Numbers 8:26 KJV

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.

Words Then and Now

minister a servant; an attendant Still heard today: minister to the sick, serve and care for them Webster’s 1828 · Minister

What these words mean in the King James Bible, and where you’ll still hear them today.

Thou and Ye

thou one person

In the King James Bible, thee, thou, thy, and thine always mean one person, and ye, you, and your more than one: a difference modern English lost. Why keep these words?

Matthew Henry

Consecration of the Levites, and their serviceHere we have directions for the solemn ordination of the Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God...

Cross References

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.
Numbers 31:30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 23:32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 26:20–29 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things. …
Ezekiel 44:8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.
Ezekiel 44:11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them.
1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

From OpenBible.info, most relevant first.

Topics

Levites When inducted into office

Timeline

Timeline of the Bible1491–1451 BC · Israel in the Wilderness

Hebrew and Strong’s

But shall minister וְשֵׁרֵת wĕšērēt שָׁרַת Verb · piel sequential perfect, third person masculine singular · with and
with their brethren אֶת ʾet Object marker אֶחָיו ʾeḥāyw אָח Noun · masculine plural construct · with suffix: third person masculine singular
in the tabernacle בְּאֹהֶל bĕʾōhel אֹהֶל Noun · masculine singular construct · with preposition
of the congregation מוֹעֵד môʿēd מוֹעֵד Noun · masculine singular
to keep לִשְׁמֹר lišmōr שָׁמַר Verb · qal infinitive construct · with preposition
the charge מִשְׁמֶרֶת mišmeret מִשְׁמֶרֶת Noun · feminine singular
and shall do יַעֲבֹד yaʿăbōd עָבַד Verb · qal imperfect, third person masculine singular
no service וַעֲבֹדָה waʿăbōdâ עֲבֹדָה Noun · feminine singular · with and לֹא lōʾ Negative
Thus shalt thou do כָּכָה kākâ Adverb תַּעֲשֶׂה taʿăśê עָשָׂה Verb · qal imperfect, second person masculine singular
unto the Levites לַלְוִיִּם lalwiyyim לֵוִיִּי Noun · masculine plural · with preposition with the
touching their charge בְּמִשְׁמְרֹתָם bĕmišmĕrōtām מִשְׁמֶרֶת Noun · feminine plural construct · with preposition, suffix: third person masculine plural

Hebrew: Westminster Leningrad Codex, Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible · CC BY 4.0

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