Numbers 8 · Verse 10

Numbers 8:10

And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
Numbers 8:10, King James Version

Numbers 8:10 in other translations

BSBYou are to present the Levites before the LORD and have the Israelites lay their hands upon them.
WEBYou shall present the Levites before the LORD. The children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites,
ASVand thou shalt present the Levites before Jehovah. And the children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites:
YLTand thou hast brought near the Levites before Jehovah, and the sons of Israel have laid their hands on the Levites,
DARBYAnd thou shalt bring the Levites before Jehovah; and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites.
BBEAnd you are to take the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel are to put their hands on them:
WebsterAnd thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

What does Numbers 8:10 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 8:9-10

9-10. thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together, &c.--As it was plainly impossible that the whole multitude of the Israelites could do this, a select portion of them must be meant. This party, who laid their hands upon the Levites, are supposed by some to have been the first-born, who by that act, transferred their peculiar privilege of acting as God's ministers to the Levitical tribe…

Read the full comment on Numbers 8:9-10 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 10 Shall put their hands upon the Levites - It has been argued from this that the congregation had a part in the appointment of their own ministers, and that this was done by the imposition of hands. However that may be, it appears that what was done on this occasion meant no more than that the people gave up this whole tribe to God in place of their firstborn; and that by this act they bound themselves to provide for them who, because of their sacred service, could follow no secular work. And surely it was right, that they who served the altar should live by the altar. The ministers of God perform offices for the people which the people cannot perform for themselves; and nothing can be more reasonable than that the people should give them the necessaries and comforts of life while they are thus employed in their behalf.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 8:5-26

Here we have directions for the solemn ordination of the Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from others. All who are employed for God, must be dedicated to him, according to the employment. Christians must be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then…

Read the full comment on Numbers 8:5-26 →

Numbers 8:10 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהִקְרַבְתָּ֥ve.hik.rav.Taand you will bring nearH7126
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הַלְוִיִּ֖םhal.vi.Yimthe LevitesH3881
לִפְנֵ֣יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וְסָמְכ֧וּve.sa.me.Khuand they will layH5564
בְנֵי\־ve.nei-[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יְדֵיהֶ֖םye.dei.Hemhands theirH3027
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַלְוִיִּֽם\׃hal.vi.Yimthe LevitesH3881

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 8:10

  • Leviticus 1:4

    And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

  • Acts 6:6

    Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

  • 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.

  • 1 Timothy 5:22

    Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.

  • Acts 13:2-3

    As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

  • 1 Timothy 4:14

    Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:45; Le 1:4; Ac 6:6; 13:2,3; 1Ti 4:14; 5:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 8:9

    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 8:10

    And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

  • Numbers 8:11

    And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the Lord.

Read all of Numbers 8

Numbers 8:10 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando habrás hecho llegar los Levitas delante de Jehová, pondrán los hijos de Israel sus manos sobre los Levitas;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et tu feras approcher les Lévites devant l’ Éternel, et les fils d’Israël poseront leurs mains sur les Lévites;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und du sollst die Leviten vor Jehova herzutreten lassen, und die Kinder Israel sollen ihre Hände auf die Leviten legen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cumque Levitæ fuerint coram Domino, ponent filii Israël manus suas super eos.