The Meaning of Numbers 18:2 Explained

Numbers 18:2

KJV: And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.

YLT: and also thy brethren, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring near with thee, and they are joined unto thee, and serve thee, even thou and thy sons with thee, before the tent of the testimony.

Darby: And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring near with thee, that they may unite with thee, and minister unto thee; but thou and thy sons with thee shall serve before the tent of the testimony.

ASV: And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall be before the tent of the testimony.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thy brethren  also of the tribe  of Levi,  the tribe  of thy father,  bring  thou with thee, that they may be joined  unto thee, and minister  unto thee: but thou and thy sons  with thee [shall minister] before  the tabernacle  of witness. 

What does Numbers 18:2 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Numbers 18

1  The charge of the priests and Levites
8  The priests, portion
21  The Levites,
25  The heave offering to the priests out of the Levites' portion

What do the individual words in Numbers 18:2 mean?

And - your brothers of the tribe of Levi the tribe of your father bring with you that they may be joined with you and serve you and while you and your sons [are] before the tabernacle of witness
וְגַ֣ם אֶת־ אַחֶיךָ֩ מַטֵּ֨ה לֵוִ֜י שֵׁ֤בֶט אָבִ֙יךָ֙ הַקְרֵ֣ב אִתָּ֔ךְ וְיִלָּו֥וּ עָלֶ֖יךָ וִֽישָׁרְת֑וּךָ וְאַתָּה֙ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֥הֶל הָעֵדֻֽת

אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַחֶיךָ֩  your  brothers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
מַטֵּ֨ה  of  the  tribe  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַטֶּה  
Sense: staff, branch, tribe.
לֵוִ֜י  Levi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי 
Sense: the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites.
שֵׁ֤בֶט  the  tribe 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁבֶט  
Sense: rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, sceptre, tribe.
אָבִ֙יךָ֙  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הַקְרֵ֣ב  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
אִתָּ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְיִלָּו֥וּ  that  they  may  be  joined 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: לָוָה 
Sense: to join, be joined.
עָלֶ֖יךָ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וִֽישָׁרְת֑וּךָ  and  serve  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁרַת  
Sense: (Piel) to minister, serve, minister to.
וְאַתָּה֙  and  while  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
וּבָנֶ֣יךָ  and  your  sons  [are] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לִפְנֵ֖י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֹ֥הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
הָעֵדֻֽת  of  witness 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֵדוּת  
Sense: testimony.