서론
無標題
英文原文
This chapter is concerning the lamps or lights of the sanctuary. I. The burning lamps in the candlestick, which the priests were charged to tend, Nu 8:1-4. II. The living lamps (if I may so call them), The Levites, who as ministers were burning and shining lights. The ordination of the priests we had an account of, Le 8:1-36. Here we have an account of the ordination of the Levites, the inferior clergy. 1. How they were purified, Nu 8:5-8. 2. How they were parted with by the people, Nu 8:9-10. 3. How they were presented to God in lieu of the firstborn, Nu 8:11-18. 4. How they were consigned to Aaron and his sons, to be ministers to them, Nu 8:19. 5. How all these orders were duly executed, Nu 8:20-22. And, lastly, the age appointed for their ministration, Nu 8:23-26, etc.
1-4
The Lights of the Sanctuary (1490 BC)
聖所的燈（主前1490年）
¹ 耶和華對摩西說：
² 「你告訴亞倫說：點燈的時候，七盞燈都要向燈臺前面發光。」
³ 亞倫便這樣行；他點燈使燈光向燈臺前面發光，正如耶和華所吩咐摩西的。
⁴ 這燈臺的造法是用金子錘出來的，從座到花，都是錘出來的：都是照耶和華所指示摩西的樣式造的。
關於製造金燈臺的指示，早在很久以前就已賜下（出二十五31），並且照著在山上指示摩西的樣式造了出來（出三十八17）。但直到如今，當其他物件開始啟用之時，才初次吩咐點燈。當注意：1. 誰當點燈——是亞倫親自，他點了燈（民八3）。作為百姓在神面前的代表，他這樣在神的家中盡了僕人的本分，為主人點燈；作為神在百姓面前的代表，他這樣向他們表明神旨意與恩寵的記號，正如詩篇所言（詩十八28）：你必點亮我的燈；亞倫自己近來也受指示如此為百姓祝福：願耶和華使祂的臉光照你（民六25）。誡命是燈（箴六23）。聖經是照在暗處的燈（彼後一19）。教會若沒有它，誠然也是暗處，正如帳幕（其中沒有窗戶）若沒有燈一般。如今傳道人的工作，就是藉著解明和應用神的道來點亮這些燈。祭司從壇上的火點亮中間那盞燈，其餘的燈則一盞從一盞點過去，安斯沃斯先生（Mr. Ainsworth）說，這表明一切亮光和知識的源頭都在基督裏，祂有神的七靈，由七盞火燈所預表（啟四5）；然而在解明聖經時，一處經文必須從另一處經文借用亮光。他又認為，七既是完全之數，燈臺的七個枝子就表明聖經的完全，聖經能使人因信基督耶穌有得救的智慧。2. 點燈是為了什麼目的——要向燈臺前面發光，就是向帳幕中安放陳設餅桌子的那一面發光。燈不是像甕中的蠟燭那樣為自己燃燒，而是要照亮帳幕的另一面，因為點燈正是為此（太五15）。當注意，世上的光、教會的光，必須如光一樣照在人前。我們得著亮光，為的是要我們把光傳出去。
英文原文
The Lights of the Sanctuary (1490 BC)
¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
² Speak unto Aaron, and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
³ And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
⁴ And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had showed Moses, so he made the candlestick.
Directions were given long before this for the making of the golden candlestick (Ex 25:31), and it was made according to the pattern shown to Moses in the mount, Ex 38:17. But now it was that the lamps were first ordered to be lighted, when other things began to be used. Observe, 1. Who must light the lamps; Aaron himself, he lighted the lamps, Nu 8:3. As the people's representative to God, he thus did the office of a servant in God's house, lighting his Master's candle; as the representative of God to the people, he thus gave them the intimations of God's will and favour, thus expressed (Ps 18:28), Thou wilt light my candle; and thus Aaron himself was now lately directed to bless the people, The Lord make his face to shine upon thee, Nu 6:25. The commandment is a lamp, Pr 6:23. The scripture is a light shining in a dark place, 2Pe 1:19. And a dark place indeed even the church would be without it, as the tabernacle (which had no window in it) without the lamps. Now the work of ministers is to light these lamps, by expounding and applying the word of God. The priest lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar, and the rest of the lamps he lighted one from another, which (says Mr. Ainsworth) signifies that the fountain of all light and knowledge is in Christ, who has the seven spirits of God figured by the seven lamps of fire (Re 4:5), but that in the expounding of scripture one passage must borrow light from another. He also supposes that, seven being a number of perfection, by the seven branches of the candlestick is shown the full perfection of the scriptures, which are able to make us wise to salvation. 2. To what end the lamps were lighted, that they might give light over against the candlestick, that is, to that part of the tabernacle where the table stood, with the show-bread upon it, over against the candlestick. They were not lighted like tapers in an urn, to burn to themselves, but to give light to the other side of the tabernacle, for therefore candles are lighted, Mt 5:15. Note, The lights of the world, the lights of the church, must shine as lights. Therefore we have light, that we may give light.
