Numbers 8:26
New International Version
They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

New Living Translation
After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.”

English Standard Version
They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

Berean Standard Bible
After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”

King James Bible
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

New King James Version
They may minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of meeting, to attend to needs, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall do to the Levites regarding their duties.”

New American Standard Bible
They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to fulfill an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. In this way you shall deal with the Levites in their obligations.”

NASB 1995
“They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation, but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations.”

NASB 1977
“They may, however, assist their brothers in the tent of meeting, to keep an obligation; but they themselves shall do no work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations.”

Legacy Standard Bible
They may, however, minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting in order to keep up their responsibility, but they themselves shall perform no service. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their responsibilities.”

Amplified Bible
They may assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting to keep an obligation, but they shall do no [heavy or difficult] work. Thus you shall deal with the Levites concerning their obligations.”

Christian Standard Bible
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.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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.”

American Standard Version
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he shall serve his brothers in the Time Tabernacle and the work to keep guard; he shall not work; so do to the Levites in their charge."

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And his brother shall serve in the tabernacle of witness to keep charges, but he shall not do works: so shalt thou do to the Levites in their charges.

Contemporary English Version
They may help the other Levites in their duties, but they must no longer be responsible for any work themselves. Remember this when you assign their duties."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they shall be the ministers of their brethren in the tabernacle of the covenant, to keep the things that are committed to their care, but not to do the works. Thus shalt thou order the Levites touching their charge.

English Revised Version
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They may assist the other Levites in their duties at the tent of meeting, but they may not do any regular work. This is how you will handle the Levites' duties."

Good News Translation
After that, he may help his fellow Levites in performing their duties in the Tent, but he must not perform any service by himself. This is how you are to regulate the duties of the Levites."

International Standard Version
He may minister to his brothers at the Tent of Meeting by keeping watch, but he is not to engage in service. This is how you are to act with respect to the obligations of the descendants of Levi."

JPS Tanakh 1917
but shall minister with their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, but they shall do no manner of service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charges.'

Literal Standard Version
and he has ministered with his brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to keep the charge, and does not do service; thus you do to the Levites concerning their charge.”

Majority Standard Bible
After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”

New American Bible
They shall assist their fellow Levites in the tent of meeting in performing their duties, but they shall not do the work. This, then, is how you are to regulate the duties of the Levites.

NET Bible
They may assist their colleagues in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish the Levites regarding their duties."

New Revised Standard Version
They may assist their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they shall perform no service. Thus you shall do with the Levites in assigning their duties.

New Heart English Bible
but shall minister with their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall do no service. You shall do thus to the Levites concerning their duties."

Webster's Bible Translation
But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do to the Levites concerning their charge.

World English Bible
but shall assist their brothers in the Tent of Meeting, to perform the duty, and shall perform no service. This is how you shall have the Levites do their duties.”

Young's Literal Translation
and he hath ministered with his brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and doth not do service; thus thou dost to the Levites concerning their charge.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Retirement for Levites
25But at the age of fifty, they must retire from performing the work and no longer serve. 26After that, they may assist their brothers in fulfilling their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves are not to do the work. This is how you are to assign responsibilities to the Levites.”

Cross References
Numbers 1:53
But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the Testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the congregation of Israel. So the Levites are responsible for the tabernacle of the Testimony."

Numbers 8:25
But at the age of fifty, they must retire from performing the work and no longer serve.


Treasury of Scripture

But shall minister with their brothers in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites touching their charge.

to keep

Numbers 1:53
But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

Numbers 3:32
And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.

Numbers 18:4
And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

and shall

1 Timothy 4:15
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Jump to Previous
Assign Care Charge Charges Congregation Deal Duties Duty However Levites Manner Meeting Minister Ministered Obligation Obligations Perform Performing Regard Responsibilities Serve Service Tabernacle Tent Themselves Touching Work
Jump to Next
Assign Care Charge Charges Congregation Deal Duties Duty However Levites Manner Meeting Minister Ministered Obligation Obligations Perform Performing Regard Responsibilities Serve Service Tabernacle Tent Themselves Touching Work
Numbers 8
1. How the lamps are to be lighted
5. The consecration of the Levites
23. The age and time of their service














(26) To keep the charge.--A clear distinction is here made between the service which involved heavy manual labour in carrying the furniture of the Tabernacle and in slaughtering the victims, and the charge or oversight of the furniture and the vessels of the Sanctuary.

Verse 26. - Shall minister... to keep the charge, and shall do no service. The word "charge" (Hebrew, mishmereth) seems to signify the care of the furniture and belongings of the tabernacle, while "service" means the laborious work of transport, or of preparing sacrifice. The duties of the Levite over fifty were in fact honorary, given to him probably for his own sake, that he might have some place and post in the house of God. This careful provision for those who should attain the age of fifty shows that the commandment was designed for the promised land rather than for the wilderness.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
After that, they may assist
וְשֵׁרֵ֨ת (wə·šê·rêṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8334: To attend as a, menial, worshipper, to contribute to

their brothers
אֶחָ֜יו (’e·ḥāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 251: A brother, )

in fulfilling
לִשְׁמֹ֣ר (liš·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8104: To hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to

their duties
מִשְׁמֶ֔רֶת (miš·me·reṯ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4931: A guard, watch, charge, function

at the Tent
בְּאֹ֤הֶל (bə·’ō·hel)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 168: A tent

of Meeting,
מוֹעֵד֙ (mō·w·‘êḏ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4150: Appointed time, place, or meeting

but they themselves are not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

to do
יַעֲבֹ֑ד (ya·‘ă·ḇōḏ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

the work.
וַעֲבֹדָ֖ה (wa·‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5656: Work of any kind

This is how
כָּ֛כָה (kā·ḵāh)
Adverb
Strong's 3602: Just so

you are to assign
תַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה (ta·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

responsibilities
בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָֽם׃ (bə·miš·mə·rō·ṯām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 4931: A guard, watch, charge, function

to the Levites.”
לַלְוִיִּ֖ם (lal·wî·yim)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine plural
Strong's 3881: Levites -- descendant of Levi


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OT Law: Numbers 8:26 But shall minister with their brothers (Nu Num.)
Numbers 8:25
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