^8:23Then the Lord spoke to Moses: ^8:24“This is what pertains to the Levites:³¹ At the age of twenty-five years³² and upward one may begin to join the company³³ in the work of the tent of meeting, ^8:25and at the age of fifty years they must retire from performing the work and may no longer work. ^8:26They may assist³⁴ their colleagues³⁵ in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish³⁶ the Levites regarding their duties.”

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Footnotes

31 The Hebrew text has “this [is that] which [pertains] to the Levites.” “This is what concerns the Levites, meaning, the following rulings are for them.
32 The age of twenty-five indicated in v. 24 should be compared with the age of thirty indicated in Num 4:3, 23, 30. In order to harmonize the numbers given in chapter 4 with the number given in Num 8:24 the (and perhaps its Hebrew ) has thirty in all of these references. See further G. J. Wenham, Numbers ( 4), .
33 The infinitive is לִצְבֹא (litsvo’), related to the word for “host, army, company,” and so “to serve as a company.” The meaning is strengthened by the cognate accusative following it.
34 The verb is the Piel perfect of שָׁרַת (sharat, “to serve, minister”). Here the form has the vav (ו) consecutive, and so is equal to the imperfect tense stressing permission. After the Levites reached the age of retirement, they were permitted to assist the others, but were not permitted to do the work themselves.
35 Heb “brothers,” but the meaning in this context is “fellow Levites.”
36 Heb “you shall do, make.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

The Lord said to Moses, “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting, but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

The Lord spoke to Moses: “In regard to the Levites: From twenty-five years old or more, a man enters the service in the work at the tent of meeting. But at fifty years old he is to retire from his service in the work and no longer serve. He may assist his brothers to fulfill responsibilities at the tent of meeting, but he must not do the work. This is how you are to deal with the Levites regarding their duties.”

NLTNew Living Translation

The Lord also instructed Moses, “This is the rule the Levites must follow: They must begin serving in the Tabernacle at the age of twenty-five, and they must retire at the age of fifty. After retirement they may assist their fellow Levites by serving as guards at the Tabernacle, but they may not officiate in the service. This is how you must assign duties to the Levites.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “This is what is for the Levites: those twenty-five years old and above will come to help with the service in the work of the tent of assembly; and those fifty years old will return from the service of the work and will serve no longer. They can attend their brothers in the tent of assembly to keep their responsibilities, but they will not do work. This is what you will do concerning the Levites and their responsibilities.”

KJV 1900King James Version

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 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: And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 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.

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