5-26
The Consecration of the Levites (1490 BC)
利未人的分別為聖（主前 1490 年）
⁵ 耶和華對摩西說： ⁶ 你從以色列人中選出利未人來，潔淨他們。 ⁷ 潔淨他們當這樣行：用除罪水彈在他們身上，又叫他們用剃頭刀刮全身，洗衣服，使自己潔淨。 ⁸ 然後叫他們取一隻公牛犢，同獻的素祭就是調油的細麵；你又另取一隻公牛犢作贖罪祭。 ⁹ 你要將利未人奉到會幕前，招聚以色列全會眾。 ¹⁰ 將利未人奉到耶和華面前，以色列人要按手在他們頭上。 ¹¹ 亞倫也將他們作為搖祭奉到耶和華面前，使他們可以辦理耶和華的事務。 ¹² 利未人要按手在兩隻牛的頭上；你要將一隻作贖罪祭，一隻作燔祭，獻給耶和華，為利未人贖罪。 ¹³ 你也要使利未人站在亞倫和他兒子面前，將他們當作搖祭奉給耶和華。 ¹⁴ 這樣，你從以色列人中將利未人分別出來，利未人便要歸我。 ¹⁵ 此後利未人要進去辦理會幕的事；你要潔淨他們，將他們當作搖祭奉上。 ¹⁶ 因為他們是從以色列人中全然給我的；我揀選他們歸我，是代替以色列中一切頭生的。 ¹⁷ 以色列人中一切頭生的，連人帶牲畜，都是我的；我在埃及地擊殺一切頭生的那日，就將他們分別為聖歸我自己。 ¹⁸ 我揀選了利未人，代替以色列人中一切頭生的。 ¹⁹ 我從以色列人中將利未人當作賞賜給亞倫和他的兒子，在會幕中辦以色列人的事，為以色列人贖罪，免得以色列人挨近聖所時有災殃臨到他們。 ²⁰ 摩西、亞倫和以色列全會眾，便向利未人如此行；凡耶和華指著利未人所吩咐摩西的，以色列人就向他們這樣行。 ²¹ 於是利未人潔淨了自己，洗了衣服；亞倫將他們當作搖祭奉到耶和華面前，又為他們贖罪，使他們潔淨。 ²² 然後利未人進去，在亞倫和他兒子面前，在會幕中辦理他們的事務；正如耶和華指著利未人所吩咐摩西的，他們就向利未人這樣行了。 ²³ 耶和華對摩西說： ²⁴ 利未人是這樣：從二十五歲以上的，要進來辦理會幕的事； ²⁵ 到了五十歲就要停工退任，不再辦事； ²⁶ 只要在會幕裡和他們的弟兄一同伺候，謹守所吩咐的，不再辦事了。你至於利未人所當盡的職任，你要這樣向他們行。
我們先前讀到利未人被數點時從以色列人中分別出來，並且另外單獨被數點（民 3:6、15），好叫他們在會幕的事奉中任職。如今我們在此看到關於他們莊嚴按立的指示（民 8:6），以及這事的執行（民 8:20）。全以色列都當知道，他們並非自取這尊榮，乃是蒙神呼召擔任此職；他們不僅要與鄰舍有所分別，更要莊嚴地奉獻歸神。當注意：凡為神所用的人，都必須按其職任的程度分別為聖歸他。基督徒必須受洗，傳道人必須受按立；我們必須先將自己獻給主，然後才獻上我們的事奉。當留意這事是按何種方式進行的：
一、利未人必須得潔淨，他們也的確得了潔淨。潔淨的禮儀要這樣執行：1. 由他們自己執行。他們要洗衣服，不僅要沐浴，還要用剃頭刀刮全身，正如長大痲瘋的得潔淨時所要行的（利 14:8）。他們要用剃頭刀刮全身，以清除那些洗不掉的污穢。神所愛的雅各是個光滑的人；以掃才是多毛的。他們為使自己潔淨而如此費心，這教導一切基督徒——尤其是傳道人——當藉著悔改和治死肉體，「潔淨自己，除去肉體和靈魂一切的污穢」，以*「成全聖潔」。抬耶和華器皿的人必須是潔淨的。2. 由摩西執行。他必須將除罪水彈在他們身上*，這水是按神的指示預備的。這象徵基督的血藉著信心應用在我們的心靈上，潔淨我們的良心，使我們可以事奉永生的神。潔淨自己是我們的本分，而潔淨我們則是神的應許。
二、利未人這樣預備好了之後，要在全以色列的莊嚴聚會中奉到耶和華面前，以色列人要按手在他們頭上（民 8:10），如此將他們及其事奉的權益（全體百姓既為其中一分，便有權分受）轉讓給神和他的聖所。他們將自己當作活祭獻給神，是聖潔的、神所喜悅的，以獻上理所當然的事奉；因此正如一切獻祭者所作的，他們按手在他們頭上，求神悅納他們的事奉，以代替全會眾——特別是代替頭生的——的服事，他們承認神本可堅持要頭生的來事奉。這不能用來證明百姓有權按立傳道人；因為以色列人按手在利未人頭上，並非使他們成為聖所的執事，只是表明百姓將這支派從他們的民兵和民間編制中分別出來，好讓亞倫將他們奉到耶和華面前，使他們成為執事。以色列全會眾不能都按手在他們身上，但很可能是由官長和長老作為百姓的代表來執行。有人認為是由頭生的來執行，因為利未人正是代替他們被獻給神的。凡神從我們手中所要的、為榮耀他自己而用的事物，我們都當甘心獻上，按手其上——不是為扣留，而是為交出，讓它歸給那有權得著的主。
