Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, August 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 15 / Ordinary 20
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Amplified Bible

Numbers 8:16

for they are wholly given to Me from among the Israelites. I have taken them for Myself instead of all who are born first, the firstborn of all the Israelites.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Firstborn;   Levites;   Priest;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Levites, the;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Levite;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Building;   Firstborn;   Leadership;   Priest, Priesthood;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jephthah;   Nethinim;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Bull;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Presentation ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levites ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Events of the Encampment;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Genealogy;   Nethinim;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Hafṭarah;   Mishnah;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Yisra'el; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Yisra'el, I have taken them to me.
King James Version
For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Lexham English Bible
For they are given to me exclusively from the midst of the Israelites. I have taken them for myself in place of the firstborn of every womb, every firstborn from the Israelites.
New Century Version
They will be given completely to me from the Israelites; I have taken them for myself instead of the firstborn of every Israelite woman.
New English Translation
For 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.
New American Standard Bible
for they are exclusively given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of the firstborn of every womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For they are freely giuen vnto me from among the children of Israel, for such as open any wombe: for all the first borne of the children of Israel haue I taken them vnto me.
Legacy Standard Bible
for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
Contemporary English Version
They are mine and will take the place of the first-born Israelite sons.
Complete Jewish Bible
because they are entirely given to me from among the people of Isra'el; I have taken them for myself in place of all those who come first out of the womb, that is, the firstborn males of the people of Isra'el.
Darby Translation
For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of every one that breaketh open the womb, instead of every firstborn among the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Easy-to-Read Version
The Israelites will give me the Levites. They will belong to me. In the past I told every Israelite family to give me their firstborn son. But now I am taking the Levites in place of these firstborn sons from the other families in Israel.
English Standard Version
For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
George Lamsa Translation
For they are wholly given to me as a gift from among the children of Israel; instead of all that open the womb, even instead of the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them to me.
Good News Translation
I have claimed them in the place of all the first-born sons of the Israelites, and they belong to me alone.
Christian Standard Bible®
For they have been exclusively assigned to me from the Israelites. I have taken them for myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn.
Literal Translation
For they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel; instead of the one who opens any womb, the first-born of all, from the sons of Israel. I have taken them to Myself.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for they are my gifte of the children of Israel, and I haue taken them vnto me for all that openeth the Matrix, namely for the first borne of all the children of Israel.
American Standard Version
For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Bible in Basic English
For they have been given to me from among the children of Israel; in place of every mother's first son, the first to come to birth in Israel, I have taken them for myself.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For they are geuen and deliuered vnto me from among the children of Israel for such as open euery wombe, euen for the first borne of all the children of Israel haue I taken them vnto me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
For they are wholly given unto Me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto Me.
King James Version (1611)
For they are wholly giuen vnto me, from among the children of Israel: in stead of such as open euery wombe, euen in stead of the first borne of all the children of Israel, haue I taken them vnto me.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For these are given to me for a present out of the midst of the children of Israel: I have taken them to myself instead of all the first-born of the sons of Israel that open every womb.
English Revised Version
For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Berean Standard Bible
For the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y haue take hem for the firste gendrid thingis that openen ech wombe in Israel;
Young's Literal Translation
`For they are certainly given to Me out of the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of him who openeth any womb -- the first-born of all -- from the sons of Israel I have taken them to Myself;
Update Bible Version
For they are wholly given to me from among the sons of Israel; instead of all that opens the womb, even the first-born of all the sons of Israel, I have taken them to me.
Webster's Bible Translation
For they [are] wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, [even instead of] the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them to me.
World English Bible
For they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me.
New King James Version
For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel.
New Living Translation
"Of all the people of Israel, the Levites are reserved for me. I have claimed them for myself in place of all the firstborn sons of the Israelites; I have taken the Levites as their substitutes.
New Life Bible
For they are all given to Me from among the people of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first child to be born, the first-born of all the people of Israel.
New Revised Standard
For they are unreservedly given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken them for myself, in place of all that open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, given, given, they are unto me, out of the midst of the sons of Israel, - instead of every firstborn that a mother beareth from among the sons of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I have taken them instead of the firstborn that open every womb in Israel,
Revised Standard Version
For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel; instead of all that open the womb, the first-born of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
for they are wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself instead of every first issue of the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.

