Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 8:25
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service [thereof], and shall serve no more:
i.e. Upon the difficult and cumbersome part of their work.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. from the age of fifty years theyshall cease waiting upon the service thereof, &c.that is,on the laborious and exhausting parts of their work.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service [thereof],…. The heavy service of it:
and shall serve no more; by bearing and carrying the vessels of the sanctuary upon their shoulders, as Jarchi interprets it; this, according to the Jewish writers, was only in force while the tabernacle was in the wilderness, and was moved from place to place: but when it had a fixed habitation, and that laborious service of bearing and carrying the vessels of it ceased, years made no difference in the Levites, or disqualified them for service; for it is said x, that the Levites were not bound by this law, but in the time of the tabernacle; but when it was at Shiloh, and at Jerusalem, where there was no bearing and carrying upon the shoulder, the Levites were not rejected on account of years, only for their voice, when they had lost that, and could not sing.
x Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Cholin, c. 1. sect. 6.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
cease waiting upon the service thereof: Heb. return from the warfare of the service, Num 4:23, 2Ti 4:7, The Levites, above fifty years of age, might superintend and assist their junior brethren in the ordinary offices, and give them and the people counsel and instruction; but they were exempted from carrying the tabernacle and from other laborious services. It is remarkable, that no law was made concerning the age at which the priests should begin to officiate, and though various blemishes disqualified them for the service of the sanctuary, yet they continued their ministrations till death, if capable. On the other hand, nothing is said concerning any bodily defects or blemishes disqualifying the Levites; but the time of their service is expressly settled. Their work was far more laborious than that of the priests; it is therefore likely that the priests would not begin very early to officiate; and the wisdom and experience of age would increase, rather than diminish, their fitness for the sacred duties of their office.
Reciprocal: Neh 12:44 – Judah rejoiced
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Num 8:25-26. From the age of fifty they shall cease waiting Shall be excused from carrying the parts and vessels of the tabernacle, and all the toilsome duties of the service, and shall only give advice and direction, and assist in lesser and easier works. How merciful and full of compassion are the laws of God! When his servants became advanced in years in his service, they were not required to do the same work which they did when younger. But doubtless many of them, who were of age to take the benefit of this kind provision made for them, would show their love to God by still exerting in some way their last remains of strength in his service. And surely happy are they who, by the blessing of God on a temperate life, are preserved to old age, with strength to labour in His service who gave them being, and died to redeem them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the {k} service [thereof], and shall serve no more:
(k) Such office as was painful, as to bear burdens and such like.