3. Aaron obeyed and placed the lamps as he was told.
4. The lampstand was made of hammered gold from its base to the decorative flowers on top, exactly like the pattern the Lord had described to Moses.
5. The Lord said to Moses:
6. The Levites must be acceptable to me before they begin working at the sacred tent. So separate them from the rest of the Israelites
7. and sprinkle them with the water that washes away their sins. Then tell them to shave their entire bodies and wash their clothes.
8. They are to bring a bull and its proper grain sacrifice of flour mixed with olive oil. And they must bring a second bull as a sacrifice for sin.
9. Then you, Moses, will call together all the people of Israel and make the Levites go to my sacred tent,
10. where the people will place their hands on them.
11. Aaron will present the Levites to me as a gift from the people, so that the Levites will do my work.
12. After this, the Levites are to place their hands on the heads of the bulls. Then one of the bulls will be sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin, and the other to make sure that I am pleased.
13. The Levites will stand at my altar in front of Aaron and his sons, who will then dedicate the Levites to me.
14. This ceremony will show that the Levites are different from the other Israelites and belong to me in a special way.
15. After they have been made acceptable and have been dedicated, they will be allowed to work at my sacred tent.