Contextual Overview

5Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 6"Take the Levites from among the sons of Israel and cleanse them. 7"This is what you shall do to them to [ceremonially] cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification on them, and let them use a razor over their whole body and wash their clothes, and they will be clean. 8"Then let them take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull as a sin offering. 9"You shall present the Levites before the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle), and you shall also assemble the whole congregation of the children of Israel, 10and present the Levites before the LORD, and the Israelites shall lay their hands on the Levites. 11"Aaron shall present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform the service of the LORD. 12"Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, then you are to offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. 13"You shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and present them as a wave offering to the LORD. 14"Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites shall be Mine [in a very special sense].

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wholly given: Nethunim, nethunim, "given, given." The word being repeated, "because," says Bp. Patrick, "the children of Israel had devoted them to him, by laying their hands upon them - Numbers 8:10, and Aaron had waved them as a wave-offering to the Lord" - Numbers 8:11.

instead of such: Houbigant, on the authority of the Samaritan, reads, "instead of every first-born of the children of Israel, who openeth the womb." Numbers 3:12, Numbers 3:45

Reciprocal: Exodus 13:2 - Sanctify Numbers 3:13 - Because Numbers 3:41 - General Numbers 18:6 - given Luke 2:23 - Every

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you with all your household, for you [alone] I have seen as righteous (doing what is right) before Me in this generation.
Genesis 7:7
Then Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him entered the ark to escape the flood waters.
Genesis 7:13
On the very same day Noah and Shem and Ham and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark,
Genesis 8:16
"Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives with you.
Genesis 8:18
So Noah went out, and his wife and his sons and their wives with him [after being in the ark one year and ten days].
Joshua 3:17
And while all [the people of] Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan [riverbed], until all the nation had finished crossing over the Jordan.
Joshua 4:10
For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in accordance with everything that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people hurried and crossed [the dry riverbed];
Psalms 91:11
For He will command His angels in regard to you, To protect and defend and guard you in all your ways [of obedience and service].
Psalms 121:8
The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in [everything that you do] From this time forth and forever.
Zechariah 9:11
As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you [My chosen people, the covenant that was sealed with blood] I have freed your prisoners from the waterless pit.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For they [are] wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel,.... All of them, entirely, and most certainly; or, "given, given" u, which is repeated for the confirmation of it; or because of their being twice given, first to the Lord by the children of Israel, and then by the Lord to Aaron and his sons, as Chaskuni; though Jarchi interprets it of the different parts of their service they were devoted to, given for bearing and carrying the vessels of the sanctuary, and given for the song, or to be singers in the temple:

instead of such as open, every womb, [even instead of] the firstborn of all the children of Israel have I taken them unto me;

:-, and

:-.

u נתנים נתנים "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Drusius and Ainsworth.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Levites could only undertake their duties Numbers 3:0; Numbers 4:0 after the formal exchange of the Levites for the first-born Numbers 3:44-51.

The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests Leviticus 8:0 and the less solemn “purification” 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 into the tabernacle to minister (compare Numbers 5:17; Exodus 30:18 ff).

The “sprinkling” of so large a body of men could have been only general, but tokens of individual purification are specified (compare also Leviticus 14:8).

Numbers 8:8

The two bullocks were “to make an atonement for the Levites,” and therefore are presented in their name. These offerings are similar to those prescribed in Leviticus 8:14 ff at the consecration of the priests, except that the burnt-offering was on that occasion a ram. The larger victim corresponds to the larger number of the Levites.

Numbers 8:10

The children of Israel - i. e. through the heads of their tribes, who Numbers 7:2 no doubt acted for their tribesmen. This act, the distinguishing feature of the ceremony, represented the transfer to the Levites of the sacred duties originally incumbent on the whole people.

Numbers 8:11

Offer ... offering - Compare the margin Aaron pointed to the Levites, and then waved his hands, indicating (compare Leviticus 7:30 note) that the offering was dedicated to God, and, again, by grant from Him, withdrawn for the use of the priests.

Numbers 8:19

Make an atonement for the children of Israel - i. e. by performing those services which were due from the children of Israel; the omission of which by the children of Israel would, but for the interposition of the Levites, have called down “wrath” from God, or Numbers 1:53 “plague.” The institution of the Levites was an extension of that mediatorial system which the people themselves, terrified at the direct manifestations to them of the divine presence, desired; see Deuteronomy 5:25. Further, it is suggested to us here as an act of mercy on the part of God; yet even the priests and Levites themselves were not always sufficiently heedful and reverent. Compare Numbers 17:10; Leviticus 10:1 ff; 2 Samuel 6:6 following.

Numbers 8:21

Were purified - Rather, purified themselves; as directed in Numbers 8:7.


 
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