Numbers · Chapter 8

[ edit] And þe Lord ſpak to Moyſes, ſeiynge, Spek to Aaron, and þow ſhalt ſeie to hym, Whanne þow ſettiſt þe ſeuen lanterns, þe candelſtyke be arered in þe ſowþ part; þis þanne comaund, þat þe lanterns aȝen þe norþ forn aȝens biholden to þe table of þe looues of propoſicioun, aȝens þat part þat þe candilſtik biholdiþ, þei owen to liȝten. And Aaron dyde, and putte yn lanterns vpon þe candelſtyk, as þe Lord comaundide to Moyſes. Þis forſoþe was þe makynge of þe candelſtik; of betun out golde, as wel þe myddil ſtok as al þe þinges þat of eiþer ſide of þe ȝerdes weren born out; after þe enſaumple þat þe Lord ſhewide to Moyſes, ſo he wrouȝte þe candelſtyk.

And þe Lord ſpak to Moyſes, ſeiynge, Tak þe Leuytes fro þe myddil of þe ſones of Yrael; and þow ſhalt purifie hem aftir þis rijt. Be þei ſpreynt wiþ water of purgynge, and ſhaue þei alle þe heerys of her fleſh. And whanne þei han waſſhun her cloþes, and weren clenſid, take þei an oxe of þe droue, and his ſacrifice of licours, tried flour ſpreynt wiþ oyle; and anoþir oxe of þe droue þow ſhalt take for ſynne; and þow ſhalt ſette to þe Leuytes before þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees, clepid togidere al þe multitude of þe ſones of Yrael.

And whanne þe Leuytes weren before þe Lord, þe ſones of Irael ſhulen putte her hoondes vpon hem; and Aaron ſhal offre þe Leuytes, a ȝift in þe ſiȝt of þe Lord of þe ſones of Yrael, þat þei ſeruen in þe ſeruyce of hym. And þe Leuytes ſhulen putte her hoondes vpon þe heedis of þe oxen, of þe whiche oon þow ſhalt doo for ſynne, and anoþer into brent ſacrifice of þe Lord, þat þow preye for hem. And þow ſhalt ſette þe Leuytes in þe ſiȝt of Aaron, and of his ſones, and þow ſhalt ſacre hem offred to þe Lord; and ſeuer fro þe myddil of þe ſones of Yrael, þat þei be myyn.

And afterward goo þei in þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees, þat þei ſeruen to me; and ſo þow ſhalt puryfye and ſacre hem, into þe offrynge of þe Lord, for þurȝ ȝift þei ben ȝeue to me of þe ſones of Yrael. For þe firſt goten þat opnen al wombe in Yrael Y haue takun hem; myyn forſoþe ben al þe fyrſte goten of þe ſones of Yrael, as wel of men as of beeſtis, fro þe day þat I ſmoot al þe firſte goten in þe loonde of Egipte, I haue halowed hem to me.

And Y haue take þe Leuytes for al þe firſte goten of þe ſones of Yrael; and Y haue take hem bi ȝifte to Aaron and his ſones, fro þe myddil of þe puple, þat þei ſeruen to me for Yrael, in þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees, and preien for hem, leſt þere be in þe puple veniaunce, if þei weren hardi to neiȝ to þe ſeyntuarye. And Moyſes and Aaron diden, and al þe multytude of þe ſones of Yrael, vpon þe Leuytes, þat þe Lord comaundide to Moyſes.

And þei ben purified, and þei waſſheden her cloþes; and Aaron arerede hem in þe ſiȝte of þe Lord, and preiede for hem, þat puryfyed þei weenden into her offices, into þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees, before Aaron and his ſones, as þe Lord comaundide to Moyſes, of þe Leuytes ſo it is doon. And þe Lord ſpak to Moyſes, ſeiynge, Þis is þe lawe of þe Leuytes; fro twenti ȝeer and aboue þei ſhulen weende in, þat þei mynyſtren in þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees; and whanne þe fyftiþe ȝeer of age þei han fulfillid, þei ſhulen ceeſe to ſerue.

And þei ſhulen be þe ſeruauntes of her bryþeren in þe tabernacle of þe boond of pees, þat þei kepen þinges þat weren comaundid to hem; þo forſoþe werkis doo þei not; ſo þow ſhalt diſpoſe þe Leuytes in her wardis.