“To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the Tent of Meeting. Henceforth the children of Israel shall not come near the Tent of Meeting, lest they bear sin, and die. But the Levites shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. Among the children of Israel, they shall have no inheritance. For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a wave offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’ ”
Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, “Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, ‘When you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a wave offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe. Your wave offering shall be credited to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the wine press. Thus you also shall offer a wave offering to Yahweh of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel; and of it you shall give Yahweh’s wave offering to Aaron the priest. Out of all your gifts, you shall offer every wave offering to Yahweh, of all its best parts, even the holy part of it.’
“Therefore you shall tell them, ‘When you heave its best from it, then it shall be credited to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine press. You may eat it anywhere, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the Tent of Meeting. You shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it its best. You shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that you not die.’ ”
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 27, 29, 31, 32 To serve therein: for the Levites are put in…
To serve therein: for the Levites are put in their place.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv21, 22, 31 Num 18:21 And, behold, I have given the children…
Num 18:21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, [even] the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Ver. 21. For their service which they serve.] No man did so much as shut the doors of God’s sanctuary, or kindle a fire on his altar for nought. {Mal 1:10}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 For the tithes were all given to the Levites,…
For the tithes were all given to the Levites, and out of their tithes the tenth was given to the priests, here Num 18:26, & C, and Neh 10:37,38.
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 On vv21–31 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh…
Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation,.... To do any part of the priest's office, as to burn incense, as Korah and his company had done; or to do any part of the work of the Levites, by watching in the tabernacle, by taking it down and setting it up, and bearing the vessels of it; otherwise they might come to it, to bring their sacrifices, to pay their vows, and for their purification when necessary, and such like things:
lest they bear sin and die; lest sin be charged upon them, and punishment be inflicted, even the punishment of death; for it was death to intrude into the priest's office.
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 On vv21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 The tenth - For the tithes were all given…
The tenth - For the tithes were all given to the Levites, and out of their tithes the tenth was given to the priests.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv21, 28 Verse 21. Behold, I have given the children of…
Verse 21. Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth]
First, the Levites had the tenth of all the productions of the land.
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2. They had forty-eight cities, each forming a square of 4,000 cubits.
3. They had 2,000 cubits of ground round each city.
Total of the land they possessed, 53,000 acres.
4. They had the first-fruits and certain parts of all the animals killed in the land.
Canaan contained about 11,264,000 acres; therefore the portion possessed by the Levites was rather less than as one to two hundred and twelve; for 11,264,000 divided by 53,000, quotes only 212 28/53. - See Lowman, Dodd, c. But though this was a very small proportion for a whole tribe that had consented to annihilate its political existence, that it might wait upon the service of God, and labour for the people's souls yet let it be considered that what they possessed was the best of the land: and while it was a slender remuneration for their services, yet their portion was such as rendered them independent, and kept them comfortable; so that they could wait on the Lord's work without distraction. This is a proper pattern for the maintenance of the ministers of God: let them have a sufficiency for themselves and families, that there may be no distracting cares; and let them not be encumbered with riches or worldly possessions, that they may not be prevented from taking care of souls.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 32 Num 18:21-22. The tenth — For the tithes were…
Num 18:21-22. The tenth — For the tithes were all given to the Levites, and out of their tithes the tenth was given to the priests. Come nigh the tabernacle — So nigh as to do any proper act to the priests or Levites.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv21, 23, 24, 27, 29, 32 Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek: Jacob had promised the…
Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek: Jacob had promised the tithe of all wherewith God blessed him if he should return in peace to his father’s house. But now first the Lord’s tithes are assigned to the Levites for their support (compare Lev 27:30). The payment of tithes to them is recognized in Neh 10:37; Neh 12:44; Tobit 1:7.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 27, 32 Deadly sin. That is, sin which will bring death…
Deadly sin. That is, sin which will bring death after it. (Challoner) --- Hebrew, "lest they bear sin unto death," and fall like their brethren, chap. xvii. 13. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv21, 23, 26, 32 THE LEVITES' PORTION. (Num 18:21-32)
THE LEVITES' PORTION. (Num 18:21-32)
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.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32 THE REVENUES OF THE LEVITES, Num_18:21-24.
THE REVENUES OF THE LEVITES, Num_18:21-24.
In order that the tribe of Levi might be withdrawn from the common calling of life, which in the theocratic state was agricultural, and might give itself completely to its sacred vocation, no inheritance as a tribe was assigned to it.
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21. All the tenth in Israel — A tenth of all the earnings of twelve tribes — a revenue greater than the average of each — was an ample maintenance for the tribe set apart for sub-priestly service. “Yet this was not a splendid endowment. Even when the tithe was conscientiously handed over, it was no certain income. Moreover, if the people showed themselves averse to this tax, the tribe of Levi was subjected to unavoidable poverty. Deu_12:19; Deu_14:27; Deu_14:29.” — Oehler.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv21, 25, 27, 30, 31, 32 21–24. The Levites’ dues. These consisted in tithe levied…
21–24. The Levites’ dues. These consisted in tithe levied on agricultural produce only (cf. Num_18:27; Num_18:30).
This was similarly assigned to the Levitical priests in the earlier law contained in Deu_14:22-29; Deu_26:12-15. But the present regulation is in advance of that in Dt. in that it assigns the tithe to the Levites absolutely. According to Dt. the Levite shared it, in two years out of three, with the offerer and his household, and in the third year with the poor—‘sojourners, widows, and orphans.’ This variety led in post-Biblical times to the imposition of two tithes (cf. Tob_1:7 ff.). In Lev_27:30-33, 2Ch_31:6 (which are probably later than the present passage) mention is made of a fresh demand, viz. a tithe on cattle, which is found nowhere else in the O.T. In early days the ‘clergy’ were poor and humble persons who needed support from the charity of the rich. The contributions paid to them were at first small, and probably variable; the officials at the important sanctuaries, for example, would receive larger dues than those in country villages. But when, after the Exile, the priests and Levites advanced to a high position in the community, their demands gradually increased, until they became the grasping and avaricious rulers that we see in the Ḥasmoneans and the Sadducees.
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In Heb_7:5 the payment of tithes by Israel is part of the argument that the Aaronic priesthood is inferior to that of Christ.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 32 (21) All the tenth in Israel.—The reference here is…
(21) All the tenth in Israel.—The reference here is to the first tithe, or tenth of the whole of the produce of the land.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32 All the tenth. The tithe of all fruits and…
All the tenth. The tithe of all fruits and flocks had been already claimed absolutely by the Lord. (Lev_27:30, Lev_27:32) It is probable indeed that the giving of tithes had been more or less a matter of obligation from time immemorial. Abraham had paid them on one memorable occasion, (Gen_14:20) and Jacob had vowed them on another. (Gen_28:22) From this time forth, however, the tithes were formally assigned to the maintenance of the Levites, in return for their service.
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 On vv21, 23, 25, 28, 30 Connecting Statement:
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
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look, I have given
The word "look" here adds emphasis to what follows. AT: "indeed, I have given"
as their inheritance
God speaks of what Aaron and his descendants will receive as if they will inherit it. AT: "as their portion of what I give to all Israel" (See: Metaphor)
translationWords
Levi
tenth
servant
tent of meeting
sin
die
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv23, 25, 31, 32 18:23-24 The Israelites’ tithes were one tenth of the…
18:23-24 The Israelites’ tithes were one tenth of the year’s production of goods (see Deut 14:22-29; 26:12; Neh 10:35-39; Mal 3:8-12; Matt 23:23; cp. Gen 14:17-20; Heb 7:5-10).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.