the Levites from among the Israelites. They are given to you as a gift from the Lord, to perform the duties ³¹  of the tent of meeting.

Bilangan 3:36

3:36 The appointed responsibilities of the Merarites included the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, its posts, its sockets, its utensils, plus all the service connected with these things, ³² 

Bilangan 4:49

4:49 According to the word of the Lord they were numbered, ³³  by the authority of Moses, each according to his service and according to what he was to carry. ³⁴  Thus were they numbered by him, ³⁵  as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Bilangan 4:41

4:41 These were those numbered from the families of the Gershonites, everyone who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord.

Bilangan 8:26

8:26 They may assist ³⁶  their colleagues ³⁷  in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish ³⁸  the Levites regarding their duties.”

Bilangan 8:22

8:22 After this, the Levites went in to do their work in the tent of meeting before Aaron and before his sons. As the Lord had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did.

Bilangan 18:23

18:23 But the Levites must perform the service ³⁹  of the tent of meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. ⁴⁰  It will be a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations that among the Israelites the Levites ⁴¹  have no inheritance. ⁴² 

Bilangan 4:37

4:37 These were those numbered from the families of the Kohathites, everyone who served in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the authority of Moses.

Bilangan 23:23

23:23 For there is no spell against ⁴³  Jacob,

nor is there any divination against Israel.

At this time ⁴⁴  it must be said ⁴⁵  of Jacob

and of Israel, ‘Look at ⁴⁶  what God has done!’

Bilangan 4:19

4:19 but in order that they will live ⁴⁷  and not die when they approach the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons will go in and appoint ⁴⁸  each man ⁴⁹  to his service and his responsibility.

Bilangan 8:19

8:19 I 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.” ⁵⁰ 

Bilangan 8:15

8:15 “After this, the Levites will go in ⁵¹  to do the work ⁵²  of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them ⁵³  and offer them like a wave offering. ⁵⁴ 

Bilangan 18:7

18:7 But you and your sons with you are responsible for your priestly duties, for everything at the altar and within the curtain. And you must serve. I give you the priesthood as a gift for service; but the unauthorized person who approaches must be put to death.”

Bilangan 7:9

7:9 But to the Kohathites he gave none, because the service of the holy things, which they carried ⁵⁵  on their shoulders, was their responsibility. ⁵⁶ 

Bilangan 18:4

18:4 They must join ⁵⁷  with you, and they will be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent, but no unauthorized person ⁵⁸  may approach you.

Bilangan 3:3

3:3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed ⁵⁹  priests, whom he consecrated ⁶⁰  to minister as priests. ⁶¹ 

Bilangan 3:31

3:31 Their responsibilities included the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, and the utensils of the sanctuary with which they ministered, ⁶²  the curtain, and all their service. ⁶³ 

Bilangan 3:10

3:10 So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood; ⁶⁴  but the unauthorized person ⁶⁵  who comes near must be put to death.”

Bilangan 8:24

8:24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: ⁶⁶  At the age of twenty-five years ⁶⁷  and upward one may begin to join the company ⁶⁸  in the work of the tent of meeting,

Bilangan 7:4

The Distribution of the Gifts

7:4 Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

Bilangan 28:30

28:30 as well as one male goat to make an atonement for you.

Bilangan 4:9

4:9 “They must take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand of the light, with its lamps, its wick-trimmers, its trays, and all its oil vessels, with which they service it.

Bilangan 4:12

4:12 Then they must take all the utensils of the service, with which they serve in the sanctuary, put them in a blue cloth, cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on a carrying beam.

Bilangan 16:28

16:28 Then Moses said, “This is how ⁶⁹  you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. ⁷⁰ 

Bilangan 5:9-10

5:9 Every offering ⁷¹  of all the Israelites’ holy things that they bring to the priest will be his. 5:10 Every man’s holy things ⁷²  will be his; whatever any man gives the priest will be his.’”

Bilangan 10:2

10:2 “Make ⁷³  two trumpets of silver; you are to make ⁷⁴  them from a single hammered piece. ⁷⁵  You will use them ⁷⁶  for assembling the community and for directing the traveling of the camps.

Bilangan 12:11

The Intercession of Moses

12:11 So Aaron said to Moses, “O my lord, ⁷⁷  please do not hold this sin against us, in which we have acted foolishly and have sinned!

