| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1The LORD told Moses, | 1The LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 2"Tell Aaron, 'When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps will illuminate the area in front of the lamp stand.'" | 2"Speak to Aaron and tell him, 'When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps are to give light in front of the lampstand.'" |
| 3So Aaron did so, setting up the lamps to illuminate the area in front of the lamp stand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. | 3And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. |
| 4This was how the lamp stand was crafted from hammered gold: From its base to its flowers, it was made of hammered gold. Moses crafted the lamp stand just as the LORD had showed him. | 4This is how the lampstand was made: It was beaten work in gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was beaten work. According to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand. |
| 5Then the LORD told Moses, | 5Then the LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 6"Take the descendants of Levi from the Israelis and purify them. | 6"Take the Levites from among the Israelites and purify them. |
| 7This is what you are to do for them in order to purify them: Sprinkle purifying water over them, have them shave their skin, and then have them wash their garments, and they will be purified. | 7And do this to them to purify them: Sprinkle water of purification on them; then have them shave all their body and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves. |
| 8They are to take a young bull along with its meal offering made of flour mixed with oil. Then you are to take a second young bull as a sin offering. | 8Then they are to take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with olive oil; and you are to take a second young bull for a purification offering. |
| 9Assemble the descendants of Levi in front of the appointed place of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of Israel, too. | 9You are to bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire community of the Israelites. |
| 10Bring the descendants of Levi into the LORD's presence and have the Israelis lay their hands on the descendants of Levi. | 10Then you are to bring the Levites before the LORD, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on the Levites; |
| 11"Then Aaron is to present the descendants of Levi as a wave offering before the LORD from the Israelis, because they are to work in the service of the LORD. | 11and Aaron is to offer the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the Israelites, that they may do the work of the LORD. |
| 12The descendants of Levi are then to lay their hands on the head of the bulls, offering one for a sin offering and the other one for a burnt offering to the LORD to atone for the descendants of Levi. | 12When the Levites lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, offer the one for a purification offering and the other for a whole burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. |
| 13You are to make the descendants of Levi stand in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Then you are to wave them as wave offerings to the LORD. | 13You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them as a wave offering to the LORD. |
| 14This is how you are to separate the descendants of Levi from among the Israelis. The descendants of Levi belong to me. | 14And so you are to separate the Levites from among the Israelites, and the Levites will be mine. |
| 15"After this, the descendants of Levi are to come to serve at the appointed place of meeting, after you have purified them and presented them as wave offerings, | 15"After this, the Levites will go in to do the work of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. |
| 16since they've been set apart for me from among the Israelis. I've taken them for myself instead of the first to open the womb—every firstborn of the Israelis, | 16For 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. |
| 17since every firstborn of Israel belongs to me, from human beings to livestock. On the same day that I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated them to myself, | 17For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself. |
| 18taking the descendants of Levi instead of every firstborn of the Israelis. | 18So I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn sons among the Israelites. |
| 19I've set the descendants of Levi apart from the Israelis so that Aaron and his sons would work in service at the appointed place of meeting, making atonement on behalf of the Israelis so that there won't be a plague among the Israelis whenever they approach the sanctuary." | 19I 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." |
| 20So Moses and Aaron and the Israelis did this on behalf of the descendants of Levi. The Israelis did everything that the LORD commanded concerning the descendants of Levi. | 20So Moses and Aaron and the entire community of the Israelites did this with the Levites. According to all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, this is what the Israelites did with them. |
| 21The descendants of Levi therefore purified themselves, washed their clothes, and then Aaron presented them as wave offerings to the LORD. Aaron provided atonement for them to purify them. | 21The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothing; then Aaron presented them like a wave offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to purify them. |
| 22After this, the descendants of Levi entered into their work of service at the appointed place, in the presence of Aaron and his sons. They did everything that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the descendants of Levi. | 22After 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. |
| 23Later, the LORD told Moses, | 23Then the LORD spoke to Moses: |
| 24"Now regarding a descendant of Levi who is 25 years and above, he is to enter work in the service at the appointed place of meeting, | 24"This is what pertains to the Levites: At the age of twenty-five years and upward one may begin to join the company in the work of the tent of meeting, |
| 25but starting at 50 years of age, he is to retire from service and is no longer to work. | 25and at the age of fifty years they must retire from performing the work and may no longer work. |
| 26He may minister to his brothers at the Tent of Meeting by keeping watch, but he is not to engage in service. This is how you are to act with respect to the obligations of the descendants of Levi." | 26They may assist their colleagues in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish the Levites regarding their duties." |
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