Bilangan 3:5

The Assignment of the Levites

3:5 The Lord spoke to Moses:

Bilangan 3:44

3:44 Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

Bilangan 8:1

Lighting the Lamps

8:1 ¹ The Lord spoke to Moses:

Bilangan 9:9

9:9 The Lord spoke to Moses:

Bilangan 15:31

15:31 Because he has despised ²  the word of the Lord and has broken ³  his commandment, that person ⁴  must be completely cut off. ⁵  His iniquity will be on him.’” ⁶ 

Bilangan 16:44

16:44 The Lord spoke to Moses:

Bilangan 20:7

20:7 Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

[8:1]  ¹ sn This chapter has three main sections to it: the lighting of the lamps (vv. 1-4), the separation of the Levites (vv. 5-22), and the work of the Levites (vv. 23-26). Many modern scholars assume that the chapter belongs to P and was added late. But the chapter reiterates some of the Mosaic material concerning the work of the Levites in the new sanctuary. For the chapter to make sense the historical setting must be accepted; if the historical setting is accepted, the chapter is necessary as part of that early legislation. For more reading, see M. Haran, “The Nature of the’ohel mo‘edh in the Pentateuchal Sources,” JSS 5 (1960): 50-65, and “The Priestly Image of the Tabernacle,” HUCA 36 (1965): 191-226; and C. L. Meyers, The Tabernacle Menorah.

[15:31]  ² tn The verb בָּזָה (bazah, “to despise”) means to treat something as worthless, to treat it with contempt, to look down the nose at something as it were.

[15:31]  ³ tn The verb פָּרַר (parar, “to break”) can mean to nullify, break, or violate a covenant.

[15:31]  ⁴ tn Heb “soul.”

[15:31]  ⁵ tn The construction uses the Niphal imperfect with the modifying Niphal infinitive absolute. The infinitive makes the sentence more emphatic. If the imperfect tense is taken as an instruction imperfect, then the infinitive makes the instruction more binding. If it is a simple future, then the future is certain. In either case, there is no exclusion from being cut off.

[15:31]  ⁶ sn The point is that the person’s iniquity remains with him – he must pay for his sin. The judgment of God in such a case is both appropriate and unavoidable.