Deuteronomy 21:5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
5 The priests, the descendants of Levi, shall come forward, for the Lord, your God, has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the Lord, and every case of dispute or assault shall be for them to decide.
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Deuteronomy 33:8-11
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
8 Of Levi he said:(A)
Give to Levi your Thummim,
your Urim[a] to your faithful one;
Him you tested at Massah,
contended against him at the waters of Meribah.(B)
9 [b]He said of his father and mother,
“I have no regard for them”;
His brothers he would not acknowledge,
and his own children he did not recognize.
For they kept your words,
and your covenant they upheld.(C)
10 (D)They teach your ordinances to Jacob,
your law to Israel.
They bring incense to your nostrils,
and burnt offerings to your altar.
11 Bless, Lord, his strength,
be pleased with the work of his hands.
Crush the loins of his adversaries
and of his foes, that they may not rise.
Footnotes
- 33:8 Thummim…Urim: devices priests used for divination (cf. note on Ex 28:30).
- 33:9 The reference is probably to the Levites’ slaughter of other Israelites after the incident of the golden calf; cf. Ex 32:27–29.
Exodus 32:25-29
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
25 Moses saw that the people were running wild because Aaron had lost control—to the secret delight of their foes. 26 Moses stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” All the Levites(A) then rallied to him, 27 and he told them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Each of you put your sword on your hip! Go back and forth through the camp, from gate to gate, and kill your brothers, your friends, your neighbors!” 28 The Levites did as Moses had commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell. 29 Then Moses said, “Today you are installed as priests[a] for the Lord, for you went against your own sons and brothers, to bring a blessing upon yourselves this day.”
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Numbers 3:6-10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
6 Summon the tribe of Levi and station them before Aaron the priest to serve him.(A) 7 They shall discharge his obligations and those of the whole community before the tent of meeting(B) by maintaining the tabernacle. 8 They shall have responsibility for all the furnishings of the tent of meeting and discharge the obligations of the Israelites by maintaining the tabernacle. 9 You shall assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons;(C) they have been assigned unconditionally to him from among the Israelites. 10 But you will appoint only Aaron and his descendants to exercise the priesthood.(D) Any unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death.
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Numbers 6:22-27
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
The Priestly Blessing. 22 The Lord said to Moses: 23 Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them:
24 The Lord bless you and keep you!
25 The Lord let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!
26 The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace![a]
27 So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
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- 6:26 Peace: the Hebrew word Shalom includes the idea of happiness, good health, prosperity, friendship, and general well-being. To use this term as a greeting was to pray for all these things upon the one greeted.
Numbers 8:23-26
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Age Limits for Levitical Service. 23 The Lord said to Moses: 24 This is the rule for the Levites. Everyone twenty-five years old or more shall join the personnel in the service of the tent of meeting.(A) 25 But everyone fifty on up shall retire from the work force and serve no more. 26 They shall assist their fellow Levites in the tent of meeting in performing their duties, but they shall not do the work. This, then, is how you are to regulate the duties of the Levites.
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