Numbers 8:16 - Easy To Read Version

¹⁶ The Israelite people will give me the Levites. They will belong to me. In the past, I told every Israelite family to give me their firstborn [132] son. But now I am taking the Levite people in place of those firstborn sons from the other families in Israel.

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

¹⁶ For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

¹⁶ For they are wholly given to Me from among the Israelites; instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites, I have taken the Levites for Myself.

American Standard Version (1901)

¹⁶ For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of all that openeth the womb, even the first-born of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

Common English Bible

¹⁶ They are given over to me from the Israelites in place of all the newborn, the oldest of all the Israelites. I take them for myself.

Catholic Public Domain Version

¹⁶ I have accepted them in place of the firstborn which open every womb in Israel.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

¹⁶ I have taken them instead of the firstborn that open every womb in Israel.

Numbers 8:16 Cross References

Exodus 13:2

“You must give me every male in Israel that is its mother's first child. That means that every firstborn baby {boy} and every firstborn {male} animal will be mine.”

Numbers 3:12

“{I told you that every family of Israel must give their firstborn [31] son to me}—but now I am choosing the Levites to serve me. They will be mine. So all the other people of Israel will not have to give their firstborn sons to me.

Numbers 3:13

“When you were in Egypt, I killed all the firstborn [32] children of the Egyptians. At that time, I took all of the firstborn children of Israel to be mine. All of the firstborn children and all the firstborn animals are mine. {But now I am giving your firstborn children back to you, and I am making the Levites mine.} I am the Lord.”

Numbers 3:45

“I, the Lord, give this command: ‘Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn [45] men from the other families of Israel. And I will take the animals of the Levites instead of the animals of the other people. The Levites are mine.

Numbers 3:6

“Bring all the men from Levi’s family group. Bring them to Aaron the priest. Those men will be Aaron’s helpers.

Numbers 3:9

“Give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. The Levites were chosen from all the people of Israel to help Aaron and his sons.