the water of purification... This was the
holy water mixed with the ashes of the red cow, Num. 19., appointed for
purifying all that were unclean. It was a figure of the blood of Christ,
applied to our souls by his holy sacraments.

8:8. They shall take an ox of the herd, and for the offering thereof
fine flour tempered with oil: and thou shalt take another ox of the herd
for a sin offering:

8:9. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the
covenant, calling together all the multitude of the children of Israel:

8:10. And when the Levites are before the Lord, the children of Israel
shall put their hands upon them:

8:11. And Aaron shall offer the Levites, as a gift in the sight of the
Lord from the children of Israel, that they may serve in his ministry.

8:12. The Levites also shall put their hands upon the heads of the oxen,
of which thou shalt sacrifice one for sin, and the other for a holocaust
to the Lord, to pray for them.

8:13. And thou shalt set the Levites in the sight of Aaron and of his,
and shalt consecrate them being offered to the Lord,

8:14. And shalt separate them from the midst of the children of Israel,
to be mine.

8:15. And afterwards they shall enter into the tabernacle of the
covenant, to serve me. And thus shalt thou purify and consecrate them
for an oblation of the Lord: for as a gift they were given me by the
children of Israel.

8:16. I have taken them instead of the firstborn that open every womb in
Israel,

8:17. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel, both of men and
of beasts, are mine. From the day that I slew every firstborn in the
land of Egypt, have I sanctified them to myself:

8:18. And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children
of Israel:

8:19. And have delivered them for a gift to Aaron and his sons out of
the midst of the people, to serve me for Israel in the tabernacle of the
covenant, and to pray for them, lest there should be a plague among the
people, if they should presume to approach unto my sanctuary.

8:20. And Moses and Aaron and all the multitude of the children of
Israel did with the Levites all that the Lord had commanded Moses,

8:21. And they were purified, and washed their garments. And Aaron
lifted them up in the sight of the Lord, and prayed for them,

8:22. That being purified they might go into the tabernacle of the
covenant to do their services before Aaron and his sons. As the Lord had
command