三、要為他們獻祭，先獻贖罪祭（民 8:12），再獻燔祭，為利未人贖罪；利未人作為當事人，要按手在祭牲頭上。在此請看：1. 我們全都完全不配、也不配得進入並事奉神，直到罪得贖、與神和好。那隔斷的雲霧必須先被驅散，神與我們心靈之間才能建立舒暢的相交。2. 我們是藉著祭物——藉著基督這偉大的祭物——才與神和好，才能被獻給他。基督徒能成聖作基督徒的工，傳道人能成聖作傳道的工，都是藉著他。博學的帕特里克主教對利未人所獻之祭的看法是：利未人本身被視為一種贖罪祭，因為他們被賜下*「為以色列人贖罪」*（民 8:19）；然而他們既不像頭生的一樣被命定要死，這兩樣祭牲便代替了他們，因此他們要按手在這些祭牲上，好叫以色列人所按在他們身上的罪（民 8:10）轉移到這些牲畜身上。
四、利未人本身被奉到耶和華面前，作為以色列人的搖祭（民 8:11）。亞倫將他們獻給神——他們既已先將自己獻上，又由以色列人獻上。原文這詞意為搖祭，並非說他們真的被搖動，而是他們被獻給那位天上的神、全地的主，正如搖祭被獻上一樣。稱他們為搖祭，是向他們暗示：他們必須在事奉中不斷地將自己向神高舉，舉目仰望，舉心向上，並且在職分的事務中隨時敏捷地往來行動。他們被按立不是為閒懶，而是為活潑勤奮。
五、神在此宣告他悅納他們：「利未人便要歸我」（民 8:14）。神揀選他們代替頭生的（民 8:16-18），這在前面已提過（民 3:4）。當注意：凡存誠實獻給神的，神都恩慈地悅納。他的僕人既蒙憐憫得以忠心，便有特別的恩惠和尊榮的記號加在他們身上：「他們便要歸我」，然後（民 8:15）他們要*「進去辦理會幕的事」*。神收取他們歸自己，為要事奉他。凡指望在會幕的特權上有分的，都必須決心辦理會幕的事奉。一方面，神的受造物中沒有一個是他必不可少的僕人（他不需要其中任何一個的服事）；另一方面，也沒有一個僅僅被當作有名無實的僕人、甚麼都不作的。凡神所承認的，他都使用；連天使也有他們的服事。
六、他們然後被當作賞賜賜給亞倫和他的兒子（民 8:19），然而其益處卻歸給以色列人。1. 利未人要在祭司之下作事，作祭司的侍從和助手，辦理聖所的事。亞倫將他們獻給神（民 8:11），然後神又將他們賜還給亞倫（民 8:19）。當注意：凡我們獻給神的，他都要以我們無法言喻的益處賜還給我們。我們的心、我們的兒女、我們的產業，當我們將它們獻給神之後，便最真實、最舒暢地歸我們所有了。2. 他們要為百姓辦事。他們被選*「辦以色列人的事」，也就是說，不僅作他們本當作的服事，更是服事他們的利益，作那真正有益於全國尊榮、安全與繁榮的事。當注意：凡忠心事奉神的人，就是作了對公眾最好的服事之一；神的僕人只要留在其職分的範圍內，並良心上盡其職責，就當被看作國家中最有用的僕人之列。以色列人不能缺少利未支派，正如不能缺少任何一個支派。但他們為以色列人所行的服事是甚麼呢？接著說，就是「為他們贖罪，免得有災殃臨到他們」。藉獻祭贖罪是祭司的工作，但利未人卻藉著看守的事奉來贖罪，維持因獻祭而得的天上和睦。會幕中祭司的服事若交給以色列一切頭生的去隨意辦理，要麼被疏忽，要麼因辦理的人與之關係不那麼緊密、訓練不那麼勤勉、習慣不那麼經常——不像利未人那樣——而做得不熟練、不虔敬；這就會「在以色列人中帶來災殃」——也許是指頭生的自己死亡，那是埃及最後、最大的災殃。為防止這事並維持贖罪之效，神便指派利未人辦理這事奉；他們當從小在父母手下受訓，因此必精通此職；這樣以色列人——就是頭生的——就不必挨近聖所；或當以色列人有需要時，利未人可以隨時指教他們、引領他們，防止任何致命的失誤或錯謬。當注意：教會中設立傳道人在屬神的事上走在百姓前頭，作為引導者、監督者和宗教敬拜中的治理者，並以此為其本業，這是教會極大的恩惠。基督升上高天的時候，就「將這些恩賜賞給人」*（弗 4:8、11-12）。