Bilangan 1:50

1:50 But appoint ⁷⁸  the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, ⁷⁹  over all its furnishings and over everything in it. They must carry ⁸⁰  the tabernacle and all its furnishings; and they ⁸¹  must attend to it and camp around it. ⁸² 

Bilangan 3:4

3:4 Nadab and Abihu died ⁸³  before the Lord ⁸⁴  when they offered ⁸⁵  strange ⁸⁶  fire ⁸⁷  before the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. ⁸⁸  So Eleazar and Ithamar ministered as priests ⁸⁹  in the presence of ⁹⁰  Aaron their father.

Bilangan 3:38

3:38 But those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east, in front of the tent of meeting, were Moses, Aaron, ⁹¹  and his sons. They were responsible for the needs ⁹²  of the sanctuary and for the needs of the Israelites, but the unauthorized person who approached was to be put to death.

Bilangan 4:14

4:14 Then they must place on it all its implements with which they serve there – the trays, the meat forks, the shovels, the basins, and all the utensils of the altar – and they must spread on it a covering of fine leather, and then insert its poles. ⁹³ 

Bilangan 4:32

4:32 and the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their sockets, tent pegs, and ropes, along with all their furnishings and everything for their service. You are to assign by names the items that each man is responsible to carry. ⁹⁴ 

Bilangan 4:34

Summary

4:34 So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the community numbered the Kohathites by their families and by clans,

Bilangan 8:7

8:7 And do this ⁹⁵  to them to purify them: Sprinkle water of purification ⁹⁶  on them; then have them shave ⁹⁷  all their body ⁹⁸  and wash ⁹⁹  their clothes, and so purify themselves. ¹⁰⁰ 

Bilangan 18:1

Responsibilities of the Priests

18:1 ¹⁰¹ The Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your tribe ¹⁰²  with you must bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, ¹⁰³  and you and your sons with you must bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

Bilangan 18:3

18:3 They must be responsible to care for you and to care for the entire tabernacle. However, they must not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die.

Bilangan 11:12

11:12 Did I conceive this entire people? ¹⁰⁴  Did I give birth to ¹⁰⁵  them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father ¹⁰⁶  bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers?

Bilangan 29:36

29:36 But you must offer a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, as a pleasing aroma to the Lord, one bull, one ram, seven lambs one year old, all of them without blemish,

[28:18]  ¹ tn Heb “any work [of] service”; this means any occupational work, that is, the ordinary service.

[4:24]  ² tn The two forms are the infinitive construct and then the noun: “to serve and for the burden.” They are to serve and they are to take the responsibility. The infinitive is explaining the verb.

[29:7]  ³ tn Heb “afflict yourselves”; NAB “mortify yourselves”; NIV, NRSV “deny yourselves.”

[29:7]  sn The verb seems to mean “humble yourself.” There is no explanation given for it. In the days of the prophets fasting seems to be associated with it (see Isa 58:3-5), and possibly the symbolic wearing of ashes.

[4:4]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew text simply has “the holy of holies,” or “the holy of the holy things” (קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים, qodesh haqqodashim). The context indicates that this refers to all the sacred furnishings.

[7:5]  ⁵ tn The object is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied.

[7:5]  ⁶ tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; following the imperative, this could be given an independent volitive translation (“they shall be”), but more fittingly a subordinated translation expressing the purpose of receiving the gifts.

[7:5]  ⁷ tn The sentence uses the infinitive construct expressing purpose, followed by its cognate accusative: “[that they may be] for doing the work of” (literally, “serving the service of”).

[7:5]  ⁸ tn The noun אִישׁ (’ish) is in apposition to the word “Levites,” and is to be taken in a distributive sense: “to the Levites, [to each] man according to his service.”

[7:5]  ⁹ tn The expression כְּפִי (kÿfi) is “according to the mouth of.” Here, it would say “according to the mouth of his service,” which would mean “what his service calls for.”

[4:27]  ¹⁰ tn The term “whether” is supplied to introduce the enumerated parts of the explanatory phrase.

[4:27]  ¹¹ tn Here again is the use of the noun “burden” in the sense of the loads they were to carry (see the use of carts in Num 7:7).

[4:27]  ¹² tn The expression is literally “upon/at the mouth of” (עַל־פִּי, ’al-pi); it means that the work of these men would be under the direct orders of Aaron and his sons.

