14 and thou hast separated the Levites from the midst of the sons of Israel, and the Levites have become Mine; 15 and afterwards do the Levites come in to serve the tent of meeting, and thou hast cleansed them, and hast waved them—a wave-offering. 16 'For they are certainly given to Me out of the midst of the sons of Israel, instead of him who openeth any womb—the first-born of all—from the sons of Israel I have taken them to Myself; 17 for Mine 'is' every first-born among the sons of Israel, among man and among beast; in the day of my smiting every first-born in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself; 18 and I take the Levites instead of every first-born among the sons of Israel: 19 'And I give the Levites gifts to Aaron and to his sons, from the midst of the sons of Israel, to do the service of the sons of Israel in the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the sons of Israel, and there is no plague among the sons of Israel in the sons of Israel's drawing nigh unto the sanctuary.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 8:14-19
Commentary on Numbers 8:5-26
(Read Numbers 8:5-26)
Here we have directions for the solemn ordination of the Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from others. All who are employed for God, must be dedicated to him, according to the employment. Christians must be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. The Levites must be cleansed. They must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Moses must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them. This signifies the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, that we may be fit to serve the living God. God declares his acceptance of them. All who expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle, must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants, he needs not the service of any of them; so none are merely honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns, he employs; angels themselves have their services.