Numbers 8 commentary

NUMBERS 8 COMMENTARY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Setting Up the Lamps
1 The Lord said to Moses,
BARNES "The actual lighting of the lamps (compare the marginal references) was to
be done to set forth symbolically the special presence which God had now Num_7:89
actually established among His people.
GILL, "And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Whether immediately after the
offerings of the princes, or at another time, is not certain; Aben Ezra thinks it was in the
night God spake unto him, because then the lamps were lighted and burning:
HENRY 1-4, "Directions were given long before this for the making of the golden
candlestick (Exo_25:31), and it was made according to the pattern shown to Moses in
the mount, Exo_38:17. But now it was that the lamps were first ordered to be lighted,
when other things began to be used. Observe, 1. Who must light the lamps; Aaron
himself, he lighted the lamps, Num_8:3. As the people's representative to God, he thus
did the office of a servant in God's house, lighting his Master's candle; as the
representative of God to the people, he thus gave them the intimations of God's will and
favour, thus expressed (Psa_18:28), Thou wilt light my candle; and thus Aaron himself
was now lately directed to bless the people, The Lord make his face to shine upon thee,
Num_6:25. The commandment is a lamp, Pro_6:23. The scripture is a light shining in a
dark place, 2Pe_1:19. And a dark place indeed even the church would be without it, as
the tabernacle (which had no window in it) without the lamps. Now the work of
ministers is to light these lamps, by expounding and applying the word of God. The
priest lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest of the lamps he
lighted one from another, which (says Mr. Ainsworth) signifies that the fountain of all
light and knowledge is in Christ, who has the seven spirits of God figured by the seven
lamps of fire (Rev_4:5), but that in the expounding of scripture one passage must
borrow light from another. He also supposes that, seven being a number of perfection,
by the seven branches of the candlestick is shown the full perfection of the scriptures,
which are able to make us wise to salvation. 2. To what end the lamps were lighted, that
they might give light over against the candlestick, that is, to that part of the tabernacle
where the table stood, with the show-bread upon it, over against the candlestick. They
were not lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give light to the other
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side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles are lighted, Mat_5:15. Note, The lights of the
world, the lights of the church, must shine as lights. Therefore we have light, that we
may give light.
JAMISON,"Num_8:1-4. How the Lamps are to lighted.
the Lord spake unto Moses — The order of this chapter suggests the idea that the
following instructions were given to Moses while he was within the tabernacle of the
congregation, after the princes had completed their offering. But from the tenor of the
instructions, it is more likely that they were given immediately after the Levites had been
given to the priests (see Numbers 3:1-4:49), and that the record of these instructions
had been postponed till the narrative of other transactions in the camp had been made
[Patrick].
K&D 1-4, "Consecration of the Levites. - The command of God to consecrate the
Levites for their service, is introduced in Num_8:1-4 by directions issued to Aaron with
regard to the lighting of the candlestick in the dwelling of the tabernacle. Aaron was to
place the seven lamps upon the candlestick in such a manner that they would shine ‫ָיו‬‫נ‬ָ‫פּ‬
‫ל־מוּל‬ ֶ‫.א‬ These directions are not a mere repetition, but also a more precise definition, of
the general instructions given in Exo_25:37, when the candlestick was made, to place the
seven lamps upon the candlestick in such a manner that each should give light over
against its front, i.e., should throw its light upon the side opposite to the front of the
candlestick. In itself, therefore, there is nothing at all striking in the renewal and
explanation of those directions, which committed the task of lighting the lamps to
Aaron; for this had not been done before, as Exo_27:21 merely assigns the daily
preparation of the candlestick to Aaron and his sons; and their being placed in the
connection in which we find them may be explained from the signification of the seven
lamps in relation to the dwelling of God, viz., as indicating that Israel was thereby to be
represented perpetually before the Lord as a people causing its light to shine in the
darkness of this world. And when Aaron is commanded to attend to the lighting of the
candlestick, so that it may light up the dwelling, in these special instructions the entire
fulfilment of his service in the dwelling is enforced upon him as a duty. In this respect
the instructions themselves, coupled with the statement of the fact that Aaron had
fulfilled them, stand quite appropriately between the account of what the tribe-princes
had done for the consecration of the altar service as representatives of the congregation,
and the account of the solemn inauguration of the Levites in their service in the
sanctuary. The repetition on this occasion (Exo_27:4) of an allusion to the artistic
character of the candlestick, which had been made according to the pattern seen by
Moses in the mount (Exo_25:31.), is quite in keeping with the antiquated style of
narrative adopted in these books.
COFFMAN, "This chapter devotes a short paragraph (Numbers 8:1-4) to the
lighting of the sacred candlestick, and the balance of the chapter (Numbers 8:5-26)
regards the cleansing or purifying of the Levites for their service in the tabernacle.
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The information here is supplementary to that given in previous chapters of the
Pentateuch. Much of the Pentateuch appears somewhat in the form of a Mosaic
diary, but without any strict attention to the chronological fixation regarding the
subjects treated. This structure does not indicate the blending of variant sources,
nor contradictory accounts, but happens to be the manner in which Moses produced
the book. Many of the critical community think they could have done a much better
job, but unfortunately, none of them were ever entrusted with the responsibility for
such a narrative as this!
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him,
When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the
candlestick. And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof so as to give light in
front of the candlestick, as Jehovah commanded Moses. And this was the work of
the candlestick, beaten work of gold; unto the base thereof, and unto the flowers
thereof, it was beaten work: according unto the pattern which Jehovah had showed
Moses, so he made the candlestick."
The special consideration here is the actual lighting of the candlestick. One of the
major characteristics of the sacred narrative is that of returning over and over
again to the same subject, with additional details or instructions added in each
reference. The same sacred pattern is here:
The details of the lampstand are given elsewhere: (1) in Exodus 25:31-40, where it is
planned; (2) in Exodus 37:17-34, where it is made; (3) in Exodus 40:24,25, where it
is actually set up; (4) in Leviticus 24:2, where details for the sacred oil is given; and
(5) here we find the actual lighting of it in a particular manner.[1]
"In front of the candlestick ..." (Numbers 8:2). This was necessary because the
candlestick was the only source of light within the sanctuary, and the purpose here
was evidently that of causing light to illuminate the whole area as much as possible.
Efforts of some critics to deny the early existence of this seven-branched candlestick
have been totally frustrated. "Excavations at Dothan by Joseph P. Free have found
a seven-lipped ceramic lamp from early strata."[2] "These directions are not a mere
repetition, but a more precise definition of how the lights were to be lighted."[3]
The symbolism of the sacred candlestick was presented at length in my Commentary
on Exodus. The true symbolism is the representation therein of Christ, the Word of
God (Christ is the Word), and the Church (the Church is Christ in the sense of
being his spiritual body). Among the many foolish notions about what the
candlestick symbolized are: (1) the seven openings in the human head; (2) "They
represent the seven sources of earthly light, the sun, moon, and the five planets."[4]
Such errors come from reading ancient mythology and not from the Bible.
"Speak unto Aaron ..." (Numbers 8:2). Aaron actually lighted the lamp.
The course he was ordered to follow was first to light the middle lamp from the
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altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each other: symbolical that all the light of
heavenly truth is derived from Christ, and diffused by his ministers throughout the
world.[5] (Unger adds this on the symbolism): The true Aaron lighted the lamps
when he ascended on high and sent the Holy Spirit (the oil in the lamps) to bear
witness of Himself.[6]
"Beaten work of gold ..." (Numbers 8:4). This repetition of the material of which the
candlestick was made according to the pattern God had shown Moses in the mount
(Exodus 25:31ff) is exactly "in keeping with the antiquated style of narrative
adopted in these books."[7]
EBC, "2. THE CANDELABRUM
Numbers 8:1-4
The seven-branched candlestick with its lamps stood in the outer chamber of the
tabernacle into which the priests had frequently to go. When the curtain at the
entrance of the tent was drawn aside during the day there was abundance of light in
the Holy Place, and then the lamps were not required. It may indeed appear from
Exodus 27:20, that one lamp of the seven fixed on the candelabrum was to be kept
burning by day as well as by night. Doubt, however, is thrown on this by the
command, repeated Leviticus 24:1-4, that Aaron shall order it "from evening to
morning"; and Rabbi Kimehi’s statement that the "western lamp" was always
found burning cannot be accepted as conclusive. In the wilderness, at all events, no
lamp could be kept always alight: and from 1 Samuel 3:3 we learn that the Divine
voice was heard by the child-prophet when Eli was laid down in his place, "and the
lamp of God was not yet gone out" in the temple where the ark of God was. The
candelabrum therefore seems to have been designed not specially as a symbol, but
for use. And here direction is given, "When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps
shall give light in front of the candlestick." All were to be so placed upon the
supports that they might shine across the Holy Place, and illuminate the altar of
incense and the table of shewbread.
The text goes on to state that the candlestick was all of beaten work of gold; "unto
the base thereof and unto the flowers thereof, it was beaten work," and the pattern
was that which Jehovah had showed Moses. The material, the workmanship, and
the form, not particularly important in themselves, are anew referred to because of
the special sacredness belonging to all the furniture of the tabernacle.
The attempt to fasten typical meanings to the seven lights of the candelabrum, to the
ornaments and position, and especially to project those meanings into the Christian
Church, has little warrant even from the Book of Revelation, where Christ speaks as
"He that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks." There can be no
doubt, however, that symbolic references may be found, illustrating in various ways
the subjects of revelation and the Christian life.
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The "tent of meeting" may represent to us that chamber or temple of reverent
inquiry where the voice of the Eternal is heard, and His glory and holiness are
realised by the seeker after God. It is a chamber silent, solemn, and dark, curtained
in such gloom, indeed, that some have maintained there is no revelation to be had,
no glimpse of Divine life or love. But as the morning sunshine flowed into the Holy
Place when the hangings were drawn aside, so from the natural world light may
enter the chamber in which fellowship with God is sought. "The invisible things of
Him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the
things that are made, even His everlasting power and divinity." The world is not
God, its forces are not in the true sense elemental-do not belong to the being of the
Supreme. But it bears witness to the infinite mind, the omnipotent will it cannot fitly
represent. In the silence of the tent of meeting, when the light of nature shines
through the door that opens to the sunrise, we realise that the inner mystery must be
in profound accord with the outer revelation-that He who makes the light of the
natural world must be in Himself the light of the spiritual world; that He who
maintains order in the great movements and cycles of the material universe,
maintains a like order in the changes and evolutions of the immaterial creation.
Yet the light of the natural world shining thus into the sacred chamber, while it aids
the seeker after God in no small degree, fails at a certain point. It is too hard and
glaring for the hour of most intimate communion. By night, as it were, when the
world is veiled and silent, when the soul is shut alone in earnest desire and thought,
then it is that the highest possibilities of intercourse with the unseen life are realised.
And then, as the seven-branched candlestick with its lamps illuminated the Holy
Place, a radiance which belongs to the sanctuary of life must supply the soul’s need.
On the curtained walls, on the altar, on the veil whose heavy folds guard the most
holy mysteries, this light must shine. Nature does not reveal the life of the Ever-
Living, the love of the All-Loving, the will of the All-Holy. In the conscious life and
love of the soul, created anew after the plan and likeness of God in Christ, -here is
the light. The unseen God is the Father of our spirits. The lamps of purified reason,
Christ-born faith and love, holy aspiration, are those which dispel the darkness on
our side the veil. The Word and the Spirit give the oil by which those lamps are fed.
Must we say that with the Father, Christ also, who once lived on earth, is in the
inner chamber which our gaze cannot penetrate? Even so. A thick curtain is
interposed between the earthly and the heavenly. Yet while by the light which shines
in his own soul the seeker after God regards the outer chamber-its altar, its
shewbread, its walls, and canopy-his thought passes beyond the veil. The altar is
fashioned according to a pattern and used according to a law which God has given.
It points to prayer, thanksgiving, devotion, that have their place in human life
because facts exist out of which they arise-the beneficence, the care, the claims of
God. The table of shewbread represents the spiritual provision made for the soul
which cannot live but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God. The
continuity of the outer chamber with the inner suggests the close union there is
between the living soul and the living God-and the veil itself, though it separates, is
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no jealous and impenetrable wall of division. Every sound on this side can be heard
within; and the Voice from the mercy seat, declaring the will of the Father through
the enthroned Word, easily reaches the waiting worshipper to guide, comfort, and
instruct. By the light of the lamps kindled in our spiritual nature the things of God
are seen; and the lamps themselves are witnesses to God. They burn and shine by
laws He has ordained, in virtue of powers that are not fortuitous nor of the earth.
The illumination they give on this side the veil proves clearly that within it the
Parent Light, glorious, never-fading, shines - transcendent reason, pure and
almighty will, unchanging love-the lifewhich animates the universe.
Again, the symbolism of the candlestick has an application suggested by Revelation
1:20. Now, the outer chamber of the tabernacle in which the lamps shine represents
the whole world of human life. The temple is vast; it is the temple of the universe.
Still the veil exists; it separates the life of men on earth from the life in heaven, with
God. Isaiah in his oracles of redemption spoke of a coming revolution which should
open the world to Divine light. "He will destroy in this mountain the face of the
covering that is cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations."
And the light itself, still as proceeding from a Hebrew centre, is described in the
second book of the Isaiah prophecies: "For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her righteousness go forth as
brightness and her salvation as a lamp that burneth. And the nations shall see thy
righteousness and all kings thy glory." But the prediction was not fulfilled until the
Hebrew merged in the human and He came who, as the Son of Man, is the true light
which lighteth every man coming into the world.
Dark was the outer chamber of the great temple when the Light of life first shone,
and the darkness comprehended it not. When the Church was organised, and the
apostles of our Lord, bearing the gospel of Divine grace, went through the lands,
they addressed a world still under the veil of which Isaiah spoke. But the spiritual
enlightenment of mankind proceeded; the lamps of the candlestick, set in their
places, showed the new altar, the new table of heavenly bread, a feast spread for all
nations, and made the ignorant and earthly aware that they stood within a temple
consecrated by the offering of Christ. St. John saw in Asia, amid the gross darkness
of its seven great cities, seven lamp-stands with their lights, some increasing, some
waning in brightness. The sacred flame was carried from country to country, and in
every centre of population a lamp was kindled. There was no seven-branched
candelabrum merely, but one of a hundred, of a thousand arms. And all drew their
oil from the one sacred source, cast more or less bravely the same Divine
illumination on the dark eye of earth.
True, the world had its philosophy and poetry, using, often with no little power, the
themes of natural religion. In the outer chamber of the temple the light of nature
gleamed on the altar, on the shewbread, on the veil. But interpretation failed, faith
in the unseen was mixed with dreams, no real knowledge was gained of what the
folds of the curtain hid-the mercy-seat, the holy law that called for pure worship
and love of one Living and True God. And then the darkness that fell when the
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Saviour hung on the cross, the darkness of universal sin and condemnation, was
made so deeply felt that in the shadow of it the true light might be seen, and the
lamp of every church might glow, a beacon of Divine mercy shining across the
troubled life of man. And the world has responded, will respond, with greater
comprehension and joy, as the Gospel is proclaimed with finer spirit, embodied with
greater zeal in lives of faith and love. Christ in the truth, Christ in the sacraments,
Christ in the words and deeds of those who compose His Church-this is the light.
The candlestick of every life, of every body of believers, should be as of beaten gold.
no base metal mixed with that which is precious. He who fashions his character as a
Christian is to have the Divine idea before him and re-think it; those who build the
Church are to seek its purity, strength, and grace. But still the light must come from
God, not from man, the light that burned on the altar of the Divine sacrifice and
shines from the glorious personality of the risen Lord.
PETT, "Chapter 8 Yahweh’s Further Response.
The One represented by the Voice now set aside three things in order to manifest
Himself to His people, the lampstand, the Levites and the Passover. The lampstand
would manifest His glory, a permanent reminder that while they were faithful His
light would shine on them continually, the Levites would be a permanent living
reminder of His activity on their behalf, the Passover a permanent annual reminder
that He was the Great Deliverer.
Analysis.
· The lamps on the lampstand were to be lit in order to give light in front of
the lampstand (Numbers 8:1-2).
· Aaron did this. He did exactly as Yahweh commanded Moses. He lighted the
lamps to give light in front of the lampstand (Numbers 8:3).
· The description of the lampstand (Numbers 8:4 a).
· The lampstand was made in accordance with the pattern shown in the Mount
(Numbers 8:4 b).
Verses 1-4
Chapter 8 Yahweh’s Further Response.
The One represented by the Voice now set aside three things in order to manifest
Himself to His people, the lampstand, the Levites and the Passover. The lampstand
would manifest His glory, a permanent reminder that while they were faithful His
light would shine on them continually, the Levites would be a permanent living
reminder of His activity on their behalf, the Passover a permanent annual reminder
7

