Numbers 8:14
New International Version
In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.

New Living Translation
In this way, you will set the Levites apart from the rest of the people of Israel, and the Levites will belong to me.

English Standard Version
“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the people of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.

Berean Standard Bible
In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me.

King James Bible
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

New King James Version
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

New American Standard Bible
“So you shall single out the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

NASB 1995
“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

NASB 1977
“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the sons of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.

Amplified Bible
“Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites shall be Mine [in a very special sense].

Christian Standard Bible
In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to Me.

American Standard Version
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine.

Contemporary English Version
This ceremony will show that the Levites are different from the other Israelites and belong to me in a special way.

English Revised Version
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
In this way you will separate the Levites from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.

Good News Translation
Separate the Levites in this way from the rest of the Israelites, so that they will belong to me.

International Standard Version
This is how you are to separate the descendants of Levi from among the Israelis. The descendants of Levi belong to me.

Majority Standard Bible
In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me.

NET Bible
And so you are to separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.

New Heart English Bible
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

World English Bible
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be mine.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and you have separated the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and the Levites have become Mine;

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast separated the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and the Levites have become Mine;

Smith's Literal Translation
And separate the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel and the Levites were to me.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And shalt separate them from the midst of the children of Israel, to be mine.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and you shall separate them from the midst of the sons of Israel, so that they may be for me.

New American Bible
thus you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites shall belong to me.

New Revised Standard Version
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the other Israelites, and the Levites shall be mine.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be mine.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And dedicate the Levites from within the children of Israel and the Levites shall be mine.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel; and the Levites shall be Mine.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou shalt separate the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and they shall be mine.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Cleansing the Levites
13You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering. 14In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites, and the Levites will belong to Me. 15After you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering, they may come to serve at the Tent of Meeting.…

Cross References
Exodus 29:1-9
“Now this is what you are to do to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without blemish, / along with unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. Make them out of fine wheat flour, / put them in a basket, and present them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams. ...

Leviticus 8:6-13
Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. / He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. / Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece. ...

Numbers 3:12-13
“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me, / for all the firstborn are Mine. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They are Mine; I am the LORD.”

Numbers 18:6
Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting.

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.

1 Chronicles 23:13
The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron and his descendants were set apart forever to consecrate the most holy things, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister before Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name forever.

2 Chronicles 29:11
Now, my sons, do not be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, to minister before Him, and to burn incense.”

Nehemiah 12:44-47
And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these storerooms from the fields of the villages, because Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who were serving. / They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, along with the singers and gatekeepers, as David and his son Solomon had prescribed. / For long ago, in the days of David and Asaph, there were directors for the singers and for the songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. ...

Isaiah 66:21
“And I will select some of them as priests and Levites,” says the LORD.

Ezekiel 44:10-16
Surely the Levites who wandered away from Me when Israel went astray, and who wandered away from Me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity. / Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and ministering there. They shall slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices for the people and stand before them to minister to them. / Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD. ...

Malachi 3:3
And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

Acts 6:1-6
In those days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Grecian Jews among them began to grumble against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. / So the Twelve summoned all the disciples and said, “It is unacceptable for us to neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. / Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them ...

Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; / you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? / In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.


Treasury of Scripture

Thus shall you separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

separate

Numbers 6:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD:

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

Romans 1:1
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,

and the Levites

Numbers 8:17
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.

Numbers 3:45
Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.

Numbers 16:9,10
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? …

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Numbers 8
1. How the lamps are to be lighted
5. The consecration of the Levites
23. The age and time of their service














In this way you shall separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites
The Levites were set apart for a special role in the service of the Tabernacle, which was the dwelling place of God among His people. This separation signifies their unique calling and dedication to God’s service. The concept of being "set apart" is a recurring theme in Scripture, often associated with holiness and consecration (Exodus 19:6). The Levites' separation from the rest of the Israelites underscores their role as mediators between God and the people, a precursor to the priesthood of all believers in the New Testament (1 Peter 2:9). Historically, the tribe of Levi was chosen for this role after their zealous defense of God's honor during the incident of the golden calf (Exodus 32:26-29).

and the Levites will belong to Me
This phrase emphasizes the idea of possession and dedication to God. The Levites were not to own land like the other tribes (Numbers 18:20-24), signifying their complete reliance on God and the offerings of the people for their sustenance. This belonging to God is a type of the believer's relationship with Christ, who calls His followers to be wholly His (John 15:16). The Levites' role as God’s possession is a foreshadowing of the Church, which is described as the bride of Christ, set apart for Him (Ephesians 5:25-27). This dedication also highlights the principle of stewardship, where those who serve God are entrusted with the care of His sacred things, a theme that runs throughout the Bible.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Levites
A tribe of Israel set apart for religious duties and service in the Tabernacle. They were chosen by God to assist the priests and perform various tasks related to worship and sacrifices.

2. Israelites
The descendants of Jacob, also known as Israel. They are God's chosen people, whom He delivered from slavery in Egypt and led to the Promised Land.

3. Tabernacle
The portable sanctuary used by the Israelites during their wanderings in the desert. It was the center of worship and the place where God's presence dwelled among His people.

4. Consecration Ceremony
The event described in Numbers 8, where the Levites were ceremonially cleansed and dedicated to the Lord's service, marking their separation from the rest of the Israelites.

5. Moses
The leader of the Israelites who received the law from God and was responsible for implementing God's instructions, including the consecration of the Levites.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereign Choice
God chooses whom He wills for His purposes. The Levites were set apart by divine selection, not by their own merit.

Holiness and Separation
Being set apart for God requires a life of holiness and dedication. The Levites' separation symbolizes the call for believers to live distinctively for God.

Service and Sacrifice
The Levites' role was one of service and sacrifice, reminding us that serving God often involves personal sacrifice and commitment.

Identity and Purpose
Understanding our identity in Christ as set apart for His purposes can transform how we live and serve in the world.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
In this way you shall separate
וְהִבְדַּלְתָּ֙ (wə·hiḇ·dal·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 914: To be divided, separate

the Levites
הַלְוִיִּ֔ם (hal·wî·yim)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

from
מִתּ֖וֹךְ (mit·tō·wḵ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the rest of the Israelites,
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

and the Levites
הַלְוִיִּֽם׃ (hal·wî·yim)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi

will belong
וְהָ֥יוּ (wə·hā·yū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

to Me.
לִ֖י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew


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OT Law: Numbers 8:14 Thus you shall separate the Levites (Nu Num.)
Numbers 8:13
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