And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
The verse belongs to the directions for cleansing the Levites and appointing them to their work in place of Israel's firstborn. It means that the Levites were taken as substitutes for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. Taken in this way, they were set apart for sanctuary service, to serve the priests while the priests ministered before the Lord for the people. Their consecration included the laying of the hands of the assembly upon them and their presentation before the Lord by Aaron.
The verse belongs to the directions for cleansing the Levites and appointing them to their work in place of Israel's firstborn. It means that the Levites were taken as substitutes for all the firstborn of the children of Israel. Taken in this way, they were set apart for sanctuary service, to serve the priests while the priests ministered before the Lord for the people. Their consecration included the laying of the hands of the assembly upon them and their presentation before the Lord by Aaron.