that He was the Great Deliverer.
Analysis.
· The lamps on the lampstand were to be lit in order to give light in front of
the lampstand (Numbers 8:1-2).
· Aaron did this. He did exactly as Yahweh commanded Moses. He lighted the
lamps to give light in front of the lampstand (Numbers 8:3).
· The description of the lampstand (Numbers 8:4 a).
· The lampstand was made in accordance with the pattern shown in the Mount
(Numbers 8:4 b).
Numbers 8:1
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’
Again we have reference to the fact that we have here the words of Yahweh spoken
through Moses, but here with the added significance that it is made clear that they
came through the Voice.
PULPIT, "The Lord spake unto Moses. It does not appear when. The attempt of
modern commentators to find a real connection between this section and the
offering of the princes or the consecration of the Levites is simply futile. Such
connection may be imagined, but the same ingenuity would obviously be equally
successful if this section had been inserted in any other place from Exodus 37:1-29,
to the end of this book. The more probable explanation will be given below.
BI 1-4, "When thou lightest the lamps.
The golden candlestick an emblem of the Church of God
I. The preciousness and sacredness of the church of God.
II. The light of the church of God.
III. The ministers of the church of God, and their function.
IV. The function of the church of God. “I would not give much for your religion,” says
Spurgeon, “unless it can be seen. Lamps do not talk; but they do shine. A lighthouse
sounds no drum, it beats no gong; and yet far over the waters its friendly spark is seen by
the mariner. So let your actions shine out your religion. Let the main sermon of your life
be illustrated by all your conduct, and it shall not fail to be illustrious.” Application:
1. To individuals. Are our lives luminous in the light of the Lord Jesus Christ?
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2. To Churches. Are we making good our claim to a place in “the Church of the living
God” by taking our part in performing the Divine function of that Church? Are we
diffusing the light of God in Christ in this dark world? (W. Jones.)
Moulded and beaten work
(with Exo_32:4):—I have chosen these two texts to point out an instructive lesson
regardng the easiness of sin and the difficulty of holiness. The material of the golden calf
which Aaron constructed was poured into a mould and shaped without trouble; the
material of the seven-branched candlestick had to be beaten out carefully and slowly
with much toil and pains.
I. The pattern of the calf was easily constructed; it required no originality, no effort of
thought, only an exercise of memory; and Aaron cast their golden jewels into the familiar
mould, and out of it came the familiar image. So easy, so natural, so inevitable was the
process, that Aaron used language regarding it which seemed to imply that, when he
lighted the furnace and poured into the mould the molten gold, the image of the calf
came out of its own accord. It may be further remarked that, in order to get the image
sharp and clear out of the mould, Aaron must have put into the gold an alloy of some
inferior metal, or it was already in the ornaments of the Israelites. And is this not true of
all sin? It has a mould prepared for it in a world lying in wickedness, and in the deceitful
heart of man. The pattern of sin is as old as Adam. The first transgression was not only
the root, but also the type of every transgression, just as the whole plant is a
development and modification of the primitive leaf, and constructed after its pattern.
Why is it that we think so little of articles cast in a mould, in comparison with those
wrought by hand? Is it not because these moulded articles are easily made, involving the
smallest expenditure of toil or time or thought? They can be manufactured and
multiplied by the thousand with the greatest ease once the mould is formed. The maker
puts as little as possible of himself into them. He is not an artist, but a mere mechanic.
The essence of all sin is a desire to get things in the easiest way—to run things into
moulds, rather than to hew or carve or build them with slow, patient toil and care. And
hence when persons do not take thought or trouble to do what is right, they always
blame circumstances and not themselves for the wrong. When they do not resist
temptation they say that they could not help themselves. Sin is regarded as a misfortune
demanding pity, and not a wilful act drawing down condemnation.
II. The material of the seven-branched golden candlestick was not run into a mould
already prepared for it. It was all hand-made work. It was the most elaborate of all the
vessels of the sanctuary, because it represented the result of what all the other vessels
typified and led up to—the light of the world, and yet it was beaten out of one solid piece
of gold. The workman who fashioned it must have pondered minutely over every part,
and bestowed immense labour and skill upon all its details; the pattern and symmetry of
the whole must have been clearly in his mind, while from one mass of metal he beat out
each shaft and floral ornament. The whole idea of it implied personal thought and toil
and care. While it is easy for man to sin, it is difficult for man to be holy. He finds
moulds for his sin lying ready to his hand, without any trouble. But he has to fashion, as
it were, by the toil of his hands and the sweat of his soul, with the Divine help, the means
by which he may be rescued from his sin and folly. We can mould a false diamond in
glass or paste in a few minutes; but nature requires ages of slow, patient workmanship to
crystallise the real diamond from the dark charcoal. We can cover common deal wood
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with an exquisitely grained veneer of walnut or mahogany at a small expense and with
little effort; but the grain of the walnut or mahogany represents many years of strain and
struggle, during which the tree grew its beautiful markings. Thus in the human world we
can make easy imitations of moral and spiritual qualities, which when genuine can only
be produced by slow, patient self-discipline, by many prayers and tears and toils. The
paste diamond of religion, that glitters so brightly and deceives so many, can be
manufactured in the mould of easy compliance with outward church duties and rites; the
veneer of godliness can be assumed by a profession which costs nothing, and makes no
demand of self-sacrifice upon the inner nature. But the deliverance from sin and the
formation of holiness, which the salvation of Christ implies and involves, can only be
through toil and suffering. (H. Macmillan, D. D.)
The littered lamp
Who must light the lamps? Aaron himself (Num_8:3). As the people’s representative to
God, he thus did the office of a servant in God’s house, lighting his Master’s candle. As
the representative of God to the people, he thus gave them the significations of God’s
will and favour, which is thus expressed (Psa_18:28). And thus Aaron himself was now
lately directed to bless the people, “The Lord make His face to shine upon thee” (Num_
6:25). The commandment is a lamp (Pro_6:23). The Scripture is a light shining in a dark
place (2Pe_1:19). And a dark place indeed even the Church would be without it, as the
tabernacle without the lamps, for it had no window in it. Now the work of ministers is to
light these lamps, by expounding and applying the Word of God. The priest lighted the
middle lamp from the fire of the altar; and the rest of the lamps he lighted one from
another : which signifieth that the fountain of all light and knowledge cometh from
Christ, who has the seven spirits of God, figured by the seven lamps of fire (Rev_4:5);
but that in expounding of Scripture, one passage must borrow light from another. He
also supposeth, that seven being a number of perfection, by the seven branches of the
candlestick is showed the full perfection of the Scriptures, which are able to make us
wise to salvation.
2. To what end the lamps were lighted; that they might give light over against the
candlestick, i.e., to the part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the
shewbread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not lighted like tapers in
an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give light to the other side of the tabernacle, for
therefore candles are lighted (Mat_5:15). The lights of the world, the lights of the
Church, must shine as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light.
(Matthew Henry, D. D.)
Men who would quench the light of truth
No light shone from the Ship Shoal Lighthouse, near Morgan City, U.S., on two
consecutive nights in February. The unusual darkness at that point caused some
surprise, but surprise was turned into indignation when the facts became known. One of
the keepers had seen a man in a boat who needed assistance, his vessel being becalmed.
The keeper kindly towed the boat to the lighthouse and treated the man hospitably. In
the night the guest made a murderous attack on the two lighthouse-keepers, shooting
both of them and inflicting dangerous wounds. He held possession of the lighthouse for
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forty-eight hours, during which he never lighted the lamps. Then, as he could not find
food, he surrendered. A man more utterly depraved it is difficult to imagine. But there
are many infidels who are trying to murder men’s souls and to quench the warning light
of the Bible.
Luminous centres:—The globe of the earth is surrounded by a mass of atmosphere
extending forty or fifty miles above the surface. Each particle of air is a luminous centre,
receiving its light from the sun, and it radiates light in every direction. Were it not for
this, the sun’s light could only penetrate those spaces which are directly accessible to his
rays. Thus, the sun shining upon the window of an apartment would illuminate just so
much of that apartment as would be exposed to his direct rays, the remainder being in
darkness. But we find, on the contrary, that although that part of the room upon which
the sun directly shines is more brilliantly illuminated than the surrounding parts, these
latter are nevertheless strongly illuminated. In the social world, too, there are luminous
centres. These are noble souls, who, being especially blessed themselves, diffuse in every
direction some of the blessings which they have received. Were it not for them, and their
power of spreading brightness, goodness, and joy, the world would be indeed rayless and
cold. (Scientific Illustrations.)
Secondary graces to be kept burning
On a dark stormy night, when the waves rolled like mountains, and not a star was to be
seen, a boat was rocking and plunging near the Cleveland harbour. “Are you sure this is
Cleveland?” asked the captain, seeing only one light from the lighthouse. “Quite sure,
sir,” replied the pilot. “Where are the lower lights?” “Gone out, sir.” “Can you make the
harbour?” “We must, or perish, sir!” And with a strong hand and a brave heart the old
pilot turned the wheel. But, alas I in the darkness he missed the channel, and with a
crash upon the rocks the boat was shivered, and many a life lost in a watery grave.
Brethren, the Master will take care of the great lighthouse; let us keep the lower lights
burning!
Obligation to keep the light burning
It is one of the chief temptations of Christians, and not least of those whose candlestick
is the lofty one of the pulpit, to think unduly of themselves. Our anxiety should be, not,
What do you think of us? but, What do you think of our message? Not, Do you esteem
the light-holder? but, Do you walk in the light? This truth has likewise its application, on
the other hand, for the pew. You go away, and ask, How did you like the sermon? but go
home to-day, and ask yourselves, How did you like the truth? You may be ever so well
pleased with sermons, and be none the better; but, if you receive the truth, it will save
your soul; if you light your candle at the fire of God’s altar, it will burn for ever. And
while it shines for your own soul, it will shine through your life, as through lantern, for
the good of others also. Only “let your light shine before men,” and they, “seeing your
good works, will glorify your Father in heaven.” Let it! It is its property to shine, if it gets
fair treatment. It is not a question of the numbers, or rank, or influence of those who
shall see it. Eyes or no eyes, you have to shine. The gentian fringes the mountain glacier
with its drapery of blue, though seldom a human eye may look upon it. The desert melon
smells with a refreshing draught for the wayfarer, though not a human foot in half a
century should pass that way. There God has placed it in readiness. If you help to light to
heaven and happiness the humblest of God’s creatures, you have done a glorious work.
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The Admiralty order carries with it a lesson to the believer. “Light the lamps every
evening at sunsetting, and keep them constantly burning, bright and clear, till
sunrising.” There are no qualifications and no exceptions. If, in the world’s night, no
lamp were dim, and no light kindled by God’s hand were shaded, it were happier for
sinning and suffering humanity. It is only here we have the opportunity to shine in
darkness. When the morning of the eternal day dawns upon us, our light shall be
swallowed up in the surpassing glory, that needs no light from sun or moon. No bed or
sofa is permitted in the watch-room of the lighthouse. None must be tempted to slumber
at a post of so much responsibility. And, if such needful guarantees are taken for the
safety of those who navigate our seas, is there less need for earnestness and watchfulness
to remove peril from the way of those whose voyage must conduct either to glory or to
ruin? No slumberous hours, no unguarded moments for those to whom the heavenly
light has been entrusted. Nor must danger keep you back from duty. I have read of the
keeper of an island lighthouse whose provisions were exhausted, whose frame was
emaciated, and to whom the stormy sea for weeks suffered no access or relief, nightly
lighting his lamp with an almost dying hand. Anything better than that no warning ray
should stream across that perilous channel (R. H. Lundie, M. A,)
Importance of a small light
Once I was down a coalmine. The man who received me was black and grimy, but he had
an honest heart, and his smile was like sunlight crossing the grime. Down in the bowels
of the mountain, dark and cheerless, I noticed his little oil-lamp. I knew that there was a
sun blazing away up in the solar universe, but what was that? What concerned me down
in the pit was the miner’s little lamp, the wick so tiny, the oil so very scanty, the flicker of
flame so little noticed, yet it was more precious to me at that time than the blazing sun.
Oh believe me for effective work in the mass of a lost humanity, in the blackness and
darkness of this fallen world, I believe Christ prizes more the little flicker of a humble
Christian who will go and visit a sick one this Sabbath afternoon, than the blazing sun of
this public assembly. Oh, you can cheer the heart of God by letting your light shine
unnoticed by the world, but be assured that He notices it. (John Robertson.)
The glory of an unobtrusive light
The light of a true spiritual life must shine more or less conspicuously. From a gifted
speaker or writer, it may stream out widely and afar, like the gleam of a beacon flaming
from a mountain top. From an unendowed, retiring, obscure disciple, it may be only as
the light of a lamp in a narrow room, noticed by few, yet not entirely lost to the view of
men. A charming writer, speaking of such a modest soul, says: A tiny flitting bird of
slight song may with careful scrutiny be seen twisting in and out of the drooping fir
tassels. Many would pass it unnoticed, but the observant eye will detect the gleam of a
gold circlet upon the tiny gold-crested wren. Thus men will pass unregarding many a
noiseless, retired worker for God in some sphere of seclusion and shade. But they who
watch and know will be aware at times of the light of a saint’s glory encircling the modest
head.”
Liberality and service viewed in the light of the sanctuary
Having read, in chapter 7., the lengthened statement of the princes’ liberality, we, in our
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wisdom, might suppose that the next thing in order would be the consecration of the
Levites, thus presenting, in unbroken connection, “our persons and offerings.” But no.
The Spirit of God causes the light of the sanctuary to intervene, in order that we may
learn in it the true object of all liberality and service in the wilderness. Is there not lovely
and moral appropriateness in this? Why have we not the golden altar, with its cloud of
incense, here? Why not the pure table, with its twelve loaves? Because neither of these
would have the least moral connection with what goes before or what follows after; but
the golden candlestick stands connected with both, inasmuch as it shows us that all
liberality and all work must be viewed in the light of the sanctuary, in order to ascertain
its real worth. Those “seven lamps” express the light of the Spirit in testimony. They
were connected with the beaten shaft of the candlestick which typifies Christ, who, in
His Person and work, is the foundation of the Spirit’s work in the Church. All depends
upon Christ. Every ray of light in the Church, in the individual believer, or in Israel by
and by, all flows from Christ. Nor is this all we learn from our type. “The seven lamps
shall give light over against the candlestick.” Were we to clothe this figure in New
Testament language, we should quote our Lord’s words when He says to us, “Let your
light so shine before men,” &c. (Mat_5:16). Wherever the true light of the Spirit shines it
will always yield a clear testimony to Christ. It will call attention not to itself, but to Him;
and this is the way to glorify God. This is a great practical truth for all Christians. The
very finest evidence which can be afforded of true spiritual work is that it tends directly
to exalt Christ. If attention be sought for the work or the workman, the light has become
dim, and the Minister of the sanctuary must use the snuffers. It was Aaron’s province to
light tile lamps; and he it was who trimmed them likewise. In other words, the light
which, as Christians, we are responsible to yield, is not only founded upon Christ, but
maintained by Him, from moment to moment, throughout the entire night. Apart from
Him we can do nothing. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
2 “Speak to Aaron and say to him, ‘When you set
up the lamps, see that all seven light up the area in
front of the lampstand.’”
CLARKE, "The seven lamps shall give light - The whole seven shall be lighted at
one time, that seven may be ever burning.
GILL, "Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him,.... It being his work to light the
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lamps, though, as Ben Gersom observes, it was not incumbent on an high priest alone to
do this, for it also belonged to the sons of Aaron, who were common priests, Exo_27:21;
though it is probable that as this was the first time of lighting them, it might be done by
Aaron himself, his sons attending and assisting him; in which he was an eminent type of
Christ, the great High Priest, who lights the lamps in all his golden candlesticks, the
churches, Rev_1:20, and from whom they have all their light and all the supplies of it:
when thou lightest the lamps; which was done at evening, Exo_30:8; pointing at the
great light set up by Christ, the light of the world, in the evening of it, in the last days:
the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick; the Targum of
Jonathan is,"at the same time of thy lighting the lamps over against the candlestick,
there shall be seven lamps giving light: three on the west side and three on the east side,
and the seventh in the middle:''and in the like order Jarchi places them, who observes,
that the three eastward looked over against the middlemost, the wicks that were in them;
and so the three westward, the tops of the wicks were over against the middlemost: and
he also observes, that the middlemost lamp was no other than the body of the
candlestick, and so all the rest of the lamps were over against and looked to that; and
this is the sense of Maimonides (m), and other Jewish writers; but the truer meaning of
the phrase is, that the seven lamps gave light, as they were to do, to that part of the holy
place that was opposite to the candlestick, the north part of it, where stood the
shewbread table, the candlestick being in the south, Exo_40:22; that the table of the
Lord might have light, as it was proper it should; and the priests might see to set on and
take off the bread, which otherwise they could not, there being no window in the place;
See Gill on Exo_25:37.
JAMISON,"Speak unto Aaron, etc. — The candlestick, which was made of one solid,
massive piece of pure gold, with six lamps supported on as many branches, a seventh in
the center surmounting the shaft itself (Exo_25:31; Exo_37:17), and completed
according to the pattern shown in the mount, was now to be lighted, when the other
things in the sanctuary began to be applied to religious service. It was Aaron’s personal
duty, as the servant of God, to light His house, which, being without windows, required
the aid of lights (2Pe_1:19). And the course he was ordered to follow was first to light the
middle lamp from the altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each other - a course
symbolical of all the light of heavenly truth being derived from Christ, and diffused by
His ministers throughout the world (Rev_4:5).
the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick — The
candlestick stood close to the boards of the sanctuary, on the south side, in full view of
the table of showbread on the north (Exo_26:35), having one set of its lamps turned
towards the east, and another towards the west; so that all parts of the tabernacle were
thus lighted up.
CALVIN, "2When thou lightest the lamps. This precept, like many others, is not
inserted in its proper place. Moses again declares what was the use of the
candlestick, and how the lamps should be arranged, so that their light might be
spread through the sanctuary, and that the brightness of the gold might shine over
against them; for this was the reason why God would have the lamps lighted against
the face of, or opposite to, the candlestick, that the very stand of the light might
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retain its beauty. Moreover, it is expressly stated that Aaron obeyed God’s
command, as if in no despicable matter, as he had received it from Moses. To this
also refers what immediately follows, that it was made “according unto the pattern”
which Moses had seen in the mount; and this was, as I have before explained it, that
God is the Father of lights, who illuminates His Church by His Spirit, that it may
not wander in darkness; and so, whilst darkness covers the whole earth, He is as an
everlasting light to believers instead of the sun and moon, as says Isaiah 60:19
COKE, "Numbers 8:2. When thou lightest the lamps, &c.— Houbigant thinks that
the stress here is to be laid upon the word seven; and that the meaning is, "when
thou lightest the lamps of the candlestick, take care that all the seven lamps be
lighted, and that none of them be omitted." Others, however, instead of over against
the candlestick in this and the following verse, would read, on all sides of the
candlestick. But the Hebrew ‫אלאּמול‬ ‫פני‬ el mul peni, seems to refer to the lights (the
lights at the extremity of the candlestick,) and so to confirm Houbigant's opinion.
REFLECTIONS.—The candlestick being prepared, the lamps are ordered to be
lighted. Aaron first is employed, though afterwards the priest in waiting performed
the service. The fire was taken from the altar, and the lamps were lighted therewith;
nor had the tabernacle any other light, but from this candlestick. Note; Christ is the
only Light of the world; and if ever we shine, it must be by the sacred fire which his
Spirit kindles in us. The use of the lamp was, that they might see to do the work of
the tabernacle. Ministers must first have their own spirits lighted up, as the lamp of
the Lord, before they can minister acceptably to God, or profitably to men. How
shall they who are in darkness themselves, lead others to the light?
ELLICOTT, "(2) When thou lightest the lamps.—Better, When thou settest up the
lamps. (Comp. Exodus 25:37.) The golden candlestick was placed against the south
wall of the Tabernacle, opposite to the table of shewbread, so that its seven branches
were parallel to that wall, with its branches east and west, and consequently the
seven lamps, one of which rested upon each of the seven branches, threw their light
in front of the candlestick, i.e., towards the north wall, by which arrangement the
furniture of the holy place was more effectually lighted than it would have been had
the candlestick been placed facing the entrance, with its branches north and south.
Over against.—Or, in front of.
BENSON, "Numbers 8:2. When thou lightest the lamps — The priests lighted the
middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest one from another. Thus, all light
and knowledge comes from Christ, who has the seven spirits of God, signified by
these seven lamps of fire. Shall give light over against the candlestick — On that
part which is before the candlestick. Hebrew, over against the face; or, before the
face of the candlestick. That is, in that place toward which the candlestick looked, or
15