[4:27]  ¹³ tn Or “burden.”

[3:8]  ¹⁴ tn The construction uses the infinitive construct (epexegetically) followed by its cognate accusative. It would convey “to serve the service of the tabernacle,” but more simply it may be rendered as “serving.” Their spiritual and practical service is to serve.

[3:8]  sn The Levites had the duty of taking care of all the tabernacle and its furnishings, especially in times when it was to be moved. But they were also appointed to be gate-keepers (2 Kgs 22:4; 1 Chr 9:19) in order to safeguard the purity of the place and the activities that went on there. Their offices seem to have then become hereditary in time (1 Sam 1:3); they even took on more priestly functions, such as pronouncing the benediction (Deut 10:8). See further R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 348-49.

[4:26]  ¹⁵ tc This whole clause is not in the Greek text; it is likely missing due to homoioteleuton.

[4:26]  ¹⁶ tn The work of these people would have been very demanding, since the size and weight of the various curtains and courtyard hangings would have been great. For a detailed discussion of these, see the notes in the book of Exodus on the construction of the items.

[3:7]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew text uses the perfect tense of שָׁמַר(shamar) with a vav (ו) consecutive to continue the instruction of the preceding verse. It may be translated “and they shall keep” or “they must/are to keep,” but in this context it refers to their appointed duties. The verb is followed by its cognate accusative – “they are to keep his keeping,” or as it is often translated, “his charge.” This would mean whatever Aaron needed them to do. But the noun is also used for the people in the next phrase, and so “charge” cannot be the meaning here. The verse is explaining that the Levites will have duties to perform to meet the needs of Aaron and the congregation.

[3:7]  ¹⁸ tn The form is the Qal infinitive construct from עָבַד (’avad, “to serve, to work”); it is taken here as a verbal noun and means “by (or in) serving” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 36, §195). This explains the verb “keep [his charge].” Here too the form is followed by a cognate accusative; they will be there to “serve the service” or “work the work.”

[7:8]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “hand.”

[18:31]  ²⁰ tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it functions as the equivalent of the imperfect of permission.

[4:28]  ²¹ tn Or “the direction” (NASB, TEV); Heb “under/by the hand of.” The word “hand” is often used idiomatically for “power” or “authority.” So also in vv. 33, 37, 45, 48.

[4:28]  ²² sn The material here suggests that Eleazar had heavier responsibilities than Ithamar, Aaron’s fourth and youngest son. It is the first indication that the Zadokite Levites would take precedence over the Ithamar Levites (see 1 Chr 24:3-6).

[4:31]  ²³ sn More recent studies have concluded that these “boards” were made of two long uprights joined by cross-bars (like a ladder). They were frames rather than boards, meaning that the structure under the tent was not a solid building. It also meant that the “boards” would have been lighter to carry.

[3:26]  ²⁴ tc The phrases in this verse seem to be direct objects without verbs. BHS suggests deleting the sign of the accusative (for which see P. P. Saydon, “Meanings and Uses of the Particle אֵת,” VT 14 [1964]: 263-75).

[3:26]  ²⁵ tn Heb “for all the service of it [them].”

[4:47]  ²⁶ tn The text multiplies the vocabulary of service here in the summary. In the Hebrew text the line reads literally: “everyone who came to serve the service of serving, and the service of burden.” The Levites came into service in the shrine, and that involved working in the sanctuary as well as carrying it from one place to the next.

[4:3]  ²⁷ tn The word “company” is literally “host, army” (צָבָא, tsava’). The repetition of similar expressions makes the translation difficult: Heb “all [who] come to the host to do work in the tent.”

[8:11]  ²⁸ tn The Hebrew text actually has “wave the Levites as a wave offering.” The wave offering was part of the ritual of the peace offering and indicated the priest’s portion being presented to God in a lifted, waving motion for all to see. The Levites were going to be in the sanctuary to serve the Lord and assist the priests. It is unclear how Moses would have presented them as wave offerings, but the intent is that they would be living sacrifices, as Paul would later say in Rom 12:1 for all Christians.

[8:11]  ²⁹ tn The construction emphasizes the spiritual service of the Levites, using the infinitive construct of עָבַד (’avad) followed by its cognate accusative.

[18:6]  ³⁰ tn Heb “taken.”

