Numbers18

Numbers 18 delineates the distinct responsibilities and provisions for the priests (Aaron and his sons) and the Levites. The priests are charged with the sanctuary and altar, bearing its iniquity, while the Levites are appointed to assist in the tabernacle service, forbidden from touching holy vessels. The chapter details the various offerings and firstfruits designated as the priests' perpetual due. Furthermore, the Levites are granted all tithes in Israel as their inheritance for their service, in lieu of land, and are commanded to offer a tenth of these tithes to the priests.

Duties and Responsibilities of Priests and Levites

1
ADONAI said to Aharon, "You, your sons and your father's family line will be responsible for anything that goes wrong in the sanctuary. You and your sons with you will be responsible for anything wrong in your service as cohanim. ​
2
But you are to bring your kinsmen, the tribe of Levi, along with yourselves, to work together with you and help you - you and your sons with you - when you are there before the tent of meeting. ​
3
They are to be at your disposal and perform all kinds of tasks related to the tent; only they are not to come near the holy furnishings or the altar, so that neither they nor you will die.
4
They will work together with you in your duties related to the tent of meeting, whatever the service in the tent may be; but an unauthorized person is not to come near you.
5
You will take charge of all the holy things and the altar, so that there will no longer be anger against the people of Isra'el. ​
6
I myself have taken your kinsmen the L'vi'im from among the people of Isra'el; they have been given as a gift to ADONAI for you, so that you can perform the service in the tent of meeting. ​
7
You and your sons with you will exercise your prerogatives and duties as cohanim in regard to everything having to do with the altar and within the curtain. I entrust the service required of cohanim to you; the unauthorized person who tries to perform it is to be put to death."

Provisions for the Priests (The Sacred Offerings)

8
ADONAI said to Aharon, "I myself have put you in charge of the contributions given to me. Everything consecrated by the people of Isra'el I have given and set aside for you and your sons; this is a perpetual law. ​
9
Here is what is to be yours of the especially holy things taken from the fire: every offering they make - that is, every grain offering, sin offering and guilt offering of theirs that they turn over to me - will be especially holy for you and your sons. ​
10
You are to eat it in an especially holy place; every male may eat it; it will be set apart for you.
11
"Also yours is the contribution the people of Isra'el give in the form of wave offerings. I have given these to you, your sons and your daughters with you; this is a perpetual law. Everyone in your family who is clean may eat it. ​
12
All the best of the olive oil, wine and grain, the first portion of what they give to ADONAI, I have given to you. ​
13
The first produce to turn ripe of all that is in their land, which they bring to ADONAI, is to be yours; every clean person in your family may eat it.
14
"Everything in Isra'el which has been consecrated unconditionally is to be yours.
15
"Everything that comes first out of the womb, of all living things which they offer to ADONAI, whether human or animal, will be yours. However, the firstborn of a human being you must redeem, and the firstborn of an unclean beast you are to redeem. ​
16
The sum to be paid for redeeming anyone a month old or over is to be five shekels of silver [two ounces], as you value it, using the sanctuary shekel (this is the same as twenty gerahs).
17
But the firstborn of an ox, sheep or goat you are not to redeem; they are holy - you are to splash their blood against the altar and make their fat go up in smoke as an offering made by fire, as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI. ​
18
Their meat will be yours, like the breast that is waved and the right thigh - they will be yours.
19
All the contributions of holy things which the people of Isra'el offer to ADONAI I have given to you, your sons and your daughters with you; this is a perpetual law, an eternal covenant of salt before ADONAI for you and your descendants with you." ​

The Levites' Inheritance and Tithes Defined

20
ADONAI said to Aharon, "You are not to have any inheritance or portion in their land; I am your portion and inheritance among the people of Isra'el. ​
21
"To the descendants of Levi I have given the entire tenth of the produce collected in Isra'el. It is their inheritance in payment for the service they render in the tent of meeting. ​
22
From now on, the people of Isra'el are not to approach the tent of meeting, so that they will not bear the consequences of their sin and die. ​
23
Only the L'vi'im are to perform the service in the tent of meeting, and they will be responsible for whatever they do wrong. This is to be a permanent regulation through all your generations. They are to have no inheritance among the people of Isra'el,
24
because I have given to the L'vi'im as their inheritance the tenths of the produce which the people of Isra'el set aside as a gift for ADONAI. This is why I have said to them that they are to have no inheritance among the people of Isra'el."

