Numbers 3:10

3:10 So you are to appoint Aaron and his sons, and they will be responsible for their priesthood; ¹  but the unauthorized person ²  who comes near must be put to death.”

Numbers 8:24-25

8:24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: ³  At the age of twenty-five years ⁴  and upward one may begin to join the company ⁵  in the work of the tent of meeting, 8:25 and at the age of fifty years they must retire from performing the work and may no longer work.

Numbers 8:1

Lighting the Lamps

8:1 ⁶ The Lord spoke to Moses:

Numbers 23:28

23:28 So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, that looks toward the wilderness. ⁷ 

Numbers 23:2

23:2 So Balak did just as Balaam had said. Balak and Balaam then offered on each ⁸  altar a bull and a ram.

Numbers 5:11-12

The Jealousy Ordeal

5:11 ⁹ The Lord spoke to Moses: 5:12 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘If any man’s wife goes astray and behaves unfaithfully toward him,

Proverbs 8:34

8:34 Blessed is the one ¹⁰  who listens to me,

watching ¹¹  at my doors day by day,

waiting ¹²  beside my doorway. ¹³ 

Isaiah 40:31

40:31 But those who wait for the Lord’s help ¹⁴  find renewed strength;

they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, ¹⁵ 

they run without growing weary,

they walk without getting tired.

Romans 12:7

12:7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach;

¹ tc The LXX includes the following words here: “and all things pertaining to the altar and within the veil.” Cf. Num 18:7.

² tn The word is זָר (zar), usually rendered “stranger, foreigner, pagan.” But in this context it simply refers to anyone who is not a Levite or a priest, an unauthorized person or intruder in the tabernacle. That person would be put to death.

³ tn The Hebrew text has “this [is that] which [pertains] to the Levites.” “This is what concerns the Levites, meaning, the following rulings are for them.

⁴ tc The age of twenty-five indicated in v. 24 should be compared with the age of thirty indicated in Num 4:3,23,30. In order to harmonize the numbers given in chapter 4 with the number given in Num 8:24 the LXX (and perhaps its Hebrew Vorlage) has thirty in all of these references. See further G. J. Wenham, Numbers (TOTC 4), 97-98.

⁵ tn The infinitive is לִצְבֹא (litsvo’), related to the word for “host, army, company,” and so “to serve as a company.” The meaning is strengthened by the cognate accusative following it.

⁶ sn This chapter has three main sections to it: the lighting of the lamps (vv. 1-4), the separation of the Levites (vv. 5-22), and the work of the Levites (vv. 23-26). Many modern scholars assume that the chapter belongs to P and was added late. But the chapter reiterates some of the Mosaic material concerning the work of the Levites in the new sanctuary. For the chapter to make sense the historical setting must be accepted; if the historical setting is accepted, the chapter is necessary as part of that early legislation. For more reading, see M. Haran, “The Nature of the’ohel mo‘edh in the Pentateuchal Sources,” JSS 5 (1960): 50-65, and “The Priestly Image of the Tabernacle,” HUCA 36 (1965): 191-226; and C. L. Meyers, The Tabernacle Menorah.

⁷ tn Or perhaps as a place name, “Jeshimon” (cf. 21:20).

⁸ tn The Hebrew text has “on the altar,” but since there were seven of each animal and seven altars, the implication is that this means on each altar.

⁹ sn There is a good bit of bibliography here. See, e.g., J. M. Sasson, “Numbers 5 and the Waters of Judgment,” BZ 16 (1972): 249-51; and M. Fishbane, “Accusation of Adultery: A Study of Law and Scribal Practice in Numbers 5:11-31,” HUCA 45 (1974): 25-46.

¹⁰ tn Heb “the man.”

¹¹ tn The form לִשְׁקֹד (lishqod) is the infinitive construct serving epexegetically in the sentence. It explains how the person will listen to wisdom.

¹² tn Heb “keeping” or “guarding.”

¹³ tn Heb “at the posts of my doors” (so KJV, ASV).

¹⁴ tn The words “for the Lord’s help” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

¹⁵ tn Heb “they rise up [on] wings like eagles” (TEV similar).