A reading from the Book of Numbers.

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

Speak to Aaron and say to him,

When you set up the lamps,

The seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.

And Aaron did so.

He set up its lamps in front of the lampstand as the Lord commanded Moses.

And this was the workmanship of the lampstand, hammered work of gold.

From its base to its flowers it was hammered work, according to the pattern that the Lord had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand. And the Lord spoke to Moses,

saying, Take the Levites from among the people of Israel and cleanse them. Thus you shall do to them

to them to cleanse them. Sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them go with a razor over all their body,

and wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves. Then let them take a bull from the herd, and its

grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another bull from the herd for a sin

offering, and you shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting

and assemble the whole congregation of the people of Israel.

When you bring the Levites before the Lord,

the people of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites.

And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering from the

people of Israel that they may do the service of the Lord. Then 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 bird offering to the Lord

to make atonement for the Levites.

And you shall set the Levites before Aaron and his sons,

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