where it stood in full view. Or rather, the meaning of the order is, that the whole
seven lamps should be lighted, which branched out from all sides of the shaft, called
the candlestick, (Exodus 25:35,) in order that the sanctuary might be all
enlightened, there being no windows in it, so that all the light it had came from the
candlestick.
POOLE, " i.e. Either,
1. On every side of the candlestick. So the candlestick is here put for the bulk or
shaft of the candlestick, as Exodus 25:31,35, and the lamps, when they were lighted,
were put into the branches of the candlestick, and take it out upon occasion. Thus
the meaning is, that all the lamps were to be lighted on that part which was towards
the middle, looking that way whence they had their light; for the middle lamp was
lighted with the fire of the altar, and from that the other lamps received light. But
against this sense it is objected, that the lamps could not be otherwise ordered, but
that they must give light round about the candlestick, and therefore that sense seems
to make this direction idle and frivolous. Or,
2. On that part which is before the candlestick, Heb. over against the face of the
candlestick, i.e. in that place towards which the candlestick looked, or where the
candlestick stood in full view, i.e. upon the north side, where the table of shewbread
stood, as appears from hence, because the candlestick stood close to the boards of
the sanctuary on the south side, Exodus 26:35. And thus the lights were on both
sides of the sanctuary, which was fit and necessary, because it was wholly dark in
itself, and had no window in it.
PETT, "Numbers 8:2
‘Speak to Aaron, and say to him, “When you light (or ‘set up’) the lamps, the seven
lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.” ’
When Aaron lit or set up the lamps in the evening (Exodus 30:7-8) he was to ensure
that they gave light in front of the lampstand. This was so as to ensure that it shone
on the table of showbread which represented Israel in the Dwellingplace. The light
of His face was to shine on them (Numbers 6:25), His glory was to rise upon them
(Isaiah 60:1). They could ever be aware of His watch over them (Exodus 13:21), and
His desire to bless them. As the pillar of fire had gone with them, so would His fire
burn continually in the Sanctuary. Yahweh was ever their light when they would
receive it, watching over them, shining on them, pouring out blessing on them, and
revealing to them the truth through His prophets and through His word directly
into their hearts (Psalms 119:105; Psalms 119:130).
The thought of Yahweh as the light of His people is a constant one in Scripture. He
is the light that leads them and illuminates them (Exodus 13:21); He is the light
which brings them salvation (Psalms 27:1); through that light they see light for He is
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the fountain of life (Psalms 36:9); it is His light and His truth that leads men (Psalms
43:3); it is the light of His countenance shining on them that will give them the land
(Psalms 44:3), and illuminate them in their walk (Psalms 89:15), and reveal their
secret sins (Psalms 90:8). His light will ensure their holiness. Thus His people are to
walk in that light (Isaiah 2:5), and when He comes to them they will see great light
(Isaiah 9:2); it will shine on them and reveal to them the glory of God (Isaiah 60:1).
But the lamp on the lampstand was a burning flame. Thus the light was a symbol of
what they had seen on Mount Sinai when the mountain had appeared to be on fire
as the glory of Yahweh was revealed on it (Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17;
Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 5:4; Deuteronomy 5:23; Deuteronomy 9:15 etc.).
It was a light that revealed the holiness and glory of Yahweh. For God is often
pictured as a burning fire (Isaiah 4:5; Isaiah 33:14; Ezekiel 1:27-28; Ezekiel 8:2;
Malachi 3:2).
It is interesting that the light follows the voice here. First the voice, then the light.
The same is made clear in John’s Gospel. First John the Baptiser, the voice crying in
the wilderness, and then the Word. Finally the Word was revealed, the creative
Word Who gave life, and that life was the light of men (John 1:1-4). For He was the
light coming into the world that the world might believe through Him. As His only
Son He revealed God’s glory, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He came as the
light of the world, God’s lampstand among men, giving true light (John 8:12), that
men might not walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12; John 12:46).
He is the sevenfold lampstand, and that is why His people in whom He lives are also
called on to be His sevenfold lampstands as representing Him (Revelation 1:13;
Revelation 1:20; Revelation 2:1).
WHEDON, " THE LAMPS, Numbers 8:1-4.
2. The seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick — R.V., “in front
of.” The Hebrew here is very explicit, yet it is difficult to imagine how the lamps on
the candlestick are to give light over against its face or front. This face was the front
shown by the seven arms, as they formed a straight line. Since the chandelier stood
on the south side of the holy place, the face or front would be northward toward the
table of show-bread, and not eastward toward the door of the tabernacle, so that
more light was cast northward than eastward, inasmuch as a priest entering in
would see the lamps all in a line as one light. The south side of the chandelier could
not be called the front, because the lamps were not symmetrically constructed, the
wick not being in the middle, but at the edge, so that the light was thrown upon one
side, illumining this front space more than that behind. Throughout the Scriptures
oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit by which believers are filled with light and life.
Zechariah 4:2-12; Matthew 25:1-13; Acts 10:38; Hebrews 1:9; 1 John 2:20; 1 John
2:27. The show-bread typifies Christ, the Bread of life. The chandelier pouring its
full blaze northward upon the showbread beautifully sets forth the great office of
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the Spirit in the “holy place” of the sanctified heart. “He shall glorify me; for he
shall receive of mine and show it unto you.” John 16:14, note.
PULPIT, "When thou lightest the lamps. The command to light the lamps had been
given generally ("they shall light the lamps thereof") in Exodus 25:37, and the care
of them had been specially confided to Aaron and his sons ("from evening to
morning") in Exodus 27:21. The actual lighting of the lamps for the first time by
Moses is recorded in Exodus 40:25. In the face of these passages it is incredible that
the lamps had not been regularly lighted by Aaron for more than a month before
the offering of the princes. The seven lamps shall give light over against the
candlestick. It is somewhat uncertain what this expression, here repeated from
Exodus 25:37, means. The Targums give no explanation of it; the Septuagint merely
renders verbally, κατὰ πρόσωπον τῆς λυχνίας φωτιοῦσιν; the Jewish expositors
seem to have thought that the light was to be thrown inward towards the central
shaft; most modern commentators, with more probability, understand it to mean
that the lamps were to be so placed as to throw their light across the tabernacle
towards the north side.
3 Aaron did so; he set up the lamps so that they
faced forward on the lampstand, just as the Lord
commanded Moses.
GILL, "And Aaron did so, he lighted the lamps thereof over against the
candlestick,.... As God had taken up his residence in the most holy place, as appears by
the voice speaking from off the mercy seat, Num_7:89; and sacrifices were begun to be
offered in the outward court on the altar of burnt offering, it was proper that the service
of God in the holy place should also be set on foot; as placing of the shewbread on the
shewbread table, and burning incense on the golden altar of incense; which could not
well be done until the lamps were lighted, and therefore orders were given for the
lighting them, which was accordingly done by Aaron:
as the Lord commanded Moses; Exo_25:37.
TRAPP, "Numbers 8:3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against
the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
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Ver. 3. He lighted the lamps.] This candlestick, on the south side of the tabernacle,
over against the table, figured the law of God shining in his Church; [Proverbs 6:23
2 Peter 1:19] and the lighting of one lamp from another, showed the opening of one
text by another. The Rabbins have a saying, Nulla est obiectio in lege quae non
habet solutionem in latere; i.e., there is not any doubt in the law, but may be
resolved in the context.
PETT, "Numbers 8:3
‘And Aaron did so. He lighted its lamps so as to give light in front of the lampstand,
as Yahweh commanded Moses.’
And Aaron did as he was commanded. Daily he trimmed the lamps so as to shine in
front of the lampstand illuminating what symbolised His people. Thereby they could
know that the light of His face shone on them. It was the sign of the fulfilment of the
priests’ blessing on Israel (Numbers 6:22-27). By His light shining on them He was
putting His name on them and blessing them (Numbers 6:27).
For two things were to be kept burning continually, and to be fed daily by the
priests, the fire from the lampstand (Leviticus 24:2-4) and the fire of the altar
(Leviticus 6:8-13), for both spoke of the permanent presence of Yahweh, the one
giving continual blessing and the other continual atonement.
4 This is how the lampstand was made: It was
made of hammered gold—from its base to its
blossoms. The lampstand was made exactly like
the pattern the Lord had shown Moses.
CLARKE, "This work of the candlestick, etc. - See many curious particulars
relative to this candlestick, See the note on Exo_25:31 and Exo_25:39 (note). The
candlestick itself was an emblem of the Church of Christ; the oil, of the graces and gifts
of the Spirit of God; and the light, of those gifts and graces in action among men. See
Rev_1:12-20. God builds his Church and sends forth his Spirit to dwell in it, to sanctify
and cleanse it, that it may be shown unto the world as his own workmanship. The seven
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lights in the candlesticks point out the seven Spirits of God, the Holy Ghost being thus
termed, Rev_3:1, from the variety and abundance of his gifts and influences; seven being
used among the Hebrews to denote any thing full, complete, and perfect. A candlestick
or lamp without oil is of no use; oil not burning is of no use. So a Church or society of
religious people without the influence of the Holy Ghost are dead while they have a name
to live; and if they have a measure of this light, and do not let it shine by purity of living
and holy zeal before men, their religion is neither useful to themselves nor to others.
Reader, it is possible to be in the Church of God and not be of that Church; it is possible
to have a measure of the Spirit and neither profit nor be profited. Feel this dreadful
possibility, and pray to God that thou be not a proof of it.
GILL, "And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold,.... As it is also said
to be; See Gill on Exo_25:31; and See Gill on Exo_25:36,
unto the shalt thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work; of which,
see Exo_25:31,
according unto the pattern which the Lord had showed Moses; when on
Mount Sinai with him:
so he made the candlestick; that is, ordered it to be made, and took care that it was
made exactly to the pattern he had of it; otherwise Bezaleel was the artificer; and so the
Targum of Jonathan here expresses him by name.
ELLICOTT, " (4) And this work of the candlestick . . . —Better, And this was the
work of the candlestick, i.e., the material of which it was made.
Beaten gold.—Better, turned (or twisted) gold.
Unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof.—Literally, unto its base, unto its
flower or blossom, i.e., the whole of the candlestick, from its base to its flowers. The
several parts of the candlestick, beginning with the base and ending with the
flowers, are enumerated in Exodus 25:31.
TRAPP, "Numbers 8:4 And this work of the candlestick [was of] beaten gold, unto
the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, [was] beaten work: according unto the
pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.
Ver. 4. Beaten work.] To show that ministers must beat their brains to beat out the
sense of the Scriptures, as the fowl beats the shell, to get out the fish, with great
vehemency. (a)
PETT, "Numbers 8:4
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‘And this was the working of the lampstand, beaten work of gold. To its base, and to
its flowers, it was beaten work, according to the pattern which Yahweh had shown
Moses, so he made the lampstand.’
The lamp was now described. It was made of gold, cleverly hammered out and
fashioned, in accordance with God’s pattern shown to Moses in the Mount (compare
Exodus 25:31-40). Like a flowering tree it symbolised life and fruitfulness, the very
life-giving power of Yahweh. In shape it corresponded to late bronze age lamps of
15th to 13th centuries BC
PULPIT, "And this work of the candlestick. For the meaning of the details here
given see Exodus 25:31, sq. According unto the pattern which the Lord had shewed
Moses,—viz; in the mount (see Exodus 25:40) so he made the candlestick. This has
been recorded in Exodus 37:17. The repetition of the statement in this place seems to
be conclusive that these verses are out of their historical position, and that their
insertion here is due to some fact connected with the original records with which we
are not acquainted. It may be simply this, that these verses originally followed verse
89 of the previous chapter, and followed it still when it was inserted, for reasons
already suggested, after the narrative of the offerings of the princes. Why, or how,
such an admission should discredit the sacred narrative or imperil the truth of its
inspiration it would be hard to say. The only thing really likely to imperil the sacred
narrative is to persistently deny the obvious literary conclusions which arise from an
honest consideration of the text.
The Setting Apart of the Levites
5 The Lord said to Moses:
BARNES "The Levites could only undertake their duties Num. 3; 4 after the formal
exchange of the Levites for the first-born Num_3:44-51.
The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests Lev. 8 and the less solemn
“purification” Num_8:21 of the Levites is marked. These rites of purification are similar
to those incumbent on the priests of Egypt.
GILL, "And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... the same time the order about lighting
21

