Numbers 8 8

Numbers 8:8 kjv

Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.

Numbers 8:8 nkjv

Then let them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull as a sin offering.

Numbers 8:8 niv

Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.

Numbers 8:8 esv

Then let them take a bull from the herd and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin offering.

Numbers 8:8 nlt

Have them bring a young bull and a grain offering of choice flour moistened with olive oil, along with a second young bull for a sin offering.

Numbers 8 verses

Numbers 8 8 Meaning

Numbers 8:8 specifies the sacrificial offerings required for the ceremonial purification and consecration of the Levites before they could begin their sacred service. It instructs Moses to procure two specific offerings: a young bull with its accompanying grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and a second young bull designated as a sin offering. These provisions were crucial steps in ritually cleansing the Levites from impurity and setting them apart for their unique role as servants of the Tabernacle and proxies for the firstborn of Israel.

Numbers 8 8 Context

Numbers chapter 8 outlines the purification and dedication ceremony for the Levites. Following instructions regarding the lampstand in the Tabernacle, God shifts focus to the specific personnel responsible for its upkeep and the sanctuary's service. The preceding verses (Num 8:5-7) detail the Levites' initial physical purification: sprinkling with water, shaving, and washing garments. This verse, Numbers 8:8, specifies the sacrifices needed to complete their ritual purification and set them apart for their holy office. This comprehensive purification was necessary because the Levites were to "come near to minister to the LORD" (Num 8:15), emphasizing the divine demand for holiness in all who approach God in service. This dedication replaces the service of the firstborn of Israel, affirming the unique, divinely ordained role of the Levites in the Tabernacle's operation.

Numbers 8 8 Word analysis

• Then you shall take (וְלָקַחְתָּ֣ - wə lā qaḥ-tā): This phrase indicates a direct divine command to Moses, emphasizing obligation and specific action. "Take" (laqakh) here means to acquire or provide, underscoring that these elements were required provisions for a sacred rite, not merely optional items. It denotes divine authorization and initiative.
• a bull (פַּ֣ר - par): Refers to a young bull, a valuable and substantial animal typically used in significant communal sacrifices or for high-ranking individuals and priests. Its size and worth emphasize the seriousness and significance of the upcoming consecration, signifying the gravity of sin or the scale of dedication required. In the Mosaic Law, bulls were commonly used for burnt offerings (dedication) and sin offerings (atonement), particularly for the congregation or its leaders.
• and its grain offering (וּמִנְחָתָ֖הּ - ū min-ḥā tāh): The grain offering (minchah) was a distinct offering of dedication and thanksgiving, symbolizing commitment and sustenance. It usually accompanied burnt offerings, representing a comprehensive dedication of self and produce to the LORD. It signifies an offering that acknowledged God's provision and the worshipper's dependence and gratitude.
• fine flour mixed with oil (סֹ֣לֶת בְּלוּלָ֣ה בַשָּׁ֑מֶן - sōleth bəlūlāh vaš-šāmen):
  • fine flour (solet): This specifies the highest quality of flour, completely sifted and free from impurities. This detail points to the necessity of purity, perfection, and wholeness in anything offered to God, representing the best.
  • mixed with oil (bəlūlāh vaš-šāmen): The flour was not just sprinkled with oil but "mixed," implying a thorough integration. Oil (shemen) throughout Scripture often symbolizes anointing, consecration, and the presence or influence of the Holy Spirit. Its inclusion here signifies the Levites' spiritual setting apart and empowerment for their divine task. It highlights that the grain offering was not just a material provision but imbued with spiritual significance for sanctification.
• and another bull (וּפַר־שֵׁנִ֣י - ū ḵ far-šē nî): The use of "another bull" clearly differentiates this offering from the first. It's a second, separate, and distinct sacrifice, highlighting two different purposes or aspects of atonement and dedication for the Levites.
• you shall take (תִּקַּ֖ח - tiq-qaḥ): Reiterates the direct command and Moses's responsibility in procuring the specific offering, similar to the first instance.
• for a sin offering (לְחַטָּֽאת - lə ḥaṭ-ṭā’ṯ): This is a critical designation. A chatta't offering (often translated "sin offering") was primarily for cleansing from impurity, whether ritual, unintentional sin, or negligence. Its purpose was to make atonement (to purge or purify) the offerer and reconcile them with God by dealing with the presence of sin or defilement that made them unfit for sacred interaction. For the Levites, this ensured that their unworthiness, inherited or unintentional, would not impede their access or service in God's holy presence. It signifies the cleansing required before any approach to a holy God.

Numbers 8 8 Bonus section

The sacrificial elements in Numbers 8:8 (bull, grain offering, sin offering) mirror the components often required for the consecration of priests (e.g., Ex 29, Lev 8). This parallelism highlights the Levites' quasi-priestly, dedicated role as intermediaries and servants to the priests, and the necessity of extreme purity for all who draw near to God in a sacred capacity. The precise quantities and types of sacrifices were divinely ordained, underscoring that atonement and access to God are not based on human invention or merit but on God's revealed requirements and grace. This prefigures the New Covenant understanding that the one perfect sacrifice of Christ was the exact requirement for full, eternal access to God.

Numbers 8 8 Commentary

Numbers 8:8 lays out the core sacrificial components for the Levites' inauguration. The presence of two bulls, accompanied by specific preparations, is deeply significant. The first bull, generally understood to be for a burnt offering (though not explicitly stated in this verse, its grain offering accompaniment often implies it), symbolizes total dedication, complete surrender, and acceptable approach to God. It represents the Levites' complete offering of themselves for divine service. The detailed "fine flour mixed with oil" points to the purity and divine anointing required for such consecration. The second bull, specifically designated "for a sin offering," addresses the pervasive need for purification from sin and impurity, without which no one could stand in God's holy presence. Even those chosen by God for sacred service first needed atonement. This dual requirement highlights the twin pillars of service: pure dedication and cleansed atonement. This ceremony prefigures the ultimate cleansing and dedication accomplished through Christ, who as our perfect sacrifice fulfills both the need for a spotless offering and the full removal of sin, enabling us to be a holy, dedicated "priesthood" to God (1 Pet 2:5, 9). It underscores that all ministry must flow from a posture of purification and consecrated surrender.