Numbers 8:9 kjv
And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:
Numbers 8:9 nkjv
And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel.
Numbers 8:9 niv
Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting and assemble the whole Israelite community.
Numbers 8:9 esv
And you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel.
Numbers 8:9 nlt
Then assemble the whole community of Israel, and present the Levites at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
Numbers 8 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 3:12-13 | "Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of all the firstborn... The Levites shall be mine..." | Levites chosen as substitutes for firstborn. |
| Num 3:6 | "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him." | Instructions for Levites' role. |
| Num 4:4-5 | "This is the service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting: the most holy things... Aaron and his sons shall come and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it..." | Levites' specific duties defined. |
| Lev 8:3-4 | "Moses assembled the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Moses said to the congregation, 'This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.'" | Assembly for consecration. |
| Ex 29:4-9 | "You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting... you shall wash them with water... Then you shall take the garments and put them on Aaron..." | Priestly consecration also public. |
| Ex 19:8 | "All that the Lord has spoken we will do." And Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord. | Israel's commitment to obey. |
| Deut 31:12-13 | "Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law..." | Public assembly for instruction. |
| Josh 22:2-3 | "You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you... You have not forsaken your brothers these many days..." | Example of Israel's communal obedience. |
| Neh 8:1-3 | "And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate... And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that he had made for the purpose..." | Post-exilic public assembly for God's Word. |
| Ezra 10:1 | "While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly." | Assembly for repentance. |
| Acts 2:1 | "When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place." | Assembly for Holy Spirit outpouring. |
| Acts 15:6 | "The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter." | Church assembly for deliberation. |
| 1 Cor 14:26-33 | "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up... For God is not a God of confusion but of peace..." | Order in Christian assembly. |
| Heb 7:26 | "For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens." | Christ's ultimate separation for service. |
| Rom 12:1 | "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." | Personal consecration in NT. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." | Believers as a consecrated people. |
| Matt 18:20 | "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." | Significance of Christian gathering. |
| Psa 22:25 | "From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him." | Public worship and witness. |
| 1 Tim 3:15 | "if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." | Importance of corporate order in church. |
| Num 16:3 | "They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, 'You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?'" | Rebellion challenging appointed authority/assembly. |
| Num 20:8 | "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water." | Moses commanded to assemble congregation. |
| Ex 35:20 | "Then all the congregation of the people of Israel departed from the presence of Moses." | People dispersing after divine instruction. |
| Lev 1:3 | "If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish; he shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the Lord." | Approaching the Tent of Meeting for acceptance. |
| Ex 40:2 | "On the first day of the first month, you shall set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting." | Establishing the place of meeting. |
Numbers 8 verses
Numbers 8 9 Meaning
Numbers 8:9 instructs Moses to bring the Levites to the Tabernacle and gather the entire community of Israel. This assembly was a crucial step in their formal dedication and purification ceremony, publicly confirming their special role as servants of the Lord for the Tabernacle duties, chosen to represent and serve in place of the firstborn sons of Israel.
Numbers 8 9 Context
Numbers 8 continues the theme of organization and dedication within the Israelite camp in the wilderness, following the previous chapters that detail the census, camp arrangements, and the service of the Levites. Specifically, Numbers 8 outlines the purification and dedication process for the Levites. The verses immediately preceding (8:5-8) detail the instructions for the Levites' purification—sprinkling with water of purification, shaving their bodies, and washing their clothes.
This verse (8:9) initiates the public presentation aspect of their dedication. Moses, as God's appointed leader, is commanded to bring the purified Levites before the "tent of meeting" (the Tabernacle), the central place of God's presence, and to assemble "the whole congregation of the people of Israel." This public setting underscores the gravity and communal recognition of the Levites' special status and service.
Historically and culturally, public assemblies were vital for communal recognition, legal pronouncements, and religious ceremonies in ancient Near Eastern societies. For Israel, such gatherings served to formalize divine commands, ensure communal understanding and assent, and publicly witness sacred acts. The Levites were being set apart for divine service on behalf of the entire nation, taking the place of the firstborn (Num 3:12-13, 40-51). Therefore, their dedication was not a private Levitical affair but a national event affirming God's unique arrangement for His chosen people. Indirectly, this public ordination distinguished Israel's divine order from pagan practices, where priestly roles might arise from local custom or political maneuvering, rather than direct divine appointment witnessed by the entire community under specific purification rituals.