the lamps was given; and this section is joined to the former, Aben Ezra thinks, to show
that Aaron employed himself in lighting the lamps, but in the rest of the services the
Levites helped him, and stood before him to do what he commanded them: they were
ordered to be taken and given to Aaron before; and they were numbered, and their
services appointed to each division of them; and now they are ordered to be ordained
and consecrated to their office:
HENRY 5-9, "We read before of the separating of the Levites from among the
children of Israel when they were numbered, and the numbering of them by themselves
(Num_3:6, Num_3:15), that they might be employed in the service of the tabernacle.
Now here we have directions given for their solemn ordination (Num_8:6), and the
performance of it, Num_8:20. 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 their neighbours, but they must be solemnly devoted to God. Note, All that are
employed for God must be dedicated to him, according as the degree of employment is.
Christian musts be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves
unto the Lord, and then our services. Observe in what method this was done:
I. The Levites must be cleansed, and were so. The rites and ceremonies of their
cleansing were to be performed, 1. By themselves. They must wash their clothes, and not
only bathe, but shave all their flesh, as the leper was to do when he was cleansed, Lev_
14:8. They must cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, to clear themselves from that
defilement which would not wash off. Jacob, whom God loved, was a smooth man; it was
Esau that was hairy. The great pains they were to take with themselves to make
themselves clean teaches all Christians, and ministers particularly, by repentance and
mortification, to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they may
perfect holiness. Those must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. 2. By Moses. He
must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them, which was prepared by divine
direction. This signified the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, to
purify us from an evil conscience, that we may be fit to serve the living God. It is our
duty to cleanse ourselves, and God's promise that he will cleanse us.
K&D 5-7onsecration of the Levites for their service in the sanctuary. - The choice of
the Levites for service in the sanctuary, in the place of the first-born of the people
generally, has been already noticed in Num_3:5., and the duties binding upon them in
Num_4:4. But before entering upon their duties they were to be consecrated to the
work, and then formally handed over to the priests. This consecration is commanded in
Num_8:7., and is not called ‫שׁ‬ ֵ‫דּ‬ ָ‫,ק‬ like the consecration of the priests (Exo_29:1; Lev_
8:11), but ‫ר‬ ֵ‫ה‬ ַ‫ט‬ to cleanse. It consisted in sprinkling them with sin-water, shaving off the
whole of the hair from their bodies, and washing their clothes, accompanied by a
sacrificial ceremony, by which they were presented symbolically to the Lord as a sacrifice
for His service. The first part of this ceremony had reference to outward purification,
and represented cleansing from the defilement of sin; hence the performance of it is
called ‫א‬ ֵ‫טּ‬ ַ‫ח‬ ְ‫ת‬ ִ‫ה‬ (to cleanse from sin) in Num_8:21. “Sprinkle sin-water upon them.” The
words are addressed to Moses, who had to officiate at the inauguration of the Levites, as
he had already done at that of the priests. “Water of sin” is water having reference to sin,
designed to remove it, just as the sacrifice offered for the expiation of sin is called ‫את‬ ָ‫טּ‬ ַ‫ח‬
22

