God’s Word Translation
Numbers 18:23
23Only the Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They will be responsible for their own sins. This is a permanent law for future generations. They will own no property as the other Israelites will.
Numbers 18:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.
- New International Version (NIV)It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
Context of Numbers 18:23
21“I am giving the Levites one-tenth of every Israelite’s income. This is in return for the work they do at the tent of meeting. 22The other Israelites must never again come near the tent of meeting. Otherwise, they’ll suffer the consequences of their sin and die. Only the Levites will do the work at the tent of meeting. They will be responsible for their own sins. This is a permanent law for future generations. They will own no property as the other Israelites will. 24Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to the Lord—one-tenth of the Israelites’ income. This is why I said about them, ‘They will own no property as the other Israelites do.’ ” 25The Lord said to Moses,
Read all of Numbers 18Numbers 18:23 word by word
וְעָבַ֨ד הַלֵּוִ֜י ה֗וּא אֶת־עֲבֹדַת֙ אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהֵ֖ם יִשְׂא֣וּ עֲוֹנָ֑ם חֻקַּ֤ת עוֹלָם֙ לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּבְתוֹךְ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יִנְחֲל֖וּ נַחֲלָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
- shall doעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: ministerH5647
- the serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: ministryH5656
- of the tabernacleאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tentH168
- of the congregationמוֹעֵדmô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh · meetingH4150
- and they shall bearנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: guiltH5375
- their iniquityעָוֺן‛âvôn ‛âvôn · iniquity: crimeH5771
- a statuteחֻקָּהchûqqâh · statuteH2708
- for everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- throughout your generationsדּוֹרdôr dôr · generationH1755
- that amongתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- they haveנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
- no inheritanceנַחֲלָהnachălâh · inheritanceH5159
Cross-references for Numbers 18:23
- Numbers 3:7They will work for him and the whole community in front of the tent of meeting, doing what needs to be done for the inner tent.
- Numbers 18:20The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites.
Commentaries on Numbers 18:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Bear their iniquity - The words probably refer to the iniquity of the people; who would, had they approached the tabernacle have fallen, from their proneness to transgress, into overt acts of offence. Against such a result they were, through the ministrations of the Levites, mercifully protected. Compare Numbers 18:1.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. 23-24The Israelites gave a tithe, which was one-tenth of their yearly income (see Deuteronomy 14:22–29; 26:12; Nehemiah 10:35–39; Malachi 3:8–12; Matthew 23:23; compare Genesis 14:17–20; Hebrews 7:5–10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. 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.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 18:23
In the dictionaries
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
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