Numbers 8 9 Word analysis
- You shall bring: (Hikravta - הִקְרַבְתָּ) - Hiphil stem of qarab (קָרַב), meaning "to cause to approach," "to present," or "to bring near." This is a direct command from God to Moses, emphasizing Moses' divinely appointed role as the intermediary responsible for executing God's instructions concerning the Levites. It highlights the purposeful and authorized nature of this act.
- the Levites: (HaLeviim - הַלְוִיִּם) - The specific tribe of Levi, chosen by God to serve as assistants to the Aaronite priests in the care and transport of the Tabernacle and its sacred furnishings (Num 1:50; 3:5-9; 4:1-49). Their designation here is for a crucial step in their consecration for this specialized service.
- before the tent of meeting: (Lifnei Ohel Mo'ed - לִפְנֵי אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד) - "Before" (lifnei) signifies a place of honor, public display, and direct association with God's presence. The "Tent of Meeting" was the Tabernacle, the central portable sanctuary where God communicated with Moses and met with His people (Ex 25:22; 30:6, 36). Presenting the Levites here symbolized their entry into direct service of God Himself, at the heart of Israel's worship.
- and assemble: (Ve'hiqhalta - וְהִקְהַלְתָּ) - Hiphil stem of qahal (קָהַל), meaning "to call together," "to gather," or "to convene." Similar to "bring," this is a direct, imperative command to Moses to summon the entire nation. It denotes an official, communal gathering orchestrated by divine command for a sacred purpose.
- the whole congregation: (Kol Adat B'nei Yisrael - כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) - "The whole" (kol) emphasizes that no part of the community was to be excluded; it was a full, representative gathering. "Congregation" (edah) refers to the assembly of Israel, particularly when convened for religious or legal purposes. This underscores the national significance and communal assent to the Levites' appointment.
- of the people of Israel: (B'nei Yisrael - בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל) - "Sons of Israel," referring to the entire covenant community, descendants of Jacob. This phrase confirms the Levites' service was for and witnessed by the entire covenant people of God, emphasizing the corporate nature of their worship and responsibility.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting": This phrase specifies the subjects (Levites), the actor (Moses, commanded by God), the action (presenting), and the sacred location. It highlights the divine initiative and authority behind the Levites' dedication and their direct relation to the sanctuary and God's presence.
- "and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel": This second clause highlights the communal involvement and witness. The assembly of "the whole congregation" ensures transparency, validates the process, and allows the entire nation to participate in recognizing God's choice and the establishment of the Levitical service, which directly impacted every Israelite by replacing the firstborn.
Numbers 8 9 Bonus section
The communal assembly for the Levites' dedication (Num 8:9) carries significant theological weight. It serves as a reminder that God’s covenant structures for worship and service involve the entire community. The Levites were chosen as a substitution for the firstborn of Israel (Num 3:12-13, 40-51), linking their service to God's redemption of Israel during the Exodus (Ex 13:2, 12-15). Therefore, the act described in Num 8:9 was not just an administrative formality but a profound theological ceremony demonstrating Israel's corporate acknowledgment of God's redemptive work and His precise requirements for approaching His holiness through chosen intermediaries. This public dimension prevented any sense of elite status disconnected from the people and reinforced their role as servants of God on behalf of the people, for the sacred task of facilitating true worship.
Numbers 8 9 Commentary
Numbers 8:9 is a foundational instruction within the Levites' dedication ceremony. It commands Moses to initiate the public presentation of the Levites, a step crucial for legitimizing their role before all Israel. By gathering the entire congregation, God ensures that the appointment of the Levites is not a clandestine or self-proclaimed action, but a divinely ordained, communally witnessed event. This public display served several vital purposes: it formally transferred the responsibility of service from the firstborn to the Levites, ensured the transparency and acceptance of the Levites by the nation they served, and solemnized the holiness of their office. The placement "before the tent of meeting" underscores that their service was primarily for God and intimately connected to His holy presence. This act models the biblical principle that those set apart for special service within God's people are to be acknowledged and affirmed by the wider community, reflecting a corporate responsibility in upholding God's ordained order for worship and service.