Numbers 3:8

3:8 And they are responsible for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and for the needs of the Israelites, as they serve ¹  in the tabernacle.

Numbers 4:33

4:33 This is the service of the families of the Merarites, their entire service concerning the tent of meeting, under the authority of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

Numbers 8:15

8:15 “After this, the Levites will go in ²  to do the work ³  of the tent of meeting. So you must cleanse them ⁴  and offer them like a wave offering. ⁵ 

Numbers 18:31

18:31 And you may ⁶  eat it in any place, you and your household, because it is your wages for your service in the tent of meeting.

[3:8]  ¹ tn The construction uses the infinitive construct (epexegetically) followed by its cognate accusative. It would convey “to serve the service of the tabernacle,” but more simply it may be rendered as “serving.” Their spiritual and practical service is to serve.

[8:15]  ² tn The imperfect tense could also be given the nuance of the imperfect of permission: “the Levites may go in.”

[8:15]  ³ tn Heb “to serve.”

[8:15]  ⁴ tn The two verbs in the rest of this verse are perfect tenses with vav (ו) consecutive constructions, making them equal to the imperfect. Some commentators try to get around the difficulty of repetition by making these future perfects, “and you will have cleansed,” as opposed to a summary statement, “for thus you will cleanse….”

[8:15]  ⁵ tc The Greek text adds “before the Lord.”

[18:31]  ³ tn The verb is the perfect tense with vav (ו) consecutive; it functions as the equivalent of the imperfect of permission.