Why are the Levites given to Aaron and his sons to serve for Israel?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

God takes the Levites in place of Israel’s firstborn, who belong to him. He gives them to Aaron and his sons to serve and pray for Israel in the tabernacle, lest a plague come among the people if they presume to approach his sanctuary.

Chapter breakdown

Numbers 8 describes the seven lamps, the Levites’ consecration and the ages of their service. The Lord tells Moses to instruct Aaron to set the candlestick on the south side when placing the seven lamps. They must face north toward the table of the loaves of proposition, the bread set before the Lord, and give light in the direction the candlestick faces. Aaron places the lamps as commanded. The candlestick is made of beaten gold, both its middle shaft and the branches coming from both sides, according to the pattern the Lord showed Moses.

The Lord tells Moses to take the Levites from among Israel and purify them. They must be sprinkled with the water of purification, shave all the hair of their bodies, and wash their garments to be cleansed.

Challoner explains that this purification water was holy water mixed with the ashes of the red cow, referring to Numbers 19. He says it was appointed for purifying the unclean and was a figure of Christ’s blood applied to souls through his holy sacraments. This explanation is the annotation, separate from the chapter’s commands.

The Levites must take an ox of the herd with an offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and Moses must take another ox of the herd for sin. He must bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the covenant and gather all Israel. When the Levites are before the Lord, the children of Israel must lay their hands on them. Aaron must offer the Levites before the Lord as a gift from Israel so they may serve in his ministry. The Levites must lay their hands on the oxen’s heads. One ox is sacrificed for sin and the other as a whole burnt offering to the Lord, to pray for them. Moses must set the Levites before Aaron and his sons and consecrate them as an offering to the Lord. He must separate them from Israel to belong to God. Afterward they enter the tabernacle of the covenant to serve him, purified and consecrated as an offering, given to him by Israel.

God takes the Levites in place of the firstborn who open every womb in Israel. All Israel’s firstborn, both men and beasts, are his. From the day he killed every firstborn in Egypt, he sanctified them to himself. He takes the Levites for Israel’s firstborn and gives them to Aaron and his sons from among the people. They are to serve him for Israel in the tabernacle of the covenant and pray for the people, lest there be a plague among them if they presume to approach his sanctuary.

Moses, Aaron and all Israel do everything the Lord commanded Moses about the Levites. The Levites are purified and wash their garments. Aaron lifts them up before the Lord and prays for them so that, purified, they may enter the tabernacle of the covenant to serve before Aaron and his sons. It is done as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Lord gives Moses the Levites’ service rule. From twenty-five years old upward they enter to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant. When they complete their fiftieth year, they cease to serve. They then minister to their brethren in the tabernacle, keeping the things entrusted to their care, but not doing the works. Moses must order their charge this way.

The story inside

The chapter connects a gift from Israel with service for Israel. The people lay their hands on the Levites, and Aaron offers the Levites as a gift before the Lord. The Levites lay their hands on the oxen offered for sin and as a whole burnt offering. God explains why he takes this group: the firstborn belong to him, and the Levites take their place. Their assigned service and prayer are for Israel, with the warning about plague if the people presume to approach the sanctuary. The closing account records obedience and purification, not a separate report that an outbreak was stopped. The age rule also distinguishes doing the works from keeping entrusted things after fifty, without explaining that distinction in terms of strength or mentoring.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Purification precedes service. Sprinkling, shaving and washing are named before entry into the tabernacle, so the preparation must remain part of the account rather than be replaced by a general claim of readiness.
2
The substitution has a stated reason. God claims the firstborn of men and beasts from the day he killed Egypt’s firstborn, then names the Levites’ service and prayer for Israel.
3
The age rule retains a role after fifty. The Levites cease the works but minister to their brethren and keep entrusted things; the text does not describe either complete departure or a new teaching office.

Test your recall

Why does God take the Levites in place of Israel’s firstborn and give them to Aaron and his sons?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 15017–15037
Numbers Chapter 8 The seven lamps are placed on the golden candlestick, to shine towards the loaves of proposition: the ordination of the Levites: and to what age they shall serve in the tabernacle. 8:1. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 8:2. Speak to Aaron, and thou shalt say to him: When thou shalt place the seven lamps, let the candlestick be set up on the south side. Give orders therefore that the lamps look over against the north, towards the table of the loaves of proposition, over against that part shall they give light, towards which the candlestick looketh. 8:3. And Aaron did so, and he put the lamps upon the candlestick, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 8:4. Now this was the work of the candlestick, it was of beaten gold, both the shaft in the middle, and all that came out of both sides of the branches: according to the pattern which the Lord had shewn to Moses, so he made the candlestick.
Lines 15039–15046
8:5. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 8:6. Take the Levites out of the midst of the children of Israel, and thou shalt purify them, 8:7. According to this rite: Let them be sprinkled with the water of purification, and let them shave all the hairs of their flesh. And when they shall have washed their garments, and are cleansed,
Lines 15048–15051
Let them be sprinkled with the water of purification.... This was the holy water mixed with the ashes of the red cow, Num. 19., appointed for purifying all that were unclean. It was a figure of the blood of Christ, applied to our souls by his holy sacraments.
Lines 15053–15079
8:8. They shall take an ox of the herd, and for the offering thereof fine flour tempered with oil: and thou shalt take another ox of the herd for a sin offering: 8:9. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the covenant, calling together all the multitude of the children of Israel: 8:10. And when the Levites are before the Lord, the children of Israel shall put their hands upon them: 8:11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites, as a gift in the sight of the Lord from the children of Israel, that they may serve in his ministry. 8:12. The Levites also shall put their hands upon the heads of the oxen, of which thou shalt sacrifice one for sin, and the other for a holocaust to the Lord, to pray for them. 8:13. And thou shalt set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and of his, and shalt consecrate them being offered to the Lord, 8:14. And shalt separate them from the midst of the children of Israel, to be mine. 8:15. And afterwards they shall enter into the tabernacle of the covenant, to serve me. And thus shalt thou purify and consecrate them for an oblation of the Lord: for as a gift they were given me by the children of Israel.
Lines 15081–15094
8:16. I have taken them instead of the firstborn that open every womb in Israel, 8:17. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel, both of men and of beasts, are mine. From the day that I slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, have I sanctified them to myself: 8:18. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel: 8:19. And have delivered them for a gift to Aaron and his sons out of the midst of the people, to serve me for Israel in the tabernacle of the covenant, and to pray for them, lest there should be a plague among the people, if they should presume to approach unto my sanctuary.
Lines 15096–15104
8:20. And Moses and Aaron and all the multitude of the children of Israel did with the Levites all that the Lord had commanded Moses: 8:21. And they were purified, and washed their garments. And Aaron lifted them up in the sight of the Lord, and prayed for them, 8:22. That being purified they might go into the tabernacle of the covenant to do their services before Aaron and his sons. As the Lord had commanded Moses touching the Levites, so was it done.
Lines 15106–15120
8:23. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 8:24. This is the law of the Levites: From twenty-five years old and upwards, they shall go in to minister in the tabernacle of the covenant. 8:25. And when they shall have accomplished the fiftieth year of their age, they shall cease to serve: 8:26. And they shall be the ministers of their brethren in the tabernacle of the covenant, to keep the things that are committed to their care, but not to do the works. Thus shalt thou order the Levites touching their charge.