[18:6]  ³¹ tn The infinitive construct in this sentence is from עָבַד (’avad), and so is the noun that serves as its object: to serve the service.

[3:36]  ³² tn Heb “and all their service.” This could possibly be a hendiadys: “and all their working tools.” However, the parallel with v. 26 suggests this is a separate phrase.

[4:49]  ³³ tn The verb is the simple perfect tense – “he numbered them.” There is no expressed subject; therefore, the verb can be rendered as a passive.

[4:49]  ³⁴ tn Or “his burden.”

[4:49]  ³⁵ tn The passive form simply reads “those numbered by him.” Because of the cryptic nature of the word, some suggest reading a preterite, “and they were numbered.” This is supported by the Greek, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate. It would follow in the emendation that the relative pronoun be changed to “just as” (כַּאֲשֶׁר, ka’asher). The MT is impossible the way it stands; it can only be rendered into smooth English by adding something that is missing.

[8:26]  ³⁶ tn The verb is the Piel perfect of שָׁרַת (sharat, “to serve, minister”). Here the form has the vav (ו) consecutive, and so is equal to the imperfect tense stressing permission. After the Levites reached the age of retirement, they were permitted to assist the others, but were not permitted to do the work themselves.

[8:26]  ³⁷ tn Heb “brothers,” but the meaning in this context is “fellow Levites.”

[8:26]  ³⁸ tn Heb “you shall do, make.”

[18:23]  ³⁹ tn The verse begins with the perfect tense of עָבַד (’avad) with vav (ו) consecutive, making the form equal to the instructions preceding it. As its object the verb has the cognate accusative “service.”

[18:23]  ⁴⁰ sn The Levites have the care of the tent of meeting, and so they are responsible for any transgressions against it.

[18:23]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the Levites) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[18:23]  ⁴² tn The Hebrew text uses both the verb and the object from the same root to stress the point: They will not inherit an inheritance. The inheritance refers to land.

[23:23]  ⁴³ tn Or “in Jacob.” But given the context the meaning “against” is preferable. The words describe two techniques of consulting God; the first has to do with observing omens in general (“enchantments”), and the second with casting lots or arrows of the like (“divinations” [Ezek 21:26]). See N. H. Snaith, Leviticus and Numbers (NCB), 295-96.

[23:23]  ⁴⁴ tn The form is the preposition “like, as” and the word for “time” – according to the time, about this time, now.

[23:23]  ⁴⁵ tn The Niphal imperfect here carries the nuance of obligation – one has to say in amazement that God has done something marvelous or “it must be said.”

[23:23]  ⁴⁶ tn The words “look at” are not in the Hebrew text but have been added in the translation for clarity.

[4:19]  ⁴⁷ tn The word order is different in the Hebrew text: Do this…and they will live. Consequently, the verb “and they will live” is a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive to express the future consequence of “doing this” for them.

[4:19]  ⁴⁸ tn The perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive continues the instruction for Aaron.

[4:19]  ⁴⁹ tn The distributive sense is obtained by the repetition, “a man” and “a man.”

[8:19]  ⁵⁰ sn The firstborn were those that were essentially redeemed from death in Egypt when the blood was put on the doors. So in the very real sense they belonged to God (Exod 13:2,12). The firstborn was one who stood in special relationship to the father, being the successive offspring. Here, the Levites would stand in for the firstborn in that special role and special relationship. God also made it clear that the nation of Israel was his firstborn son (Exod 4:22-23), and so they stood in that relationship before all the nations. The tribe of Reuben was to have been the firstborn tribe, but in view of the presumptuous attempt to take over the leadership through pagan methods (Gen 35:22; 49:3-4), was passed over. The tribes of Levi and Simeon were also put down for their ancestors’ activities, but sanctuary service was still given to Levi.

[8:15]  ⁵¹ tn The imperfect tense could also be given the nuance of the imperfect of permission: “the Levites may go in.”

[8:15]  ⁵² tn Heb “to serve.”

[8:15]  ⁵³ tn The two verbs in the rest of this verse are perfect tenses with vav (ו) consecutive constructions, making them equal to the imperfect. Some commentators try to get around the difficulty of repetition by making these future perfects, “and you will have cleansed,” as opposed to a summary statement, “for thus you will cleanse….”

[8:15]  ⁵⁴ tc The Greek text adds “before the Lord.”