The Tithe of the Levites (The Tithe of the Tithe)

25
ADONAI said to Moshe,
26
"Tell the L'vi'im, 'When you take from the people of Isra'el the tenth of the produce which I have given you from them as your inheritance, you are to set aside from it a gift for ADONAI, one tenth of the tenth. ​
27
The gift you set aside will be accounted to you as if it were grain from the thresh-ing-floor and grape juice from the wine vat. ​
28
In this way you will set aside a gift for ADONAI from all your tenths that you receive from the people of Isra'el, and from these tenths you are to give to Aharon the cohen the gift set aside for ADONAI.
29
From everything given to you, you are to set aside all that is due ADONAI, the best part of it, its holy portion.' ​
30
"Therefore you are to tell them, 'When you set aside from it its best part, it will be accounted to the L'vi'im as if it were grain from the threshing-floor and grape juice from the wine vat.
31
You may eat it anywhere, you and your households; because it is your payment in return for your service in the tent of meeting.
32
Moreover, because you will have set aside from it its best parts, you will not be committing any sin because of it; for you are not to profane the holy things of the people of Isra'el, or you will die.'" 21; Y'hudah (Jude) 1-25 ​

Study Notes for Numbers 18

Verse 1

This verse establishes the fundamental distinction between the High Priestly family (Aaron and sons) and the general tribe of Levi. They bear the 'iniquity of the sanctuary,' meaning they are responsible for maintaining its ritual purity and suffer the consequences of failure.

Verse 2

The Levites are given to the priests (Aaron and sons) as assistants ('joined unto thee,' cf. *lavah*, the root of Levi), but only the priests may approach the sacred objects (vessels and altar).

Verse 5

The warning here links the proper execution of priestly duties directly to preventing further divine wrath (like the plague in Num 17:11-14). Maintaining strict ritual boundaries is crucial for the safety of the whole congregation.

Verse 6

The Levites are described as a 'gift' (*nethunim*) given by God to the priests for service. This emphasizes their status as dedicated religious personnel, replacing the firstborn of Israel (Num 3:12).

Verse 8

This section details the economic support system for the priests, ensuring their livelihood now that they are wholly dedicated to sanctuary service. The 'heave offerings' (gifts separated and lifted up) constitute their income.

Verse 9

'Most holy things' are offerings where only the male priests could eat the remainder, and only in a consecrated place (v. 10). These include parts of the sin, trespass, and meat offerings not consumed by fire.

Verse 11

Unlike the 'most holy things' (v. 9), these 'wave offerings' are less restricted; they can be eaten by the entire priestly household, including daughters, provided they are ritually clean.

Verse 12

This refers to the best (*cheleb*) of the produce, signifying the firstfruits. Giving the highest quality of oil, wine, and grain demonstrates that God deserves the first and richest portion of Israel's harvest.

Verse 15

The firstborn of both humans and unclean animals must be redeemed (bought back) because they belong to God (Exod 13:2). The payment for redemption (v. 16) then becomes the priest's possession.

Verse 17

Clean firstborn animals (cattle, sheep, goats) are not redeemed but sacrificed, with their blood and fat dedicated to the Lord. The meat of these sacrifices is then allotted to the priests (v. 18).

Verse 19

A 'covenant of salt' signifies an everlasting, binding, and incorruptible agreement. Salt was used as a preservative and symbolized permanence, emphasizing the enduring nature of the priestly provisions.

Verse 20

This verse establishes the unique economic relationship between the priests/Levites and God: they receive no territorial inheritance in Canaan, as Yahweh Himself is their 'portion' and source of provision.

Verse 21

The tithe (ten percent) of all the produce of Israel is designated as the inheritance and livelihood for the Levites, who perform the general service of the Tabernacle.

Verse 22

This reiteration of the boundary established after the Korah rebellion warns lay Israelites not to approach the sacred area, reinforcing the necessity of the Levite/Priest mediation system.

Verse 26

This passage introduces the 'tithe of the tithe.' The Levites, though recipients of Israel's tithe, must also acknowledge God's ultimate ownership by presenting a portion of their income to the priests (Aaron's family).

Verse 27

This offering is accepted by God as if it were the Levites' own agricultural produce, equating their income from service with the produce of the farming tribes.

Verse 29

The requirement to offer 'the best thereof' ensures that the Levites prioritize quality and honor in their offering to the priests, mirroring the expectation placed on the lay Israelites.

Verse 32

This final verse provides assurance that if the Levites fulfill the requirements—especially offering the best of the tithe—they will not incur guilt by consuming the holy offerings, thereby protecting them from violating sacred boundaries.

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