“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
Parallel Translations
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“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
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But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
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But the firstling of an ox, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt dash their blood against the altar, and shalt make their fat smoke for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Cross-references (3)
Passages linked to Numbers 18:17 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Exodus 29:16 You shall kill the ram, and you shall take its blood, and sprinkle it around on the altar.
- Leviticus 3:2-5 He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar. He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to Yahweh. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
- Deuteronomy 15:19-22 You shall dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to Yahweh your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. You shall eat it before Yahweh your God year by year in the place which Yahweh shall choose, you and your household. If it has any defect—is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God. You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (8 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Because they are appointed for sacrifice.
Because they are appointed for sacrifice.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain They are holy, to wit, in a peculiar manner,…
They are holy, to wit, in a peculiar manner, and higher degree than other beasts, consecrated to a holy use, even to be sacrificed unto God, and not to be redeemed nor alienated to any other use. Compare Deu 15:19.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And the flesh of them shall be thine,.... For…
And the flesh of them shall be thine,.... For him and his family to eat of, whether blemished or perfect the Jews say (l):
as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine: which were his part of the peace offerings, for him and his sons to eat of, Lev 7:34; and the Jews observe (m), that as the wave breast and heave shoulder of the peace offerings might be eaten in two days and one night, so might those of the firstlings.
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(l) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Becorot, c. 4. sect. 2. & 5. 2. (m) Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, c. 5. sect. 8.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain Holy - Namely, in a peculiar manner, consecrated to…
Holy - Namely, in a peculiar manner, consecrated to an holy use, even to be sacrificed to God. Deut. xv, 19.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Num 18:17-18. They are holy — Namely, in a…
Num 18:17-18. They are holy — Namely, in a peculiar manner, consecrated to a holy use, even to be sacrificed to God, Deu 15:19. The flesh — All the flesh of them, and not only some parts, as in other sacrifices.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 17. Thou shalt not redeem, nor give as a…
17. Thou shalt not redeem, nor give as a substitute, (Lev_27:10,) nor use for thy own profit by deriving labour from the bullock or the fleece from the sheep. Deu_15:19.
Sprinkle their blood — See Lev_3:2, note.
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Their fat — See Lev_3:3; Lev_3:17, notes.
A sweet savour — See Lev_1:9, note.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain But the firstling of a cow, &c. Only those…
But the firstling of a cow, &c. Only those things which were not available for sacrifice could be redeemed; the rest must be offered to him that claimed them. The first-born of men belonged partially to both classes: on the one hand, they could not be sacrificed, and therefore were redeemed with money; on the other hand, they could be dedicated (being clean), and therefore had been exchanged for the Levites.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
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You must sprinkle their blood
That he must kill the animals first can be stated clearly. AT: "You must kill them and sprinkle their blood" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
made by fire
This can be stated in active form. AT: "that you make by fire" or "that you burn with fire on the altar" (See: Active or Passive)
an aroma pleasing to Yahweh
The Lord's pleasure with the aroma represents his pleasure with the person who burns the offering. AT: "and Yahweh will be pleased with you" (See: Metaphor)
the raised breast and the right thigh
This can be stated in active form. AT: "the breast and the right thigh that you lift up as a gift to me" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
cow
ewe
goat
set apart
blood
altar
sacrifice
fire
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.