[7:9]  ⁵⁵ tn The verb is the imperfect tense, but it describes their customary activity – they had to carry, they used to carry.

[7:9]  ⁵⁶ tn Heb “upon them,” meaning “their duty.”

[18:4]  ⁵⁷ tn Now the sentence uses the Niphal perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive from the same root לָוָה (lavah).

[18:4]  ⁵⁸ tn The word is “stranger, alien,” but it can also mean Israelites here.

[3:3]  ⁵⁹ tn The verb מָשַׁח (mashakh) means “to anoint”; here the form modifies the “priests.” The service of consecration was carried out with anointing oil (Exod 30:30). The verb is used for the anointing of kings as well as priests in the OT, and so out of that derived the technical title “Messiah” for the coming ideal king – the “Anointed One.”

[3:3]  ⁶⁰ tn In this verse the expression is in a relative clause: “who he filled their hand” means “whose hands he filled,” or “whom he consecrated.” The idiomatic expression used here is from Lev 8; it literally is “he filled their hand” (מִלֵּא יָדָם, mille’ yadam). In the ordination service Moses placed some of the meat from the sacrifice in the hand of the ordinand, and this signified what he was going to be about – having his hand full, or being consecrated to the priesthood. There is some evidence that this practice or expression was also known in Mesopotamia. In modern ordination services a NT or a Bible may be placed in the ordinand’s hand – it is what the ministry will be about.

[3:3]  ⁶¹ tn The form is an infinitival construction for the word for the priest, showing the purpose for the filling of the hands.

[3:31]  ⁶² tn The verb is יְשָׁרְתוּ (yÿsharÿtu, “they will serve/minister”). The imperfect tense in this place, however, probably describes what the priests would do, what they used to do. The verb is in a relative clause: “which they would serve with them,” which should be changed to read “with which they would serve.”

[3:31]  ⁶³ tn The word is literally “its [their] service.” It describes all the implements that were there for the maintenance of these things.

[3:10]  ⁶⁴ tc The LXX includes the following words here: “and all things pertaining to the altar and within the veil.” Cf. Num 18:7.

[3:10]  ⁶⁵ tn The word is זָר (zar), usually rendered “stranger, foreigner, pagan.” But in this context it simply refers to anyone who is not a Levite or a priest, an unauthorized person or intruder in the tabernacle. That person would be put to death.

[8:24]  ⁶⁶ tn The Hebrew text has “this [is that] which [pertains] to the Levites.” “This is what concerns the Levites, meaning, the following rulings are for them.

[8:24]  ⁶⁷ tc The age of twenty-five indicated in v. 24 should be compared with the age of thirty indicated in Num 4:3,23,30. In order to harmonize the numbers given in chapter 4 with the number given in Num 8:24 the LXX (and perhaps its Hebrew Vorlage) has thirty in all of these references. See further G. J. Wenham, Numbers (TOTC 4), 97-98.

[8:24]  ⁶⁸ tn The infinitive is לִצְבֹא (litsvo’), related to the word for “host, army, company,” and so “to serve as a company.” The meaning is strengthened by the cognate accusative following it.

[16:28]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “in this.”

[16:28]  ⁷⁰ tn The Hebrew text simply has כִּי־לֹא מִלִּבִּי (ki-lo’ millibbi, “for not from my heart”). The heart is the center of the will, the place decisions are made (see H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament). Moses is saying that the things he has done have not come “from the will of man” so to speak – and certainly not from some secret desire on his part to seize power.

[5:9]  ⁷¹ tn The Hebrew word תְּרוּמָה (tÿrumah) seems to be a general word for any offering that goes to the priests (see J. Milgrom, Studies in Cultic Theology and Terminology [SJLA 36], 159-72).

[5:10]  ⁷² sn The “holy gifts” are described with the root of קֹדֶשׁ (qodesh) to convey that they were separate. Such things had been taken out of the ordinary and normal activities of life.

[10:2]  ⁷³ tn The Hebrew text uses what is called the “ethical dative” – “make [for] you two trumpets.” It need not be translated, but can simply be taken to underscore the direct imperative.

[10:2]  ⁷⁴ tn The imperfect tense is again instruction or legislation.

