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Malachi 2:4
Then you will know that I sent you this decree, so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of Armies.
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Numbers 1:49-53
“ Do not register or take a census of the tribe of Levi with the other Israelites.Appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They are to transport the tabernacle and all its articles, take care of it, and camp around it.Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever it is to stop at a campsite, the Levites are to set it up. Any unauthorized person who comes near it is to be put to death.“ The Israelites are to camp by their military divisions, each man with his encampment and under his banner.The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.”
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Deuteronomy 10:8
“ At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the LORD’s covenant, to stand before the LORD to serve him, and to pronounce blessings in his name, as it is today.
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Numbers 8:6-26
“ Take the Levites from among the Israelites and ceremonially cleanse them.Do this to them for their purification: Sprinkle them with the purification water. Have them shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes, and so purify themselves.“ They are to take a young bull and its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.Bring the Levites before the tent of meeting and assemble the entire Israelite community.Then present the Levites before the LORD, and have the Israelites lay their hands on them.Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a presentation offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform the LORD’s work.Next the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites.“ You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before the LORD as a presentation offering.In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to me.After that the Levites may come to serve at the tent of meeting, once you have ceremonially cleansed them and presented them as a presentation offering.For they have been exclusively assigned to me from the Israelites. I have taken them for myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn.For every firstborn among the Israelites is mine, both man and animal. I consecrated them to myself on the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt.But I have taken the Levites in place of every firstborn among the Israelites.From the Israelites, I have given the Levites exclusively to Aaron and his sons to perform the work for the Israelites at the tent of meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community did this to the Levites. The Israelites did everything to them the LORD commanded Moses regarding the Levites.The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them before the LORD as a presentation offering. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them ceremonially.After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. So they did to them as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites.The LORD spoke to Moses:“ In regard to the Levites: From twenty-five years old or more, a man enters the service in the work at the tent of meeting.But at fifty years old he is to retire from his service in the work and no longer serve.He may assist his brothers to fulfill responsibilities at the tent of meeting, but he must not do the work. This is how you are to deal with the Levites regarding their duties.”
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Deuteronomy 33:8-9
He said about Levi: Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful one; you tested him at Massah and contended with him at the Waters of Meribah.He said about his father and mother,“ I do not regard them.” He disregarded his brothers and didn’t acknowledge his sons, for they kept your word and maintained your covenant.
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Numbers 2:33
But the Levites were not registered among the Israelites, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
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Numbers 18:1-7
The LORD said to Aaron,“ You, your sons, and your ancestral family will be responsible for iniquity against the sanctuary. You and your sons will be responsible for iniquity involving your priesthood.But also bring your relatives with you from the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, so they may join you and assist you and your sons in front of the tent of the testimony.They are to perform duties for you and for the whole tent. They must not come near the sanctuary equipment or the altar; otherwise, both they and you will die.They are to join you and guard the tent of meeting, doing all the work at the tent, but no unauthorized person may come near you.“ You are to guard the sanctuary and the altar so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again.Look, I have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift for you, assigned by the LORD to work at the tent of meeting.But you and your sons will carry out your priestly responsibilities for everything concerning the altar and for what is inside the curtain, and you will do that work. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but an unauthorized person who comes near the sanctuary will be put to death.”
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Numbers 2:17
The tent of meeting is to move out with the Levites’ camp, which is in the middle of the camps. They are to move out just as they camp, each in his place, with their banners.
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Numbers 16:9-11
Isn’t it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the Israelite community to bring you near to himself, to perform the work at the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the community to minister to them?He has brought you near, and all your fellow Levites who are with you, but you are pursuing the priesthood as well.Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against the LORD! As for Aaron, who is he that you should complain about him?”
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Exodus 32:26-29
And Moses stood at the camp’s entrance and said,“ Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.He told them,“ This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says,‘ Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand men fell dead that day among the people.Afterward Moses said,“ Today you have been dedicated to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today.”
