21 And, behold, I have given H5414 the children H1121 of Levi H3878 all the tenth H4643 in Israel H3478 for an inheritance, H5159 for H2500 their service H5656 which they serve, H5647 even the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150
Thou shalt truly H6237 tithe H6237 all the increase H8393 of thy seed, H2233 that the field H7704 bringeth forth H3318 year H8141 by year. H8141 And thou shalt eat H398 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 in the place H4725 which he shall choose H977 to place H7931 his name H8034 there, the tithe H4643 of thy corn, H1715 of thy wine, H8492 and of thine oil, H3323 and the firstlings H1062 of thy herds H1241 and of thy flocks; H6629 that thou mayest learn H3925 to fear H3372 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 always. H3117 And if the way H1870 be too long H7235 for thee, so that H3588 thou art not able H3201 to carry H5375 it; or if the place H4725 be too far H7368 from thee, which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall choose H977 to set H7760 his name H8034 there, when the LORD H3068 thy God H430 hath blessed H1288 thee: Then shalt thou turn H5414 it into money, H3701 and bind up H6696 the money H3701 in thine hand, H3027 and shalt go H1980 unto the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall choose: H977 And thou shalt bestow H5414 that money H3701 for whatsoever thy soul H5315 lusteth after, H183 for oxen, H1241 or for sheep, H6629 or for wine, H3196 or for strong drink, H7941 or for whatsoever thy soul H5315 desireth: H7592 and thou shalt eat H398 there before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 and thou shalt rejoice, H8055 thou, and thine household, H1004 And the Levite H3881 that is within thy gates; H8179 thou shalt not forsake H5800 him; for he hath no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with thee. At the end H7097 of three H7969 years H8141 thou shalt bring forth H3318 all the tithe H4643 of thine increase H8393 the same year, H8141 and shalt lay it up H3240 within thy gates: H8179 And the Levite, H3881 (because he hath no part H2506 nor inheritance H5159 with thee,) and the stranger, H1616 and the fatherless, H3490 and the widow, H490 which are within thy gates, H8179 shall come, H935 and shall eat H398 and be satisfied; H7646 that the LORD H3068 thy God H430 may bless H1288 thee in all the work H4639 of thine hand H3027 which thou doest. H6213
And that we should bring H935 the firstfruits H7225 of our dough, H6182 and our offerings, H8641 and the fruit H6529 of all manner of trees, H6086 of wine H8492 and of oil, H3323 unto the priests, H3548 to the chambers H3957 of the house H1004 of our God; H430 and the tithes H4643 of our ground H127 unto the Levites, H3881 that the same Levites H3881 might have the tithes H6237 in all the cities H5892 of our tillage. H5656
And at that time H3117 were some H582 appointed H6485 over the chambers H5393 for the treasures, H214 for the offerings, H8641 for the firstfruits, H7225 and for the tithes, H4643 to gather H3664 into them out of the fields H7704 of the cities H5892 the portions H4521 of the law H8451 for the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 for Judah H3063 rejoiced H8057 for the priests H3548 and for the Levites H3881 that waited. H5975
And blessed H1288 be the most high H5945 God, H410 which hath delivered H4042 thine enemies H6862 into thy hand. H3027 And he gave H5414 him tithes H4643 of all.
And all the tithe H4643 of the land, H776 whether of the seed H2233 of the land, H776 or of the fruit H6529 of the tree, H6086 is the LORD'S: H3068 it is holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068 And if a man H376 will at all H1350 redeem H1350 ought of his tithes, H4643 he shall add H3254 thereto the fifth H2549 part thereof. And concerning the tithe H4643 of the herd, H1241 or of the flock, H6629 even of whatsoever passeth H5674 under the rod, H7626 the tenth H6224 shall be holy H6944 unto the LORD. H3068 He shall not search H1239 whether it be good H2896 or bad, H7451 neither shall he change H4171 it: and if he change H4171 it at all, H4171 then both it and the change H8545 thereof shall be holy; H6944 it shall not be redeemed. H1350
And they shall keep H8104 his charge, H4931 and the charge H4931 of the whole congregation H5712 before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle. H4908 And they shall keep H8104 all the instruments H3627 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and the charge H4931 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle. H4908
And I, behold, I have taken H3947 your brethren H251 the Levites H3881 from among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 to you they are given H5414 as a gift H4979 for the LORD, H3068 to do H5647 the service H5656 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150
But the tithes H4643 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 which they offer H7311 as an heave offering H8641 unto the LORD, H3068 I have given H5414 to the Levites H3881 to inherit: H5159 therefore I have said H559 unto them, Among H8432 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 they shall have H5157 no inheritance. H5159 And the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 saying, H559 Thus speak H1696 unto the Levites, H3881 and say H559 unto them, When ye take H3947 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 the tithes H4643 which I have given H5414 you from them for your inheritance, H5159 then ye shall offer H7311 up an heave offering H8641 of it for the LORD, H3068 even a tenth H4643 part of the tithe. H4643
Thou mayest H3201 not eat H398 within thy gates H8179 the tithe H4643 of thy corn, H1715 or of thy wine, H8492 or of thy oil, H3323 or the firstlings H1062 of thy herds H1241 or of thy flock, H6629 nor any of thy vows H5088 which thou vowest, H5087 nor thy freewill offerings, H5071 or heave offering H8641 of thine hand: H3027 But thou must eat H398 them before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 thy God H430 shall choose, H977 thou, and thy son, H1121 and thy daughter, H1323 and thy manservant, H5650 and thy maidservant, H519 and the Levite H3881 that is within thy gates: H8179 and thou shalt rejoice H8055 before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 in all that thou puttest H4916 thine hands H3027 unto. Take heed H8104 to thyself that thou forsake H5800 not the Levite H3881 as long as thou livest H3117 upon the earth. H127