(sin) in Lev_4:14, etc.; whilst the “water of uncleanness” in Num_19:9, Num_19:13,
signifies water by which uncleanness was removed or wiped away. The nature of this
purifying water is not explained, and cannot be determined with any certainty. We find
directions for preparing sprinkling water in a peculiar manner, for the purpose of
cleansing persons who were cured of leprosy, in Lev_14:5., 50ff.; and also for cleansing
both persons and houses that had been defiled by a corpse, in Num_19:9. Neither of
these, however, was applicable to the cleansing of the Levites, as they were both of them
composed of significant ingredients, which stood in the closest relation to the special
cleansing to be effected by them, and had evidently no adaptation to the purification of
the Levites. At the same time, the expression “sin-water” precludes our understanding it
to mean simply clean water. So that nothing remains but to regard it as referring to the
water in the laver of the sanctuary, which was provided for the purpose of cleansing the
priests for the performance of their duties (Exo_30:18.), and might therefore be
regarded by virtue of this as cleansing from sin, and be called “sin-water” in
consequence. “And they shall cause the razor to pass over their whole body,” i.e., shave
off all the hair upon their body, “and wash their clothes, and so cleanse themselves.”
‫ר‬ַ‫ע‬ ַ‫תּ‬ ‫יר‬ ִ‫ֱב‬‫ע‬ ֶ‫ה‬ is to be distinguished from ‫ח‬ַ‫לּ‬ִ‫.גּ‬ The latter signifies to make balk or shave
the hair entirely off, which was required of the leper when he was cleansed (Lev_14:8-9);
the former signifies merely cutting the hair, which was part of the regular mode of
adorning the body. The Levites also were not required to bathe their bodies, as lepers
were (Lev_13:8-9), and also the priests at their consecration (Lev_8:6), because they
were not affected with any special uncleanness, and their duties did not require them to
touch the most holy instruments of worship. The washing of the clothes, on the other
hand, was a thing generally required as a preparation for acts of worship (Gen_35:2;
Exo_19:10), and was omitted in the case of the consecration of the priests, simply
because they received a holy official dress. ‫רוּ‬ ָ‫ה‬ ֶ‫טּ‬ ִ‫ה‬ for ‫ֲרוּ‬‫ה‬ ָ‫טּ‬ ִ‫,ה‬ as in 2Ch_30:18.
CALVIN, "5.And the Lord spake unto Moses. Although the Levites were not
allowed to go into the sanctuary, but were only the priests’ ministers, and chiefly
employed in servile duties, yet, inasmuch as they carried the tabernacle and the
sacred vessels, prepared the sacrifices, took away the ashes and other offscourings
from the altar, God would have them consecrated to Himself by a solemn rite. For
as all Israel, with respect to the Gentiles, was God’s peculiar people, so the house of
Levi was chosen out of the people itself to be His own property, as it is here said.
But, lest they should arrogate to themselves more than was right, God anticipates
their presumption:first, by putting off their consecration for some time; secondly, by
desiring that they should not be initiated by Moses, but by Aaron; and thirdly, by
appointing a different ceremony for it. For, if they had been initiated at the same
time as the priests, under this pretext they might have contended to be on an
equality with them; therefore, although the priests were already separated from the
common people, yet the Levites still remain unconsecrated, (privati,) in order that
they may learn to reverence the priestly office. And again, since, if they had been
dedicated likewise by Moses, there was a danger of their being puffed up with pride
against all others, Aaron is appointed to preside over their consecration, that they
may modestly submit themselves to his authority. Since, too, they were only purified
by water, and sacrifice, and without the addition of anointing, the difference in the
23

