Numbers 8:12

“And the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bullocks, etc.] Or “on the head” f86; on the head of everyone of them, as Aben Ezra, thereby, as it were, transferring their sins to them, for these were to make atonement for them, as the latter part of the verse shows; and this was a figure of the imputation of sin to Christ, and taught that doctrine, and led the faith of the offerers to the sin bearing and sin atoning Saviour: and thou shall offer the one [for] a sin offering, and the other [for] a burnt offering, unto the Lord; that is, shall order to be offered; for not Moses, but Aaron, offered these offerings, as Aben Ezra observes, of which this is a proof, that Aaron is said…”

“The Levites could only undertake their duties Numbers 3:0; Numbers 4:0 after the formal exchange of the Levites for the first-born Numbers 3:44-51. The distinction between the “consecration” of the priests Leviticus 8:0 and the less solemn “purification” Numbers 8:21 of the Levites is marked. These rites of purification are similar to those incumbent on the priests of Egypt. Numbers 8:7 Water of purifying - literally, “sin water:” i. e. water to cleanse from sin; no doubt taken from the laver of the sanctuary, which was used by the priests for purification before they went into the tabernacle to minister (compare Numbers 5:17; Exodus 30:18 ff). The “sprinkling” of so large a body of men…”

“Lay their hands - To signify that they were offered by them and for them. Numbers 8:13”

“8:12-22 The Levites had to offer appropriate sacrifices before they performed their duties in the Tabernacle (8:15).”

“Levites: Exo 29:10; Lev 1:4, Lev 8:14, Lev 16:21 the one: Num 8:8, Num 6:14, Num 6:16; Lev 5:7, Lev 5:9, Lev 5:10, Lev 8:14, Lev 8:18, Lev 9:7, Lev 14:19, Lev 14:20, Lev 14:22; Heb 10:4-10 atonement: Lev 1:4, Lev 4:20, Lev 4:35, Lev 8:34, Lev 16:6, Lev 16:11, Lev 16:16-19; Heb 9:22 Numbers 8:13”

“The Levites were then to close this transfer of themselves to the Lord with a sin-offering and burnt-offering, in which they laid their hands upon the sacrificial animals. By this imposition of hands they made the sacrificial animals their representatives, in which they presented their own bodies to the Lord as a living sacrifice well-pleasing to Him. The signification of the dedication of the Levites, as here enjoined, is still further explained in Num 8:13-19. The meaning of Num 8:13. is this: According to the command already given (in Num 8:6-12), thou shalt place the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and wave them as a wave-offering before the Lord, and so separate them from the midst…”