Exodus 32:29
ESV
And Moses said, "Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day."
NIV
Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day."
NASB
Then Moses said, 'Dedicate yourselves today to the Lord—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.'
CSB
Afterward Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the Lord, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today."
NLT
Then Moses told the Levites, 'Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing.'
KJV
For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
NKJV
Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”
What does Exodus 32:29 mean?
Levi was the only tribe to respond to Moses' call for loyal men (Exodus 32:26). This came after Israel pressured Aaron into making an idol (Exodus 32:1–6). Moses assigns the Levites to execute three thousand men as punishment for this breach of the Lord's commandments (Exodus 20:3–6). This echoes the passionate response of their founder, Levi, son of Jacob (Genesis 35:23), who brutally slaughtered those responsible for the rape of his sister (Genesis 34:1–2, 24–26).This terrible process set Levi apart from the other tribes. Scripture describes this using a Hebrew phrase translated in various ways. Some options refer to consecration, others to dedication. God will assign special duties to the Levites regarding care for His tabernacle (Numbers 1:50–53). They will also be exempted from certain requirements and benefits applied to the other tribes (Numbers 1:49; 8:19, 26; Deuteronomy 14:27; Joshua 13:33).