七、他們事奉的時期也定了。1. 他們從二十五歲開始任職（民 8:24）。至於抬帳幕和其中器具的差事，他們要到三十歲才擔任（民 4:3）。但他們從二十五歲起就入職，可作其他方面的服事——這是傳道人開始公開事奉的極好年齡。那時的工作需要那樣的體力，如今的工作需要那樣成熟的判斷和穩重的行為，而人很少在那年齡之前達到這地步；初入教會的人容易因驕傲而自高。2. 他們五十歲時可得安息；那時他們要*「停工退任」（民 8:25），不是被不光彩地辭退，而是按其年齘所需，被提升到安息之中，其職任的尊榮加在他們身上，正如先前其職任的重擔加在他們身上一樣。他們要「在會幕裡和他們的弟兄一同伺候」，指導年輕的利未人，安排他們就位；他們也要「謹守所吩咐的」，作帳幕各處的守衛，看守不可讓外人擅入，也不可讓不潔的人進入，但他們不再擔任任何使他們疲乏的事奉。神的恩典既照著人的工作賜人能力，人的謹慎也當照著人的能力分配工作，只給人所能承擔的。年長的最適合擔任信任之職、看守之責；年輕的最適合擔任工作、辦理事奉。那「善於作執事的，就為自己得到美好的地位」（提前 3:13）。然而恩賜並不與年齡相捆綁（伯 32:9），「這一切都是這位聖靈所運行」*的。利未人的事務就這樣定妥了。
英文原文
The Consecration of the Levites (1490 BC)
⁵ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
⁶ Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
⁷ And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
⁸ Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
⁹ And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together:
¹⁰ And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:
¹¹ And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.
¹² And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.
¹³ And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.
¹⁴ Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
¹⁵ And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.
¹⁶ For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
¹⁷ For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.
¹⁸ And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
¹⁹ And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
²⁰ And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
²¹ And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.
²² And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.
²³ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
²⁴ This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation:
²⁵ And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:
²⁶ 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.
