John Calvin on Leviticus 8:1

1. And the Lord spake. It is well known that in conjunction with the sacrifices there was an offering, which they call minha, but we shall elsewhere see that this was also used separately; for it was lawful without a victim to offer either plain meal, or cakes, or wafers seasoned with oil. Therefore, besides the sacrifice of consecration, of which Moses has already treated, this second offering is required from the priest, that he should present at his inauguration a cake fried in a pan, and cut in pieces. The reason of this appears to have been, that he might thence become the legitimate minister of all the people, and might duly offer in the name of others, when he had done what was right for himself. But a distinction is drawn between the demand upon the priest and that, upon the people, viz., that it should be “wholly burnt;” the reason for which, since it will be explained elsewhere, it will be now sufficient to advert to in a single word. The fact was that God was unwilling that the priests should indulge themselves in vain ostentation, which might have been easily the case, if the oblation had been preserved for their use, like the minha of the people which remained in their hands.

Numbers 8

Numbers 8:5-19, 23-26

5. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

5. Loquutusque est praeterea Jehova ipsi Mosi, dicendo:

6. Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

6. Cape Levitas e medio filiorum Israel, et purifices illos.

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.

7. Sic autem facies illis ut purifices illos: sparge super eos aquam purificationis, et transire faciant novaculam super totam carnem suam, laventque vestimenta sua, et purificentur.

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.

8. Postea capient juvencum filium bovis, et minham ejus similam conspersam oleo: et juvencum alterura filium bovis capies in sacrificium pro peccato.

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.

9. Tunc offeres Levitas coram tabernaculo conventionis: et congregabis omnem coetum filiorum Israel.

10. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

10. Offeres inquam Levitas eoram Jehova, et conjungent filii Israel marius suas super Levitas.

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.

11. Offeretque Aharon Levitas in oblationem coram Jehova a filiis Israel, et ministrabunt in ministerio Jehovae.

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.

12. Levitae autem conjungent manus suas super caput juvencorum: postea facies unum pro peccato, et alterum in holocaustum Jehovae ad expiandum Levitas.

13. And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

13. Statuesque Levitas coram Aharon et coram fillis ejus, et offeres illos oblationem Jehovae.

14. Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

14. Ac segregabis Levitas e medio filiorum Israel: erunt mei Levitae.

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.

15. Posted autem venient Levitae ad ministrandum in tabernaculo conventionis, et expiabis illos, offeresque cos oblationem.

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.

16. Quid dati, dati inquam sunt mihi e medio filiorum Israel pro aperiente omnem vulvam, pro primogenito filiorum Israel accepi cos mihi.

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.

17. Meus est enim omnis primogenitus in filiis Israel tam hominum quam jumentorum: a die quo percussi omne primogenitum in terra AEgypti, sanctificavi illa mihi.

18. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.

18. Cepi autem Levitas pro onmi primogenito in filiis 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.

19. Et dedi Levitas dono datos Aharoni et filiis eius e medio filiorum Israeli, ut fungantur officio filiorum Israel in tabernaculo conventionis, et expient filios Israel: neque sit in filiis Israel plaga, quum ipsi appropinquaverint sanctuario.

23. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

23. Loquutns est autem Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:

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:

24. Hoc quoque est quod ad Levitas pertinet, vicesimo quinto anno et supra ingredientur militare militiara in cultu tabernaculi conventionis.

25. And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more:

25. A quinquagesimo autem anno revertetur a militia cultus, nec ministrabit ultra:

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.

26. Sed ministrabit cum fratribus suis in tabernaculo conventionis, ut munere suo illi fungantur et ministerium non administrabit: sic facies de Levitis in custodiis eorum.