Numbers 8:26

They may assist ¹  their colleagues ²  in the tent of meeting, to attend to needs, but they must do no work. This is the way you must establish ³  the Levites regarding their duties.”

Nu 1:53; Nu 3:32; Nu 18:4; Nu 31:30; 1Ch 23:32; 1Ch 26:20-29; Eze 44:8,11; 1Ti 4:15

¹ tn The verb is the Piel perfect of שָׁרַת (sharat, “to serve, minister”). Here the form has the vav (ו) consecutive, and so is equal to the imperfect tense stressing permission. After the Levites reached the age of retirement, they were permitted to assist the others, but were not permitted to do the work themselves.

² tn Heb “brothers,” but the meaning in this context is “fellow Levites.”

³ tn Heb “you shall do, make.”