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Malachi 2:4
You will know that I have given you this warning. I have warned you so that my covenant with Levi will continue,” says the Lord who rules over all.
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Numbers 1:49-53
“ You must not count the men from the tribe of Levi. Do not include them when you list the other men of Israel.Instead, put the Levites in charge of the holy tent. That is where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. The Levites will be in charge of everything that belongs to the holy tent. They must carry the tent and everything that belongs to it. They must take care of it. They must set up camp around it.When the holy tent must be moved, the Levites must take it down. And when the tent must be set up, the Levites must do it. Anyone else who approaches it must be put to death.The Israelites must set up their tents by military groups. All of them must be in their own camps under their own flags.But the Levites must set up their tents around the holy tent. That’s where the tablets of the covenant law are kept. Then I will not be angry with the community of Israel. The Levites will be responsible for taking care of the tent.”
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Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the Lord set the tribe of Levi apart. He appointed them to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord. He wanted them to serve him. He told them to bless the people in his name. And they still do it today.
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Numbers 8:6-26
“ Take the Levites from among all the Israelites. Make them‘ clean’ in the usual way.Here is how to make them pure. Sprinkle the special water on them. Then have them shave their whole bodies. Also have them wash their clothes. That is how they will make themselves pure.Have them get a young bull along with its grain offering. The offering must be made out of the finest flour mixed with olive oil. Then you must get a second young bull. You must sacrifice it as a sin offering.Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting. Gather the whole community of Israel together.You must bring the Levites to me. The Israelites must place their hands on them.Aaron must bring the Levites to me. They are a wave offering from the Israelites. That is how they will be set apart to do my work.“ Then I want the Levites to place their hands on the heads of the bulls. They must sacrifice one bull as a sin offering to me. And they must sacrifice the other as a burnt offering. The blood of the bulls will pay for the sin of the Levites.Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons. Then give them as a wave offering to me.That is how I want you to set apart the Levites from the other Israelites. The Levites will belong to me.“ Make the Levites pure. Give them to me as a wave offering. Then they must come to do their work at the tent of meeting.They are the Israelites who will be given to me completely. I have taken them to be my own. I have taken them in place of every son born first in his family in Israel.Every male born first in Israel belongs to me. That is true whether it is a human or an animal. In Egypt I struck down all the males born first to their mothers. Then I set apart for myself all the males born first in Israel.And I have taken the Levites in place of all the sons born first in Israel.I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons. I have taken them from among all the Israelites. I have appointed them to do the work at the tent of meeting. They will do it in place of the Israelites. That is how they will keep the Israelites from being guilty when they go near the sacred tent. Then no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the tent.”So Moses and Aaron and all the Israelites did with the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses.The Levites made themselves pure. They washed their clothes. Then Aaron gave them to the Lord as a wave offering. That’s how he paid for their sin to make them pure.After that, the Levites came to do their work at the tent of meeting. They worked under the direction of Aaron and his sons. And so Moses and Aaron and the whole community of Israel did with the Levites just as the Lord had commanded Moses.The Lord said to Moses,“ Here is what the Levites must do. Men 25 years old or more must come and take part in the work at the tent of meeting.But when they reach the age of 50, they must not work any longer. They must stop doing their regular work.They can help their brothers with their duties at the tent of meeting. But they themselves should not do the work. That is how you must direct the Levites to do their work.”
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Deuteronomy 33:8-9
Here’s what Moses said about Levi.“ Your Thummim and Urim belong to your faithful servant. You tested him at Massah. You argued with him at the waters of Meribah.Levi didn’t show special favor to anyone. He did not spare his father and mother. He didn’t excuse his relatives or his children. But he watched over your word. He guarded your covenant.
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Numbers 2:33
But the Levites weren’t counted along with the other men of Israel. That’s what the Lord had commanded Moses.
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Numbers 18:1-7
The Lord spoke to Aaron. He said,“ You, your sons and your family are in charge of the sacred tent. You will be responsible for sins connected with the tent. And you and your sons alone will be responsible for sins connected with the office of priest.Bring the Levites from your tribe to join you. They will help you when you and your sons serve at the tent of meeting. That is where the tablets of the covenant law are kept.The Levites will work for you. They must do everything that needs to be done at the tent. But they must not go near anything that belongs to the sacred tent. And they must not go near the altar. If they do, they and you will die.They will help you take care of the tent of meeting. They will join you in all the work at the tent. No one else can come near you there.“ You will be responsible for taking care of the sacred tent and the altar. Then I will not be angry with the Israelites again.I myself have chosen the Levites. I have chosen them from among the Israelites. They are a gift to you. I have set them apart to do the work at the tent of meeting.But only you and your sons can serve as priests. Only you and your sons can work with everything at the altar and behind the curtain. I am letting you serve as priests. It is a gift from me. Anyone else who comes near the sacred tent must be put to death.”
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Numbers 2:17
Then the camp of the Levites will start out. The tent of meeting will go with them. They will march in the middle of the other camps. They will start out in the same order as they do when they set up camp. Each one will be in their own place under their flag.
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Numbers 16:9-11
The God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the community of Israel. He has brought you near him to work at the Lord’ s holy tent. He has given you to the people so that you can serve them. Isn’t all that enough for you?He has already brought you and all the other Levites near him. But now you want to be priests too.You and all your followers have joined together against the Lord. Why are you telling Aaron you aren’t happy with him?”
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Exodus 32:26-29
Moses stood at the entrance to the camp. He said,“ Anyone on the Lord’ s side, come to me.” All the Levites joined him.Then he spoke to them. He said,“ The Lord, the God of Israel, says,‘ Each man must put on his sword. Then he must go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other. Each man must kill his brother and friend and neighbor.’ ”The Levites did as Moses commanded. About 3,000 of the people died that day.Then Moses said to the Levites,“ You have been set apart for the Lord today. You fought against your own sons and brothers. And he has blessed you this day.”