external rite reminded them that their degree of honor was not similar or the same.
COFFMAN, "CLEANSING OF THE LEVITES
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children
of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them:
sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over
all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. Then let
them take a young bullock, and its meal-offering, fine flour mingled with oil; and
another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin-offering. And thou shalt present the
Levites before the tent of meeting: and thou shalt assemble the whole congregation
of the children of Israel: and thou shalt present the Levites before Jehovah. And the
children of Israel shall lay their hands upon the Levites: and Aaron shall offer the
Levites before Jehovah for a wave-offering, on the behalf of the children of Israel,
that it may be theirs to do the service of Jehovah. And the Levites shall lay their
hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and
the other for a burnt-offering, unto Jehovah, to make atonement for the Levites.
And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for
a wave-offering unto Jehovah."
Unger listed the specifics required for the cleansing of the Levites thus:
(1) by sprinkling with water (Numbers 8:7a)
(2) by shaving all their flesh (Numbers 8:7b)
(3) by washing their garments (Numbers 8:7c)
(4) by atonement being made for them (Numbers 8:8-12)
(5) by identifying them with all Israel who were represented by them (Numbers
8:9,10)
(6) by their being waved before Jehovah (Numbers 8:11-13)
(7) by the subordination of the Levites to the priests (Numbers 8:13) and
(8) by commemorating the event of their being given unto Jehovah instead of the
first-born (Numbers 8:16ff).[8]
There are a great number of things in this account that cannot be fully explained.
Why? The passage does not contain a blueprint for repeating this ceremony. Many
things known to ancient Israel with regard to this occasion are simply not revealed
to us. Some of the things commanded here, of course, fall within the perimeter of
our more complete understanding of what was done.
24

The washing of their garments, for example, was a customary act of all the Jews for
ages prior to this time when preparing for worship. Jacob, it will be remembered,
commanded his family to wash their clothes and change their garments upon the
occasion of their return to Bethel, after the disaster at Shechem (Genesis 35:2).
Likewise, the sprinkling with water was a ceremony practiced with variations in the
cleansing of lepers.
However, the "waving" of the Levites before Jehovah is not explained, but our
ignorance of exactly how this was done should not be the occasion of our unbelief
that it was actually accomplished, by what means, we know not. We wish to cite
here the comments of Gray, a famed critical scholar who, at the turn of the century
wrote:
"Had the writer clearly thought out the ceremony, he would no doubt have
expressed it intelligibly. Either the practical difficulty that a large body of over
20,000 men could not, like loaves of bread, be moved and waved to and fro before
the altar never occurred to the author, and he introduced this without thinking
HOW it could be done, or else the words have lost their original meaning."[9]
An inherent enmity against the Bible appears in such a comment. The notion that
the Bible was written by some thoughtless fool who never "thought out" what was
being commanded was a current thesis when Gray wrote, and, it is still a major
proposition with many liberal scholars who consider themselves too intelligent to
believe the Bible. It never occurs to such individuals that the wisest and best men of
all ages have fully believed and appreciated the Bible, among them, the inimitable
Sir Isaac Newton whose works are quoted in this series. All of the assumptions that
support the type of comment in focus here are incorrect.
(1) It is nowhere stated that all 20,000 of the Levites were to be devoted to this
service in a single ceremony, the thing in view here possibly being the ceremony that
was observed for each one, as the times and occasions made their service necessary.
It is preposterous that some 20,000 Levites were required to perform in the ordinary
functions of that tabernacle at that time.
(2) As for the waving, what could be the source of Gray's assumption that this text
required even one man, much less 20,000, to be waved in the same manner as a loaf
of bread? Where did he get that? Could there not have been some other ceremony,
unknown to us, that was observed in waving one man or a hundred thousand?
We have not introduced this comment for its value, since it has none, but we have
used it as an example of the methods of critical scholars.
"Thou shalt assemble the whole congregation ..." (Numbers 8:9). "This was done
through the device of some representative system."[10] It is an abuse of language to
make this mean that over two million people, men, women and children, were
25

