Numbers 18:21

Numbers 18:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)“I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.

Context of Numbers 18:21

19“I give to you and to your sons and daughters all the holy contributions that the Israelites present to the Lord as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the Lord for you as well as your offspring.” 20The Lord told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. “Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting. 22The Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting, or they will incur guilt and die. 23The Levites will do the work of the tent of meeting, and they will bear the consequences of their iniquity. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites; this is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

Numbers 18:21 word by word

וְלִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י הִנֵּ֥ה נָתַ֛תִּי כָּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְנַחֲלָ֑ה חֵ֤לֶף עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣ם עֹֽבְדִ֔ים אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And, behold, I have givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
• all the tenthמַעֲשֵׂרma‛ăώêr ma‛ăώar ma‛aώrâh · titheH4643
• in Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• for an inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
• forחֵ֫לֶףchêleph · forH2500
• their serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: ministryH5656
• which they serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
• of the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
• of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150

Cross-references for Numbers 18:21

• Numbers 18:24For I have given them the tenth that the Israelites present to the Lord as a contribution for their inheritance. That is why I told them that they would not receive an inheritance among the Israelites.”
• Leviticus 27:30“Every tenth of the land’s produce, grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 12:17Within your city gates you may not eat the tenth of your grain, new wine, or fresh oil; the firstborn of your herd or flock; any of your vow offerings that you pledge; your freewill offerings; or your personal contributions.
• Deuteronomy 14:22“Each year you are to set aside a tenth of all the produce grown in your fields.
• 2 Chronicles 31:5When the word spread, the Israelites gave liberally of the best of the grain, new wine, fresh oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance, a tenth of everything.
• Nehemiah 10:37We will bring a loaf from our first batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God. We will also bring the firstfruits of our grain offerings, of every fruit tree, and of the new wine and fresh oil. A tenth of our land’s produce belongs to the Levites, for the Levites are to collect the one-tenth offering in all our agricultural towns.
• Nehemiah 12:44On that same day men were placed in charge of the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tenths. The legally required portions for the priests and Levites were gathered from the village fields, because Judah was grateful to the priests and Levites who were serving.
• Nehemiah 13:12Then all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and fresh oil into the storehouses.
• Numbers 18:6Look, I have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift for you, assigned by the Lord to work at the tent of meeting.
• Numbers 3:7They are to perform duties for him and the entire community before the tent of meeting by attending to the service of the tabernacle.
• 1 Corinthians 9:13Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar?
• Galatians 6:6Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher.

Commentaries on Numbers 18:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth - The Levites had the tenth of all the productions of the land. They had forty-eight cities, each forming a square of 4,000 cubits. They had 2,000 cubits of ground round each city. Total of the land they possessed, 53,000 acres. 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…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21Abraham 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 Leviticus 27:30). The payment of tithes to them is recognized in Nehemiah 10:37; Nehemiah 12:44; Tobit 1:7.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-32Verses 20-32 As Israel was a people not to be numbered among the nations, so Levi was a tribe to be distinguished from the rest. Those who have God for their Inheritance and their Portion for ever, ought to look with holy contempt and indifference upon the possessions of this world. The Levites were to give God his dues out of their tithes, as well as the Israelites out of their increase. See, in ver. #(31), the way to have comfort in all our worldly…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21The priests and Levites did not have a tribal homeland. They lived scattered among Israel's other tribes (see 35:1–8; Deuteronomy 12:12; Joshua 21:1–42). I am your portion and your inheritance: Instead of land, Israel's priests had assurance that God himself would be their homeland. The tribe of Levi received tithes as payment for their holy service.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-3221-22. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 18:21

• Tithes

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Levi
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Levi, Levite
• Matthew, Levi
• Exodus
• Tithe
• Agrapha
• Atonement, Day of

Commentaries on Numbers 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings