The Meaning of Numbers 8:12 Explained

Numbers 8:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: 'And the Levites lay their hands on the head of the bullocks, and make thou the one a sin-offering, and the one a burnt-offering to Jehovah, to atone for the Levites,

Darby: 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, to Jehovah, to make atonement for the Levites.

ASV: And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and offer thou the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, unto Jehovah, to make atonement for the Levites.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Numbers 8:12 Mean?

Study Notes

atonement
Heb. kaphar, "to cover." The English word "atonement" (at-one-ment) is not a translation of the Heb. kaphar, but a translator's interpretation. According to Scripture the legal sacrifice "covered" the offerer's sin and secured the divine forgiveness; according to the translators it made God and the sinner at- one. But the O.T. sacrifices did not at-one the sinner and God. "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins." Hebrews 10:4 . The Israelite's offering implied confession of sin and of its due desert, death; and God "covered" (passed over," Romans 3:25 his sin, in anticipation of Christ's sacrifice, which did, finally, "put away" the sins "done aforetime in the forbearance of God."; Romans 3:25 ; Hebrews 9:15 . (See Scofield " Romans 3:25 ") . The word "atonement" does not occur in the N.T.; Romans 5:11 meaning reconciliation, and so rendered in the R.V.
See "Sacrifice," Genesis 4:4 , and refs. (See Scofield " Genesis 4:4 ")
(See Scofield " Leviticus 16:5 ")

Context Summary

Numbers 8:1-13 - Lights In God's House Clean Workmen
It is strange to come on this paragraph about the candlestick amid the preparations for leaving Sinai. But typically it is appropriate, because the people of God are called, in their earthly pilgrimage, to shine as lights in the world.
The beaten work of gold is significant of persecution, and the one lump of gold indicates the essential unity of the Church. The Levites were symbolically cleansed by the water and the razor. This was required for those who were sprung from a stock so cruel, Genesis 49:7.
Next they were offered to God, i.e., Israel transferred to them the obligations of ministry, which up to this time had been performed by the firstborn. As the priest was wont to wave a portion of the sacrifice before God, so Aaron, Numbers 8:11. The counterpart of this is Acts 13:3. Missionaries, teachers and others who perform certain functions for us all, may be regarded as wave-offerings. [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 8

1  How the lamps are to be lighted
5  The consecration of the Levites
23  The age and time of their service

What do the individual words in Numbers 8:12 mean?

And the Levites shall lay - their hands on the heads of the young bulls and you shall offer one as a sin offering and as a burnt offering to Yahweh to make atonement for the Levites
וְהַלְוִיִּם֙ יִסְמְכ֣וּ אֶת־ יְדֵיהֶ֔ם עַ֖ל רֹ֣אשׁ הַפָּרִ֑ים וַ֠עֲשֵׂה הָאֶחָ֨ד חַטָּ֜את וְאֶת־ עֹלָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־ הַלְוִיִּֽם

וְהַלְוִיִּם֙  And  the  Levites 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
יִסְמְכ֣וּ  shall  lay 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: סָמַךְ  
Sense: to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְדֵיהֶ֔ם  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רֹ֣אשׁ  the  heads 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הַפָּרִ֑ים  of  the  young  bulls 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
וַ֠עֲשֵׂה  and  you  shall  offer 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
הָאֶחָ֨ד  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
חַטָּ֜את  as  a  sin  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
עֹלָה֙  as  a  burnt  offering 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
לַֽיהוָ֔ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְכַפֵּ֖ר  to  make  atonement 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּפַר 
Sense: to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch.
הַלְוִיִּֽם  the  Levites 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.