assembled for this ceremony. Some things were so obvious that God did not need to
give specific instructions concerning them. The "laying on of hands" (Numbers
8:10) was likewise "done in some representative way, e.g., by the laying on of hands
by the twelve tribal leaders upon the heads of the three division leaders of the
Levites."[11]
A great deal of scoffing comment concerns HOW the waving was done. First, it
needs to be said that not the manner of waving, but the meaning of it is the principal
thing here, namely, that the Levites were appointed unto the service of God by this
ceremony. Dummelow was correct in the comment that, "HOW the waving was
done is not certain, whether the Levites were led by Aaron back and forth before the
altar, or whether he merely waved his hand over them."[12] Jamieson thought that,
"Aaron brought the Levites one by one to the altar and directed them to make
certain movements of their person before it."[13]
Cook pointed to some ancient tradition that Aaron "merely pointed to the Levites
and then waved his hands appropriately before the altar."[14] If God had
considered that all subsequent generations should know exactly how this was done,
would he not have written it here?
ELLICOTT, "(5) And the Lord spake unto Moses.—As Moses had already
officiated in the consecration of the priests (Leviticus 8), so now, notwithstanding
the fact that Aaron and his sons were already consecrated, he is commanded to
officiate at the cleansing of the Levites.
WHEDON, "Verses 5-22
THE CONSECRATION OF THE LEVITES, Numbers 8:5-22.
Already have Aaron and his sons, the purely sacerdotal family of the tribe of Levi,
been anointed and inducted into their sacred office. It remains now to set apart the
rest of the tribe to their calling as the bearers and custodians of the tabernacle and
its furniture. They had recently been presented to Aaron, and by him charged with
the duties to which they were to be set apart as substitutes for the firstborn males.
Numbers 3:5-13, notes. Thus was fulfilled with singular precision the prophecy of
Jacob, Genesis 49:5-7. Up to the time of these ordinations the Israelites had
worshipped the God of their fathers after their fathers’ manner, the firstborn being
priests, the eldest son of each house inheriting the priestly office. Exodus 24:5. The
first step toward a change was made in the institution of an hereditary priesthood in
the family of Aaron, during the first retirement of Moses to the solitudes of Sinai.
Exodus 28:1. The next extension of the priestly order grew out of the terrible crisis
of Exodus 32. The first, and awful self-consecration of the Levites, was when they
rallied at the call of Moses, every man against his idolatrous brother-Hebrew, and
thus stemmed the progress of the evil. From this hour the tribe stood forth apart,
26

recognizing in this bloody vindication of Jehovah the spiritual as higher in value
than the natural, and therefore they were counted worthy to be henceforth what
Ewald styles “an Israel within an Israel.”
PETT, "Verse 5-6
The Dedication of the Levites (Numbers 8:5-26).
The voice has spoken to Moses, Yahweh’s chosen; the light, lit by Aaron and his
sons, Yahweh’s chosen, shines on the bread that symbolises Yahweh’s people; and
now Yahweh comes to the third of the trio of His chosen ones, those whom He has
set apart for Himself to serve instead of the firstborn of Israel. He has provided
them that the firstborn of Israel may no longer be bound to Tabernacle service.
They are holy to Him, made holy through the night of the Passover which will be
dealt with subsequently. In the Passover He will then welcome all who are clean.
In Numbers 3 the Levites have been numbered, in Numbers 4 they have been
assigned their responsibilities, in Numbers 7 they have been given the means of
fulfilling those responsibilities, and now they are to be dedicated to their work.
We have here the regular chiastic pattern:
a The command to take and cleanse the Levites (Numbers 8:5-6).
b The purifying, washing and preparation for the making of atonement (Numbers
8:7-8).
c The whole congregation assembled to do the will of Yahweh (Numbers 8:9)
d Presentation of the Levites before Yahweh at the Tent of meeting and offered as a
waveoffering, with threefold repetition to stress the completeness of the offering
(Numbers 8:10-15).
e The Levites wholly given to Yahweh instead of the firstborn (Numbers 8:16).
f All the firstborn were Yahweh’s because He delivered them at the Passover
(Numbers 8:17).
e The Levites taken instead of all the firstborn (Numbers 8:18).
d The Levites given as a gift to Aaron, Yahweh’s representative, to do the service of
the Tent of meeting (Numbers 8:19).
c All the congregation do the will of Yahweh (Numbers 8:20).
27

b The purifying, washing and making of atonement (Numbers 8:21).
a Yahweh’s command obeyed (Numbers 8:22).
Central to the pattern is the fact the firstborn belonged to Yahweh because of the
deliverance from Egypt, and around that is built the fact that the Levites are being
taken as substitutes and prepared accordingly. Added as a kind of postscript is the
information concerning the ages of commencement and retirement.
a From twenty five and upwards the Levites to war the warfare in the work of the
Tent of meeting (Numbers 8:24).
b At the age of fifty they cease to work and serve no more (Numbers 8:25).
a The retired to minister with their brethren in the Tent of meeting to guard and
protect it but serve no more (Numbers 8:26).
The Command to Take and Cleanse the Levites (Numbers 8:5-6).
Numbers 8:5
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,’
The voice had spoken to Moses, it had called on him to tell Aaron to light the lamp,
now it called on him to separate out the Levites.
BI 5-7, "Take the Levites and cleanse them.
The Divine principle of cleansing
Here we have, in type, the only Divine principle of cleansing. It is the application of
death to nature and all its habits. It is the word of God brought to bear upon the heart
and conscience in a living way. Moses, as representing the claims of God, cleanses the
Levites according to those claims; and they, being cleansed, are able to bring the sharp
razor to bear upon all that was the mere growth of nature, and to wash their garments,
which expresses, in typical form, the cleansing their habits according to the word of God.
This was God’s way of meeting all that appertained to Levi’s natural state—the self-will,
the fierceness, and the cruelty. The pure water and the sharp razor were called into
action—the washing and shaving had to go on, ere Levi was fit to approach the vessels of
the sanctuary. Thus it is in every case. There is, there can be, no allowance of nature
among God’s workers. There never was a more fatal mistake than to attempt to enlist
nature in the service of God. It matters not how you may endeavour to improve or
regulate it. It is not improvement, but death that will avail. What is the meaning of the
initiatory act of Christianity—the act of baptism? Does it not set forth the blessed fact
that “our old man”—our fallen nature—is completely set aside, and that we are
introduced into an entirely new position? Truly so. And how do we use the razor? By
rigid self-judgment, day by day; by the stern disallowance of all that is of nature’s
28

growth. This is the true path for all God’s workers in the wilderness. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
6 “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites
and make them ceremonially clean.
GILL, "Take the Levites from among the children of Israel,.... Among whom
they were mixed, as were all the tribes mixed together as Aben Ezra says, before they
took their journey from Mount Sinai; however, from hence forward, they were
distinguished from Israelites, as they are both in Scripture and in Jewish writings; see
1Ch_9:2; though this seems to design no other but their appointment and separation to
their work and service, as ministers to the priests of the Lord; and so as Aaron did not
assume the honour of priesthood to himself but was called of God, the Levites did not
take the honour of their office to themselves but had it by the appointment and call of
God:
and cleanse them; with water, by sprinkling the water of purification on them, and by
washing their bodies and clothes with water; which outward washing was a sign of moral
purity, which was necessary to their employment in the service of the sanctuary; for
though there was no particular uncleanness on them, either ceremonial or moral, but
what was common to men; yet it was proper, by such outward rites, to put them and
others in mind, that they which are employed about holy things should be eminently
pure and holy; and as their business was to carry holy things, to bear the sacred vessels
of the sanctuary from place to place when needful, they ought of all men to be clean, Isa_
52:11, and in this they were emblems of the ministers of the word, who ought to be pure,
as in heart, so in life and conversation, and be examples of purity to others, 2Co_6:6.
JAMISON 6-7, "Take the Levites ... and cleanse them — This passage describes
the consecration of the Levites. Although the tribe was to be devoted to the divine
service, their hereditary descent alone was not a sufficient qualification for entering on
the duties of the sacred office. They were to be set apart by a special ceremony, which,
however, was much simpler than that appointed for the priests; neither washing nor
anointing, nor investiture with official robes, was necessary. Their purification
consisted, along with the offering of the requisite sacrifices (Lev_1:4; Lev_3:2; Lev_4:4),
in being sprinkled by water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer (Num_19:9), and shaved
all over, and their clothes washed - a combination of symbolical acts which was intended
to remind them of the mortification of carnal and worldly desires, and the maintenance
of that purity in heart and life which became the servants of God.
29

CALVIN, "6.Take the Levites from among. To take them from among the children
of Israel, is equivalent to subtracting them from the number of the people, that they
might not be included in the general census, and accounted to be one of the tribes.
This separation, then, as he will more clearly express a little further on, devoted the
Levites to God for the service of the sanctuary. That under this pretext the Papal
clergy should claim immunity for themselves, so that they may live as they like in
exemption from the laws, is not only an unsound deduction, but one full of impious
mockery; for, since the ancient priesthood attained its end in Christ, the succession,
which they allege, robs Christ of His right, as if the full truth had not been
manifested in Him. Besides, inasmuch as all their privileges only depend on the
primacy of the Pope, if they would have them ratified they must needs prove, first of
all, that the Pope is appointed by God’s command to be the head of the whole
Church, and therefore that he is the successor of Christ. As to Aaron, since he was
the minister of their installation, in this way he was set over the Levites to rule them
at his discretion. Meanwhile this ministry is thus entrusted to a man, in such a
manner as not to stand in the way of God’s gratuitous good pleasure.
WHEDON, " 6. Take the Levites — Separation must precede consecration. Exodus
33:16; 2 Corinthians 6:17.
Cleanse them — This was done by three rites — sprinkling, shaving, and washing
the clothes. This ceremonial purification of their bodies not only taught the necessity
of spiritual sanctification, but to devout believers it had a tendency to this high end.
Faith in God evinced by obedience is purifying.
PETT, "Numbers 8:6
“Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.”
They were to be taken out from among the children of Israel and specially cleansed.
We are not told when this happened, but it was clearly before the numbering, or
they would have been numbered with Israel. This cleansing was to set them apart to
the holy service of Yahweh, for they had to guard the Sanctuary, dismantle it and
carry it, erect it, and repair it. This was their holy service. They would keep the
Sanctuary holy, but in a subsidiary position to the priests. Only the priests could lay
the sacrifices on the altar, apply the blood, enter the Holy Place, light the lamps and
offer incense. But the Levites must see to the heavy duties outside the Holy Place.
PULPIT, "And cleanse them. Before they actually entered upon their new duties
they were to be solemnly hallowed. This hallowing, however, is not called ‫שׁ‬ ֵ‫דּ‬ַ‫,ק‬ as is
that of the priests (Exodus 29:1 ), but ‫ר‬ֵ‫ה‬ַ‫,ט‬ cleansing. There was in their case no
ceremonial washing, no vesting in sacred garments, no anointing with holy oil, or
sprinkling with the blood of sacrifices. The Levites, in fact, remained simply
30