[10:2]  ⁷⁵ sn The instructions are not clearly spelled out here. But the trumpets were to be made of silver ingots beaten out into a sheet of silver and then bent to form a trumpet. There is archaeological evidence of silver smelting as early as 3000 b.c. Making silver trumpets would have been a fairly easy thing for the Israelites to do. The trumpet would have been straight, with a tapered form, very unlike the “ram’s horn” (שׁוֹפָר, shofar). The trumpets were used by the priests in Israel from the outset, but later were used more widely. The sound would be sharp and piercing, but limited in scope to a few notes. See further C. Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments.

[10:2]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “and they shall be for you for assembling,” which is the way of expressing possession. Here the intent concerns how Moses was to use them.

[12:11]  ⁷⁷ tn The expression בִּי אֲדֹנִי (bi ’adoni, “O my lord”) shows a good deal of respect for Moses by Aaron. The expression is often used in addressing God.

[1:50]  ⁷⁸ tn The same verb translated “number” (פָּקַד, paqad) is now used to mean “appoint” (הַפְקֵד, hafqed), which focuses more on the purpose of the verbal action of numbering people. Here the idea is that the Levites were appointed to take care of the tabernacle. On the use of this verb with the Levites’ appointment, see M. Gertner, “The Masorah and the Levites,” VT 10 (1960): 252.

[1:50]  ⁷⁹ tn The Hebrew name used here is מִשְׁכַּן הָעֵדֻת (mishkan ha’edut). The tabernacle or dwelling place of the Lord was given this name because it was here that the tablets of the Law were kept. The whole shrine was therefore a reminder (הָעֵדוּת, a “warning sign” or “testimony”) of the stipulations of the covenant. For the ancient Near Eastern customs of storing the code in the sanctuaries, see M. G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King, 14-19, and idem, The Structure of Biblical Authority, 35-36. Other items were in the ark in the beginning, but by the days of Solomon only the tablets were there (1 Kgs 8:9).

[1:50]  ⁸⁰ tn The imperfect tense here is an obligatory imperfect telling that they are bound to do this since they are appointed for this specific task.

[1:50]  ⁸¹ tn The addition of the pronoun before the verb is emphatic – they are the ones who are to attend to the tabernacle. The verb used is שָׁרַת (sharat) in the Piel, indicating that they are to serve, minister to, attend to all the details about this shrine.

[1:50]  ⁸² tn Heb “the tabernacle.” The pronoun (“it”) was used in the translation here for stylistic reasons.

[3:4]  ⁸³ tn The verb form is the preterite with vav (ו) consecutive, literally “and Nadab died.” Some commentators wish to make the verb a past perfect, rendering it “and Nadab had died,” but this is not necessary. In tracing through the line from Aaron it simply reports that the first two sons died. The reference is to the event recorded in Lev 10 where the sons brought “strange” or foreign” fire to the sanctuary.

[3:4]  ⁸⁴ tc This initial clause is omitted in one Hebrew ms, Smr, and the Vulgate.

[3:4]  ⁸⁵ tn The form בְּהַקְרִבָם (bÿhaqrivam) is the Hiphil infinitive construct functioning as a temporal clause: “when they brought near,” meaning, “when they offered.” The verb קָרַב (qarav) is familiar to students of the NT because of “corban” in Mark 7:11.

[3:4]  ⁸⁶ tn Or “prohibited.” See HALOT 279 s.v. זָר 3.

[3:4]  ⁸⁷ tn The expression אֵשׁ זָרָה (’esh zarah, “strange fire”) seems imprecise and has been interpreted numerous ways (see the helpful summary in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC 4], 132-33). The infraction may have involved any of the following or a combination thereof: (1) using coals from some place other than the burnt offering altar (i.e., “unauthorized coals” according to J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:598; cf. Lev 16:12 and cf. “unauthorized person” [אִישׁ זָר, ’ish zar] in Num 16:40 [17:5 HT], NASB “layman”), (2) using the wrong kind of incense (cf. the Exod 30:9 regulation against “strange incense” [קְטֹרֶת זָרָה, qÿtoret zarah] on the incense altar and the possible connection to Exod 30:34-38), (3) performing an incense offering at an unprescribed time (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 59), or (4) entering the Holy of Holies at an inappropriate time (Lev 16:1-2).

[3:4]  sn This event is narrated in Lev 10:1-7.