We read before of the separating of the Levites from among the children of Israel when they were numbered, and the numbering of them by themselves (Nu 3:6,15), that they might be employed in the service of the tabernacle. Now here we have directions given for their solemn ordination (Nu 8:6), and the performance of it, Nu 8:20. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from their neighbours, but they must be solemnly devoted to God. Note, All that are employed for God must be dedicated to him, according as the degree of employment is. Christian musts be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. Observe in what method this was done:
I. The Levites must be cleansed, and were so. The rites and ceremonies of their cleansing were to be performed, 1. By themselves. They must wash their clothes, and not only bathe, but shave all their flesh, as the leper was to do when he was cleansed, Le 14:8. They must cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, to clear themselves from that defilement which would not wash off. Jacob, whom God loved, was a smooth man; it was Esau that was hairy. The great pains they were to take with themselves to make themselves clean teaches all Christians, and ministers particularly, by repentance and mortification, to cleanse themselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, that they may perfect holiness. Those must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. 2. By Moses. He must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them, which was prepared by divine direction. This signified the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, to purify us from an evil conscience, that we may be fit to serve the living God. It is our duty to cleanse ourselves, and God's promise that he will cleanse us.
II. The Levites, being thus prepared, must be brought before the Lord in a solemn assembly of all Israel, and the children of Israel must put their hands upon them (Nu 8:10), so transferring their interest in them and in their service (to which, as a part, the whole body of the people was entitled) to God and to his sanctuary. They presented them to God as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, to perform a reasonable service; and therefore, as the offerers in all other cases did, they laid their hands upon them, desiring that their service might be accepted in lieu of the attendance of the whole congregation, particularly the first-born, which they acknowledge God might have insisted on. This will not serve to prove a power in the people to ordain ministers; for this imposition of hands by the children of Israel upon the Levites did not make them ministers of the sanctuary, but only signified the people's parting with that tribe out of their militia, and civil incorporations, in order to their being made ministers by Aaron, who was to offer them before the Lord. All the congregation of the children of Israel could not lay hands on them, but it is probable that the rulers and elders did it as the representative body of the people. Some think that the first-born did it because in their stead the Levites were consecrated to God. Whatever God calls for from us to serve his own glory by, we must cheerfully resign it, lay our hands upon it, not to detain it but to surrender it, and let it go to him that is entitled to it.
III. Sacrifices were to be offered for them, a sin-offering first (Nu 8:12), and then a burnt-offering, to make an atonement for the Levites, who, as the parties concerned, were to lay their hands upon the head of the sacrifices. See here, 1. That we are all utterly unworthy and unfit to be admitted into and employed in the service of God, till atonement be made for sin, and thereby our peace made with God. That interposing cloud must be scattered before there can be any comfortable communion settled between God and our souls. 2. That it is by sacrifice, by Christ the great sacrifice, that we are reconciled to God, and made fit to be offered to him. It is by him that Christians are sanctified to the work of their Christianity, and ministers to the work of their ministry. The learned bishop Patrick's notion of the sacrifice offered by the Levites is that the Levites were themselves considered as an expiatory sacrifice, for they were given to make atonement for the children of Israel, (Nu 8:19), and yet not being devoted to death, any more than the first-born were, these two sacrifices were substituted in their stead, upon which therefore they were to lay their hands, that the sin which the children of Israel laid upon them (Nu 8:10) might be transferred to these beasts.
IV. The Levites themselves were offered before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel, Nu 8:11. Aaron gave them up to God, as being first given up by themselves, and by the children of Israel. The original word signifies a wave-offering, not that they were actually waved, but they were presented to God as the God of heaven, and the Lord of the whole earth, as the wave-offerings were. And in calling them wave-offerings it was intimated to them that they must continually lift up themselves towards God in his service, lift up their eyes, lift up their hearts, and must move to and fro with readiness in the business of their profession. They were not ordained to be idle, but to be active and stirring.
V. God here declares his acceptance of them: The Levites shall be mine, Nu 8:14. God took them instead of the first-born (Nu 8:16-18), of which before, Nu 3:4. Note, What is in sincerity offered to God shall be graciously owned and accepted by him. And his ministers who have obtained mercy of him to be faithful have particular marks of favour and honour put upon them: they shall be mine, and then (Nu 8:15) they shall go in to do the service of the tabernacle. God takes them for his own, that they may serve him. All that expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants (he needs not the service of any of them), so, on the other hand, none are taken merely as honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns he employs; angels themselves have their services.
