The Lamps of the Lampstand
1Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said, 2“Speak to Aaron and tell him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” 3Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, just as Yahweh had commanded Moses. 4This was the design of the lampstand: hammered gold, from its base to its blossoms it was hammered work. According to the pattern Yahweh had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.
The Consecration of the Levites
5Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said, 6“Take the Levites from among the Israelites and cleanse them. 7This is what you shall do to cleanse them: sprinkle on them the water of purification, and have them shave their whole body with a razor and wash their clothes; so they shall cleanse themselves. 8Then let them take a young bull, together with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take a second young bull for a sin offering. 9You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the whole congregation of the Israelites. 10You shall bring the Levites before Yahweh, and the Israelites shall lay their hands on the Levites. 11Aaron shall present the Levites before Yahweh as a wave offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform the service of Yahweh. 12The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls; then offer the one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to Yahweh, to make atonement for the Levites. 13You shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and before his sons, and present them as a wave offering to Yahweh. 14In this way you shall set the Levites apart from among the Israelites, and the Levites shall be mine. 15After that, the Levites shall come to serve at the tent of meeting, once you have cleansed them and presented them as a wave offering. 16For they are wholly given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken them for myself in place of all who first open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites. 17For every firstborn among the Israelites is mine, both man and beast. On the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated them for myself, 18and I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites. 19I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service of the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the Israelites, so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.” 20Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of the Israelites did this for the Levites; just as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so the Israelites did for them. 21The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before Yahweh, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. 22After that the Levites came to perform their service at the tent of meeting, before Aaron and his sons. Just as Yahweh had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they did for them.
The Retirement Age
23Yahweh spoke to Moses. He said, 24“This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward, they shall come to take part in the work at the service of the tent of meeting. 25And from fifty years old, they shall retire from their service duties and serve no longer. 26They may assist their brothers at the tent of meeting in keeping the charge, but they shall not do the work itself. This is how you shall deal with the Levites regarding their duties.”
