Numbers 18:4-7

18:4 They must join ¹  with you, and they will be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent, but no unauthorized person ²  may approach you. 18:5 You will be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the care of the altar, so that there will be ³  no more wrath on the Israelites. 18:6 I myself have chosen ⁴  your brothers the Levites from among the Israelites. They are given to you as a gift from the Lord, to perform the duties ⁵  of the tent of meeting. 18:7 But you and your sons with you are responsible for your priestly duties, for everything at the altar and within the curtain. And you must serve. I give you the priesthood as a gift for service; but the unauthorized person who approaches must be put to death.”

¹ tn Now the sentence uses the Niphal perfect with a vav (ו) consecutive from the same root לָוָה (lavah).

² tn The word is “stranger, alien,” but it can also mean Israelites here.

³ tn The clause is a purpose clause, and the imperfect tense a final imperfect.

⁴ tn Heb “taken.”

⁵ tn The infinitive construct in this sentence is from עָבַד (’avad), and so is the noun that serves as its object: to serve the service.