representatives of the congregation, whereas the priests were representatives also of
Christ.
7 To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of
cleansing on them; then have them shave their
whole bodies and wash their clothes. And so they
will purify themselves.
BARNES "Num_8:7
Water of purifying - literally, “sin water:” i. e. water to cleanse from sin; no doubt
taken from the laver of the sanctuary, which was used by the priests for purification
before they went into the tabernacle to minister (compare Num_5:17; Exo_30:18 ff).
The “sprinkling” of so large a body of men could have been only general, but tokens of
individual purification are specified (compare also Lev_14:8).
CLARKE, "Sprinkle water of purifying - ‫חטאת‬ ‫מי‬ mey chattath, water of sin, or
water of the sin-offering. As this purifying water was made by the ashes of the red heifer,
cedar-wood, hyssop, and scarlet; and the heifer herself was sacrificed, and her blood
sprinkled seven times before the tabernacle, Num_19:3-6; she may be considered as a
proper sacrifice for sin, and consequently the water thus prepared be termed the water
of the sin-offering. As the ashes were kept ready at hand for purifying from all legal
pollutions, the preparation might be considered as a concentration of the essential
properties of the sin-offering, and might be resorted to at all times with comparatively
little expense or trouble, and no loss of time. As there were so many things by which
legal pollution might be contracted, it was necessary to have always at hand, in all their
dwellings, a mode of purifying at once convenient and inexpensive.
As the water by which the Levites were here purified must have been the water
prepared from the ashes of the red heifer, this ordinance was undoubtedly instituted
before this time, though not described till Num_19:1-10 of this book; but that chapter
might be in connection with any of the preceding ordinances, as well as where it is now
found.
We see from Heb_9:13, Heb_9:14, that these ashes mingled with water, and sprinkled
on the unclean, and which sanctified to the purification of the flesh, were intended to
typify the blood of Christ, which purges the conscience from dead works to serve the
living God, Heb_9:15; for as without this sprinkling with the water of the sin-offering
31

the Levites were not fit to serve God in the wilderness, so without this sprinkling of the
blood of Christ no conscience can be purged from dead works to serve the living God.
See the notes on Num_19:1-10 (note).
GILL, "And thus shall thou do unto them, to cleanse them,.... Or order Aaron to
do unto them; the cleansing of the Levites was the work of Aaron, either by himself or by
his order; in which he was a type of Christ, who is the refiner and purifier of the sons of
Levi, Mal_3:3,
sprinkle water of purifying upon them; or "water of sin" (n); water which purifies
from sin, in a ceremonial sense; and this was water mixed with the ashes of the red
heifer, which was the purification of persons deified by the dead, as Jarchi observes; and
though the law concerning the red heifer, and of making the water of purification, is not
made mention of till afterwards, Num_19:1, yet it was very probably given before; and
the Jews say (o), it was on the second of Nisan, or the first month, which was the day
after the tabernacle was erected, that Eleazar the priest burnt the red heifer and
sprinkled all Israel; this only "sanctified to the purifying of the flesh", Heb_9:13, in a
ceremonial sense, but was typical of the blood of Christ, which "purges the conscience
from dead works"; that so men may be fitted and qualified, as the Levites were, "to serve
the living God", Heb_9:14,
and let them shave all their flesh; the hair of their bodies, in all parts thereof; even
the beard, as Aben Ezra notes, some say; yet not the corners of it; but the whole hair of
the body, everywhere, was to be shaved off; to denote the most perfect purity, and a
removal of all superfluity of haughtiness and excrescences of the flesh from them: so the
Egyptian priests used to shave their whole body every third day, lest there should be
anything filthy in those that served the gods (p): this cleansing of the Levites was after
the same manner as lepers were cleansed: and Jarchi observes, from one of their writers,
that because the Levites gave an atonement for the firstborn, who committed idolatry,
which is called the sacrifices of the dead, and the leper is called a dead man, they were
obliged to shaving as the lepers; but Ben Gersom gives a better reason for the shaving of
them; that it was to put them in mind that they should forsake material (or corporeal)
things, and employ themselves in the service of God; see Act_6:2 2Ti_2:4,
and let them wash their clothes; and much more their bodies, as Chaskuni, after
the manner of those who were polluted by touching a dead body; typical of the saints
having their bodies washed with pure water, and their garments washed and made white
in the blood of the Lamb, Heb_10:22,
and so make themselves clean; the Targum of Jonathan adds, in forty seahs of
water; and according to the sense of that paraphrase, both the bodies and clothes of the
Levites were dipped in water.
CALVIN, "7.And thus shalt thou do unto them. Aaron is commanded first to
sprinkle the water of purifying upon them, to cleanse them from their uncleanness;
and not only so, but they are commanded to wash their clothes, that they may
diligently beware of any impurity being anywhere about them, whereby their
32

persons may be infected. Thirdly, they are commanded to shave their skin with a
razor, that, putting off their flesh, they may begin to be new men. A sacrifice is
afterwards added, and that twofold, to make an atonement for them. These things
being completed, Aaron, in right and to the honor of the priesthood, is commanded
to offer them just like the holy bread or incense. But the end of this was, that they
might acknowledge that they were no longer their own masters, but devoted to God,
that they might engage themselves in the service of the sanctuary. It was in
testimony of alienation that some of the people were ordered at the same time to lay
their hands upon them; as if by this ceremony all the tribes bore witness that with
their consent the Levites passed over to be God’s peculiar property, that they might
be a part or appendage of the sanctuary. For private individuals (as we shall see
hereafter) were accustomed to lay their hands on their sacrifices, yet not with the
same object as the priests. (177)
COKE, "Numbers 8:7. Sprinkle water of purifying— In the Hebrew, as Dr.
Beaumont observes, the sin-water, i.e. the water of purification from sin, is called
the sin-offering. The manner of preparing this water is seen, chap. Numbers 19:17.
Sprinkled with this water, the Levites were next to shave all their flesh; another sign
of their entering into a state of purity, the study whereof is incumbent upon all, but
especially on the ministers of religion; see Leviticus 14:8-9. Calmet thinks it
probable, that the same ceremony was observed by the priests on the day of their
consecration, though we have no precept concerning it. The priests of Egypt, in like
manner, shaved their whole bodies every third day, as a mark of purity and
cleanliness. Hence they are sometimes characterised by the name of the bald tribe;
grege calvo. Juv. Sat. 6. And so the heathens had their water of lustration, (probably
borrowed from the Mosaic law) wherewith they were accustomed to sprinkle
themselves in token of purification, as in Virgil, AEneid vi. l. 229, 230.
Idem ter socios pura circumtulit unda, Spargens rore levi et ramo felicis olivae.
"A verdant branch of olive in his hands, He mov'd around, and purify'd the bands;
Slow as he pass, the lustral waters shed," &c.
ELLICOTT, " (7) Water of purifying.—Literally, water of sin, or, of sin-offering
(Hebrew, hattath). As in the case of the holy water, to which reference is made in
Numbers 6:17, so here also there is no explanation given of the particular water
which was to be used in cleansing the Levites. The bullock which was appointed to
be offered as a sin-offering at the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Exodus 29:14;
Leviticus 8:14) is described by the same word which is here employed (in the
Authorised Version, sin-offering); and in Leviticus 4:14, the sacrifice which was
appointed to be offered for the expiation of sin (in the Authorised Version, the sin) is
also spoken of under the same name; so also is the sin-offering of the Levites in
Numbers 8:8 of this chapter. The sin-water evidently denotes the water appointed to
be used in the purification of sin; and the reference is probably (as in Numbers 6:17)
33

to the water which was kept in the brazen laver in front of the Tabernacle. It is
possible, however, that some direction which is not here recorded may have been
given respecting putting the ashes of the sin-offering into water. (Comp. Numbers
19:9, where the water of purification is described under the same name: “it is a
purification for sin.” Literally, it is hattath.) In this case, however, the sin-offering,
which is not mentioned until Numbers 8:8, must have been sacrificed previously to
the sprinkling.
Let them shave all their flesh.—Literally, cause the razor to pass over all their flesh.
A different word is used in Leviticus 14:8-9 to denote the more complete removal of
the hair which was enjoined at the cleansing of the leper.
And let them wash their clothes.—The bodies of the priests were washed at their
consecration (Leviticus 14:8-9), and those of the lepers at their cleansing (Leviticus
8:6); but the Levites, who were not brought into such immediate contact with the
holy things as the priests, were only required to wash their clothes, which was an
ordinary preparation for Divine worship (Exodus 19:10; comp. Genesis 35:2).
BENSON, "Numbers 8:7. Sprinkle water of purifying — Hebrew, water of sin, or
sin-water; that is, water of purification from sin. Thus the sacrifice of atonement
from sin is termed the sin-offering. This water was prepared with the ashes of a red
heifer which had been offered for a burnt-offering, Numbers 19:17. Shave all their
flesh — This external rite signified the cutting off their inordinate desire of earthly
things, and that singular purity of heart and life which is required in the ministers
of God. And wash their clothes — Another rite expressive of moral purity.
TRAPP, "Numbers 8:7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle
water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash
their clothes, and [so] make themselves clean.
Ver. 7. Sprinkle water of purifying, &c.] This taught that none were meet for the
holy ministry, but by the free favour of Christ, and by the sanctification of his
Spirit. [2 Corinthians 2:16 Galatians 1:15] Ministers are fullones animarum, their
office is to whiten others; themselves therefore should be as those Nazarites
[Lamentations 4:7] "whiter than snow."
Shave all their flesh.] As the lepers did; Levites are by nature no better than lepers:
ministers, men subject to like passions as others, and liable to more temptations.
POOLE, " Of purifying, Heb. of sin, i.e. for the expiation of sin. This water was
mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, Numbers 19:9, which therefore may seem to
have been prescribed before, though it be mentioned after; such kind of
transplacings of passages being frequent in Scripture.
34

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