Numbers 8 · Verse 26

Numbers 8:26

But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
Numbers 8:26, King James Version

Numbers 8:26 in other translations

BSBAfter that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”
WEBbut shall assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall perform no service. This is how you shall have the Levites do their duties.”
ASVbut shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.
YLTand he hath ministered with his brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and doth not do service; thus thou dost to the Levites concerning their charge.'
DARBYbut he shall minister with his brethren in the tent of meeting, and keep the charge, but he shall not serve in the service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites with regard to their charges.
BBEBut be with their brothers in the Tent of meeting, taking care of it but doing no work. This is what you are to do in connection with the Levites and their work.
WebsterBut shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites concerning their charge.

What does Numbers 8:26 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
26. But shall minister with their brethren--in the performance of easier and higher duties, instructing and directing the young, or superintending important trusts. "They also serve who only wait" [Milton].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 26 To keep the charge, and shall do no service - They shall no longer be obliged to perform any laborious service, but act as general directors and counsellors; therefore they were to be near the camp, sing praises to God, and see that no stranger or unclean person was permitted to enter. So the Jews and many other persons have understood this place. 1. If it required so much legal purity to fit the Levites for their work in the tabernacle, can we suppose that it requires less spiritual purity to fit ministers of the Gospel to proclaim the righteousness of the Most High, and administer the sacred ordinances of Christianity to the flock of Christ? If these must be without spot, as the priests before without blemish, and these were only typical men, we may rest assured that a Christian minister requires no ordinary measures of holiness to prepare him for an acceptable and profitable discharge of his office. 2. If the Christian ministry be established to prepare men for the kingdom of God, of the holiness of which the purity of the camp was but a faint emblem, how can any man expect to enter that place of blessedness, who has not his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water; his life and conversation agreeable to the sacred precepts laid down in the Gospel of Christ? If the law of Moses were more read in reference to the Gospel, the Gospel itself and its requisitions would be much better understood. Reader, however it may be with thee, Antinomianism is more general among religious people than is usually imagined. What multitudes of all denominations are expecting to enter into the kingdom of God without any proper preparation for the place! Without holiness none shall see the Lord; and from this decision of the Divine justice there shall never be any appeal.

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 8:26 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.

וְשֵׁרֵ֨תve.she.Retand he will serveH8334
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֶחָ֜יו'e.Chavbrothers hisH251
בְּאֹ֤הֶלbe.'O.helin [the] tent ofH168
מוֹעֵד֙mo.'EdmeetingH4150
לִשְׁמֹ֣רlish.Morby keepingH8104
מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶתmish.Me.reta dutyH4931
וַעֲבֹדָ֖הva.'a.vo.Dahand serviceH5656
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
יַעֲבֹ֑דya.'a.Vodhe will serveH5647
כָּ֛כָהKa.khahthusH3602
תַּעֲשֶׂ֥הta.'a.Sehyou will doH6213
לַלְוִיִּ֖םlal.vi.Yimto the LevitesH3881
בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם\׃\ \פbe.mish.me.ro.Tamin duties theirH4931

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

Cross references for Numbers 8:26

  • Numbers 1:53

    But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

  • 1 Timothy 4:15

    Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

  • Ezekiel 44:11

    Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.

  • Numbers 31:30

    And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the Lord.

  • 1 Chronicles 23:32

    And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 44:8

    And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.

  • 1 Chronicles 26:20-29

    And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli. The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were over the treasures of the house of the Lord. Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: …

  • Numbers 18:4

    And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

  • Numbers 3:32

    And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
to keep.
1:53; 3:32; 18:4; 31:30; 1Ch 23:32; 26:20-29; Eze 44:8,11
and shall.
1Ti 4:15

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

Context

  • Numbers 8:25

    And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:

  • Numbers 8:26

    But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

Read all of Numbers 8

Numbers 8:26 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Pero servirán con sus hermanos en el tabernáculo del testimonio, para hacer la guarda, bien que no servirán en el ministerio. Así harás de los Levitas cuanto á sus oficios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et il s’emploiera avec ses frères à la tente d’assignation, pour garder ce qui doit être gardé, mais il ne fera pas de service. Tu feras ainsi à l’égard des Lévites touchant leurs charges.
German
Elberfelder 1871		er mag seinen Brüdern helfen am Zelte der Zusammenkunft, um der Hut zu warten; aber Dienst soll er nicht tun. So sollst du mit den Leviten tun in ihren Obliegenheiten.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		eruntque ministri fratrum suorum in tabernaculo fœderis, ut custodiant quæ sibi fuerunt commendata: opera autem ipsa non faciant. Sic dispones Levitis in custodiis suis.