Numbers 8:16

That is, they that are the firstborn.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(16) Instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel.—It is difficult to determine whether the second clause is to be regarded as an exact equivalent, or as a limitation of the first. If an exact equivalent, a different meaning must be assigned to the firstborn from that which it commonly bears in the Pentateuch, where it appears to be restricted to the firstborn son on the father’s side. (Cf. Exo_13:2.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel,.... All of them, entirely, and most certainly; or, "given, given" (u), which is repeated for the confirmation of it; or because of their being twice given, first to the Lord by the children of Israel, and then by the Lord to Aaron and his sons, as Chaskuni; though Jarchi interprets it of the different parts of their service they were devoted to, given for bearing and carrying the vessels of the sanctuary, and given for the song, or to be singers in the temple:

instead of such as open, every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel have I taken them unto me; See Gill on Num 3:12, and See Gill on Num 3:13.

(u) "dati, dati", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Drusius and Ainsworth.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They are given unto me by the people’s consent, as well as taken (as it follows) by my choice and command. See Num 3:9.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

16. Wholly given — The Hebrew nethunim, nethunim, given, given, is emphatic by repetition. (See Num_3:9, note.) At first they were the only attendants of the priests, and performed all the menial service.

Subsequently they were re-enforced by three hundred and twenty captive Midianites, (Num_31:47,) and still later by the condemned Gibeonites. Jos_9:27, note. When the service became more stately and onerous David and the princes further strengthened the Levites by the gift of the Nethinim, either prisoners of war or a remnant of the Canaanites, to live within the enclosure of the temple and to do its rougher work. Ezr_8:20. Two hundred and twenty of these were enrolled by Ezra among the Levites to supply their lack of service through a decline of their zeal for Jehovah.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For they are wholly given unto me. See Num_3:5-13, the substance of which is emphatically repeated here.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

each male child who opens the womb, the firstborn

These two phrases mean basically the same thing and are combined for emphasize the firstborn sons. (See: Parallelism)

male child who opens the womb

This is an idiom. "To open the womb" means to give birth for the first time. Here this refers to the first male child to which a mother gives birth. AT: "child who is the firstborn son of his mother" (See: Idiom)

I took the lives

This is a polite way of referring to when a person kills someone. AT: "I killed" (See: Euphemism)

I set them apart

Here "them" refers to "the firstborn from among the people of Israel."

translationWords

womb

firstborn

descend

life

Egypt

set apart

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

נתנים נתנים FOR THEY ARE GIVEN, GIVEN ARE THEY [UNTO ME] — i.e., given twice: dedicated for bearing the holy objects and dedicated to sing in chorus in the Sanctuary.

פטרת means OPENING OF (such that open the womb, i. e. firstborn).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

For they are given. They gave themselves over to Hashem for His service, as the verse testifies: “Whoever is for Hashem, [come] to me. All the sons of Levi gathered around him” (Shemos 32:26). Also, they are given from within the Bnei Yisroel, for the Israelites support the Levites with the first tithes in exchange for their service. In this way, the Divine service is accomplished through all the Jewish people together.

Sforno on the Tanakh — English translation: “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.