Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

8:5-22 The Dedication of the Levites. Like the previous paragraph, this section tidies up points partially covered earlier. The duties of the Levites in transporting and guarding the tabernacle have already been covered in chs. 3-4. Now these verses explain how the Levites were inducted into these roles. The rites are not as elaborate as the ordination of the priests in Leviticus 8-9, probably because the Levites had lower status than the priests. Nevertheless, as this ceremony declares, the Levites had an important role to play. As explained earlier (Num. 3:40-43), the Levites substituted for the firstborn Israelites, and this point is repeated (8:16-18). By the Levites taking on this role, they are removing the risk of plague breaking out on the whole people (which would happen if an Israelite approached the sanctuary incorrectly; see v. 19). The ceremony involved several elements designed to cleanse the Levites: sprinkling with the water of purification (probably the liquid described in ch. 19), shaving the whole body, and washing their clothes (8:7). This cleansing process made them fit to be offered to God. The leaders of the congregation then laid hands on the Levites, symbolizing that the Levites are the representatives of the congregation (vv. 9-11). Then, like parts of a sacrifice, they are offered as a wave offering (v. 11). Parts of the peace offering were waved and then given to the priest (Lev. 7:28-34). "Sacrificial waving" is usually supposed to be a side-to-side movement, but how the Levites were "waved" is unclear. The ceremony was completed by offering two sacrifices (the burnt and sin offering) using bulls, the most valuable of sacrificial animals (Lev. 1:3-9; 4:1-21).