Numbers 8 · Verse 16

Numbers 8:16

For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
Numbers 8:16, King James Version

Numbers 8:16 in other translations

BSBFor the Levites have been wholly given to Me from among the sons of Israel. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, the firstborn of all the sons of Israel.
WEBFor they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of all who open the womb, even the firstborn of all the children of Israel, I have taken them to me.
ASVFor they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
YLT‘For they are certainly given to Me out of the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of him who openeth any womb--the first-born of all--from the sons of Israel I have taken them to Myself;
DARBYFor they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of every one that breaketh open the womb, instead of every firstborn among the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
BBEFor they have been given to me from among the children of Israel; in place of every mother's first son, the first to come to birth in Israel, I have taken them for myself.
WebsterFor they are wholly given to me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them to me.

What does Numbers 8:16 mean?

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 8:16 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.

כִּי֩kiforH3588
נְתֻנִ֨יםne.tu.Nim[are] assignedH5414
נְתֻנִ֥יםne.tu.NimassignedH5414
הֵ֙מָּה֙he.mahtheyH1992
לִ֔יLito <the> me
מִתּ֖וֹךְmi.Tokhfrom amongH8432
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
תַּחַת֩ta.Chatin place ofH8478
פִּטְרַ֨תpit.Rat[the] firstborn ofH6363
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
רֶ֜חֶםRe.chemwombH7358
בְּכ֥וֹרbe.Khor[the] firstborn ofH1060
כֹּל֙kolallH3605
מִבְּנֵ֣יmi.be.Neifrom [the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
לָקַ֥חְתִּיla.Kach.tiI have takenH3947
אֹתָ֖ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
לִֽי\׃Lifor <the> myself

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

Cross references for Numbers 8:16

  • Numbers 3:12

    And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

  • 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.

  • Numbers 3:9

    And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
wholly given.{Nethunim, nethunim,} "given; given;" The word being repeated, "because," says Bp. Patrick, "the children of Israel had devoted them to him, by laying their hands upon them, (ver. 10,) and Aaron had waved them as a wave-offering to the Lord." (ver. 11.)
instead of such.Houbigant, on the authority of the Samaritan, reads, "instead of every first-born of the children of Israel, who openeth the womb."
3:12,45

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

Context

  • Numbers 8:15

    And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.

  • Numbers 8:16

    For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

  • Numbers 8:17

    For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

Read all of Numbers 8

Numbers 8:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque enteramente me son á mí dados los Levitas de entre los hijos de Israel, en lugar de todo aquel que abre matriz; helos tomado para mí en lugar de los primogénitos de todos los hijos de Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		car ils me sont entièrement donnés du milieu des fils d’Israël: je les ai pris pour moi à la place de tous ceux qui ouvrent la matrice, de tous les premiers-nés d’entre les fils d’Israël.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn sie sind mir ganz zu eigen gegeben aus der Mitte der Kinder Israel; anstatt alles dessen, was die Mutter bricht, anstatt jedes Erstgeborenen aus den Kindern Israel habe ich sie mir genommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Pro primogenitis quæ aperiunt omnem vulvam in Israël, accepi eos.