And as soon as the commandment H1697 came abroad, H6555 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 brought H935 in abundance H7235 the firstfruits H7225 of corn, H1715 wine, H8492 and oil, H3323 and honey, H1706 and of all the increase H8393 of the field; H7704 and the tithe H4643 of all things brought H935 they in abundantly. H7230 And concerning the children H1121 of Israel H3478 and Judah, H3063 that dwelt H3427 in the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 they also brought in H935 the tithe H4643 of oxen H1241 and sheep, H6629 and the tithe H4643 of holy things H6944 which were consecrated H6942 unto the LORD H3068 their God, H430 and laid H5414 them by heaps. H6194 H6194
And brought in H935 the offerings H8641 and the tithes H4643 and the dedicated H6944 things faithfully: H530 over which Cononiah H3562 the Levite H3881 was ruler, H5057 and Shimei H8096 his brother H251 was the next. H4932
They clave H2388 to their brethren, H251 their nobles, H117 and entered H935 into a curse, H423 and into an oath, H7621 to walk H3212 in God's H430 law, H8451 which was given H5414 by H3027 Moses H4872 the servant H5650 of God, H430 and to observe H8104 and do H6213 all the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 our Lord, H113 and his judgments H4941 and his statutes; H2706
Then brought H935 all Judah H3063 the tithe H4643 of the corn H1715 and the new wine H8492 and the oil H3323 unto the treasuries. H214
Do ye G1492 not G3756 know G1492 that G3754 they which minister G2038 about holy things G2413 live G2068 of the things of G1537 the temple? G2411 and they which wait G4332 at the altar G2379 are partakers G4829 with the altar? G2379 Even G2532 so G3779 hath G1299 the Lord G2962 ordained G1299 that they which preach G2605 the gospel G2098 should live G2198 of G1537 the gospel. G2098
And G2532 verily G3303 they that are of G1537 the sons G5207 of Levi, G3017 who G3588 receive G2983 the office of the priesthood, G2405 have G2192 a commandment G1785 to take tithes G586 of the people G2992 according to G2596 the law, G3551 that is, G5123 of their G846 brethren, G80 though G2539 they come G1831 out of G1537 the loins G3751 of Abraham: G11
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 18
Commentary on Numbers 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Nu 18:1-7. The Charge of the Priests and Levites.
1. the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary—Security is here given to the people from the fears expressed (Nu 17:12), by the responsibility of attending to all sacred things being devolved upon the priesthood, together with the penalties incurred through neglect; and thus the solemn responsibilities annexed to their high dignity, of having to answer not only for their own sins, but also for the sins of the people, were calculated in a great measure to remove all feeling of envy at the elevation of Aaron's family, when the honor was weighed in the balance with its burdens and dangers.
2-7. thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi—The departments of the sacred office, to be filled respectively by the priests and Levites, are here assigned to each. To the priests was committed the charge of the sanctuary and the altar, while the Levites were to take care of everything else about the tabernacle. The Levites were to attend the priests as servants—bestowed on them as "gifts" to aid in the service of the tabernacle—while the high and dignified office of the priesthood was a "service of gift." "A stranger," that is, one, neither a priest nor a Levite, who should intrude into any departments of the sacred office, should incur the penalty of death.
Nu 18:8-20. The Priests' Portion.
8-13. the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of my heave offerings—A recapitulation is made in this passage of certain perquisites specially appropriated to the maintenance of the priests. They were parts of the votive and freewill offerings, including both meat and bread, wine and oil, and the first-fruits, which formed a large and valuable item.
14. Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine—provided it was adapted for food or consumable by use; for the gold and silver vessels that were dedicated as the spoils of victory were not given to the priests, but for the use and adornment of the sacred edifice.
19. it is a covenant of salt—that is, a perpetual ordinance. This figurative form of expression was evidently founded on the conservative property of salt, which keeps meat from corruption; and hence it became an emblem of inviolability and permanence. It is a common phrase among Oriental people, who consider the eating of salt a pledge of fidelity, binding them in a covenant of friendship. Hence the partaking of the altar meats, which were appropriated to the priests on condition of their services and of which salt formed a necessary accompaniment, was naturally called "a covenant of salt" (Le 2:13).
Nu 18:21-32. The Levites' Portion.
21, 22. I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve—Neither the priests nor the Levites were to possess any allotments of land but to depend entirely upon Him who liberally provided for them out of His own portion; and this law was subservient to many important purposes—such as that, being exempted from the cares and labors of worldly business, they might be exclusively devoted to His service; that a bond of mutual love and attachment might be formed between the people and the Levites, who, as performing religious services for the people, derived their subsistence from them; and further, that being the more easily dispersed among the different tribes, they might be more useful in instructing and directing the people.
23. But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: they shall bear their iniquity—They were to be responsible for the right discharge of those duties that were assigned to them, and consequently to bear the penalty that was due to negligence or carelessness in the guardianship of the holy things.
26. the Levites … offer … a tenth of the tithe—Out of their own they were to pay tithes to the priests equally as the people gave to them. The best of their tithes was to be assigned to the priests, and afterwards they enjoyed the same liberty to make use of the remainder that other Israelites had of the produce of their threshing-floors and wine-presses.
32. ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, &c.—Neglect in having the best entailed sin in the use of such unhallowed food. And the holy things would be polluted by the reservation to themselves of what should be offered to God and the priests.