VI. They are then given as a gift to Aaron and his sons (Nu 8:19), yet so as that the benefit accrued to the children of Israel. 1. The Levites must act under the priests as attendants on them, and assistants to them, in the service of the sanctuary. Aaron offers them to God (Nu 8:11), and then God gives them back to Aaron, Nu 8:19. Note, Whatever we give up to God, he will give back to us unspeakably to our advantage. Our hearts, our children, our estates, are never more ours, more truly, more comfortably ours, than when we have offered them up to God. 2. They must act for the people. They were taken to do the service of the children of Israel, that is, not only to do the service which they should do, but to serve their interests, and do that which would really redound to the honour, safety, and prosperity of the whole nation. Note, Those that faithfully perform the service of God do one of the best services that can be done to the public; God's ministers, while they keep within the sphere of their office and conscientiously discharge the duty of it, must be looked upon as some of the most useful servants of their country. The children of Israel can as ill spare the tribe of Levi as any of their tribes. But what is the service they do the children of Israel? It follows, it is to make an atonement for them, that there be no plague among them. It was the priests' work to make atonement by sacrifice, but the Levites made atonement by attendance, and preserved the peace with heaven which was made by sacrifice. If the service of the priests in the tabernacle had been left to all the first-born of Israel promiscuously, it would have been either neglected or done unskillfully and irreverently, being done by those that were not so closely tied to it, nor so diligently trained to it, nor so constantly used to it, as the Levites were; and this would bring a plague among the children of Israel—meaning, perhaps, the death of the first-born themselves, which was the last and greatest of the plagues of Egypt. To prevent this, and to preserve the atonement, the Levites were appointed to do this service, who should be bred up to it under their parents from their infancy, and therefore would be well versed in it; and so the children of Israel, that is, the first-born, should not need to come nigh to the sanctuary; or, when any Israelites had occasion, the Levites would be ready to instruct them, and introduce them, and so prevent any fatal miscarriage or mistake. Note, It is a very great kindness to the church that ministers are appointed to go before the people in the things of God, as guides, overseers, and rulers, in religious worship, and to make that their business. When Christ ascended on high, he gave these gifts, Eph 4:8,11,12.
VII. The time of their ministration is fixed. 1. They were to enter upon the service at twenty-five years old, Nu 8:24. They were not charged with the carrying of the tabernacle and the utensils of it till they were thirty years old, Nu 4:3. But they were entered to be otherwise serviceable at twenty-five years old, a very good age for ministers to begin their public work at. The work then required that strength of body and the work now requires that maturity of judgment and steadiness of behaviour which men rarely arrive at till about that age; and novices are in danger of being lifted up with pride. 2. They were to have a writ of ease at fifty years old; then they were to return from the warfare, as the phrase is (Nu 8:25), not cashiered with disgrace, but preferred rather to the rest which their age required, to be loaded with the honours of their office, as hitherto they had been with the burdens of it. They shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle, to direct the junior Levites, and set them in; and they shall keep the charge, as guards upon the avenues of the tabernacle, to see that no stranger intruded, nor any person in his uncleanness, but they shall not be put upon any service which may be a fatigue to them. If God's grace provide that men shall have ability according to their work, man's prudence should take care that men have work only according to their ability. The aged are most fit for trusts, and to keep the charge; the younger are most fit for work, and to do the service. Those that have used the office of a servant well purchase to themselves a good degree, 1Ti 3:13. Yet indeed gifts are not tied to ages (Job 32:9), but all these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit. Thus was the affair of the Levites settled.
本章論及聖所的燈——就是燈火。一、燈臺上點著的燈，祭司受命負責照管，民 8:1-4。二、活的燈（容我這樣稱呼）——利未人，他們作為執事的人，是燃燒並發光的光。關乎祭司的設立，我們在利 8:1-36 已有記載。此處則記載了下級聖職人員——利未人——的設立。1. 他們如何得潔淨，民 8:5-8。2. 百姓如何將他們交出，民 8:9-10。3. 他們如何代替長子被獻給神，民 8:11-18。4. 他們如何被交託給亞倫和他兒子，作他們的助手，民 8:19。5. 這一切命令如何按規矩執行，民 8:20-22。末了，規定了他們辦事當有的年齡，民 8:23-26 等。