Chapter 8 continues picking up on some of the activities that occurred once the tabernacle was completed. We pick up this part of the conversation with the setting up of the lamps on the fancy lampstand (menorah) that was instructed to made out of hammered gold in Exodus 25. We’ve seen the instructions, we’ve seen them built, but up to this point we didn’t get to see them fired up, so it happens now. It was the high priest’s job to keep the wick trimmed and the olive oil in the lamps full so that the light would be continually shining. The direction is is explicit, it shines to the front, which would be where the 12 loaves of show bread are, one for each tribe, a reminder of YHWH’s continual blessing and provision to His people.
Next, the cleansing of the Levites. Now, I know in Numbers so far we’ve seen them counted, given the tasks of hauling the tabernacle around, and been the recipients of some of the worship offerings brought at the consecration of the tabernacle. But you didn’t really think that YHWH was going to have them come in and do this work, as well as stand in for the first born of all Israel, without going through any kind of cleansing, did you? Of course not, the Levites individually certainly didn’t want to take the risk of being the reason that there was an inadvertent mix of something/someone unclean with the holy things of YHWH.
So, the process begins. First, they get sprinkled with water (not magic water, just water) along with a full body razor treatment and clean clothes. Then they snag a couple of bulls and they are brought in front of the tent of meeting. The whole congregation joins them and lays hands on the Levites. What’s going on here? The Levites are themselves an offering and there a few different concepts likely in play. For one, remember the Levites are the substitute, they are being set aside for dedication to YHWH instead of the first born of Israel. The laying of hands is kind of a transfer of interest, from all of Israel to these Levites specifically (this is the same action we see when sacrifices are made, the guilty laying hands on the beast who will die in its place). To that end, after the congregation lays their hands on the Levites, the Levites then lay their hands on the sacrifices, which serve as they always do ,to “cover” or atone for the uncleanliness, or the the falling short, of the people.
The description of the Levites as a wave offering is interesting in that the wave offering is the one where, once it’s waved towards YHWH, the priests get to keep it. That kind of makes sense here, given that it is the Levites who are, although dedicated to the service of the Lord, under the everyday direction of the priests themselves. The run of obedience at the start of Number continues as Moses, Aaron and the Israelites follow the instructions they’ve been given here deal with the Levites as YHWH has requested.
The chapter ends with instructions around the retirement of the Levites from service. The primary work they are assigned is difficult, physical labor along with the protection of the tabernacle and its goods. YHWH expects faithful service for this work between the age of 25 and 50. Once they hit 50, they retire from the physical labor, although they’re still allowed to hang around the tabernacle and be of service there (likely instructing those who are new to the gig and overall making sure things run smoothly).
And with that, all the administrations of the tabernacle are complete. They know what goes in it, how to move it, how to set it up, how to run it once its set up, and have all the people they need to make it all happen. They are a people who have been prepared to live among and travel with the very presence of the Lord their God.