Numbers 8:12

¹⁰ And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites:

¹¹ And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.

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.

¹³ And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

¹⁴ Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and offer to the LORD one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, to make atonement for the Levites.
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.
WEB: “The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and you shall offer the one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering to the LORD, 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.
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.
BLB: And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer the one [for] a sin offering and the one [for] a burnt offering to YHWH, to make atonement upon the Levites.

ÅB: Så skal levittene legge sine hender på oksenes hoder, og du skal ofre den ene til syndoffer og den andre til brennoffer for Herren for å gjøre soning for levittene.
OTB: Levittene skal legge hendene på hodene til oksene; så skal den ene ofres som syndoffer og den andre som brennoffer til Herren, for å gjøre soning for levittene.
B1930: Så skal levittene legge sine hender på oksenes hoder, og du skal ofre den ene til syndoffer og den andre til brennoffer for Herren for å gjøre soning for levittene.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Hebrews 10:4–10
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
Read in context
Hebrews 9:22
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
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Exodus 29:10
And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.
Read in context
Leviticus 8:14
And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering.
Read in context
Leviticus 1:4
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
Read in context
Numbers 8:8
Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
Read in context
Leviticus 4:20
And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
Read in context
Leviticus 16:11
And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:
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