[3:4]  ⁸⁸ sn The two young priests had been cut down before they had children; the ranks of the family of Aaron were thereby cut in half in one judgment from God. The significance of the act of judgment was to show that the priests had to sanctify the Lord before the people – they were to be examples that the sanctuary and its contents were distinct.

[3:4]  ⁸⁹ tn The verb is the Piel preterite from the root כָּהַן (kahan): “to function as a priest” or “to minister.”

[3:4]  ⁹⁰ tn The expression “in the presence of” can also mean “during the lifetime of” (see Gen 11:28; see also BDB 818 s.v. פָּנֶה II.7.a; cf. NASB, NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV).

[3:38]  ⁹¹ tc In some Hebrew mss and Smr “and Aaron” is not in the verse. The omission arose probably by scribal error with such repetitious material that could easily give rise to variant traditions.

[3:38]  ⁹² tn Here again the verb and its cognate noun are used: keeping the keep, or keeping charge over, or taking responsibility for the care of, or the like.

[4:14]  ⁹³ tc For this passage the Greek and Smr have a substantial addition concerning the purple cloth for the laver and its base, and a further covering of skin (see D. W. Gooding, “On the Use of the LXX for Dating Midrashic Elements in the Targums,” JTS 25 [1974]: 1-11).

[4:32]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “you shall assign by names the vessels of the responsibility of their burden.”

[8:7]  ⁹⁵ tn Or, more literally, “and thus you shall do.” The verb is the imperfect tense of instruction or legislation. Here it introduces the procedures to be followed.

[8:7]  ⁹⁶ tn The genitive in this expression indicates the purpose of the water – it is for their purification. The expression is literally “the waters of sin.” The word “purification” is the same as for the “sin/purification offering” – חַטָּאת (khatta’at). This water seems to have been taken from the main laver and is contrasted with the complete washing of the priests in Lev 8:6.

[8:7]  ⁹⁷ tn The verb is the Hiphil perfect with a vav (ו) of sequence. This verb, and those to follow, has the force of a jussive since it comes after the imperative. Here the instruction is for them to remove the hair from their bodies (“flesh”). There is no indication that this was repeated (as the Egyptian priests did every few days). It seems to have been for this special occasion only. A similar requirement was for the leper (Lev 14:7-9).

[8:7]  ⁹⁸ tn Heb “flesh.”

[8:7]  ⁹⁹ tn Or “let/have them wash”; the priests were given new clothes (Lev 8:13), but the Levites simply washed their own.

[8:7]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The verb is a reflexive (or possibly passive) in this verse, indicating the summary of the process. The ritual steps that have been prescribed will lead to this conclusion. The verb could be treated as a final imperfect (being a perfect with vav [ו] consecutive), and so translated “that they may….” The major difference here is that the ritual made the Levites “clean,” whereas the ritual for the priests made them “holy” or “sanctified” (Lev 8:12).

[18:1]  ¹⁰¹ sn This chapter and the next may have been inserted here to explain how the priests are to function because in the preceding chapter Aaron’s position was affirmed. The chapter seems to fall into four units: responsibilities of priests (vv. 1-7), their portions (vv. 8-19), responsibilities of Levites (vv. 20-24), and instructions for Levites (vv. 25-32).

[18:1]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “your father’s house.”

[18:1]  ¹⁰³ sn The responsibility for the sanctuary included obligations relating to any violation of the sanctuary. This was stated to forestall any further violations of the sanctuary. The priests were to pay for any ritual errors, primarily if any came too near. Since the priests and Levites come near all the time, they risk violating ritual laws more than any. So, with the great privileges come great responsibilities. The bottom line is that they were responsible for the sanctuary.

[11:12]  ¹⁰⁴ sn The questions Moses asks are rhetorical. He is actually affirming that they are not his people, that he did not produce them, but now is to support them. His point is that God produced this nation, but has put the burden of caring for their needs on him.

[11:12]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The verb means “to beget, give birth to.” The figurative image from procreation completes the parallel question, first the conceiving and second the giving birth to the nation.

[11:12]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The word אֹמֵן (’omen) is often translated “nurse,” but the form is a masculine form and would better be rendered as a “foster parent.” This does not work as well, though, with the יֹנֵק (yoneq), the “sucking child.” The two metaphors are simply designed to portray the duty of a parent to a child as a picture of Moses’ duty for the nation. The idea that it portrays God as a mother pushes it too far (see M. Noth, Numbers [OTL], 86-87).