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

19All the raised offerings of the holy things that the Israelites offer to the Lord, I have given to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual ordinance. It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord for you and for your descendants with you.” 20The Lord spoke to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion of property among them – I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. See, I have given the Levites all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they perform – the service of the tent of meeting. 22No longer may the Israelites approach the tent of meeting, or else they will bear their sin and die. 23But the Levites must perform the service of the tent of meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. It will be a perpetual ordinance throughout your generations that among the Israelites the Levites have no inheritance.

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 18:24But I have given to the Levites for an inheritance the tithes of the Israelites that are offered to the Lord as a raised offering. That is why I said to them that among the Israelites they are to have no inheritance.”
• Leviticus 27:30“‘Any tithe of the land, from the grain of the land or from the fruit of the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
• Deuteronomy 12:17You will not be allowed to eat in your villages your tithe of grain, new wine, olive oil, the firstborn of your herd and flock, any votive offerings you have vowed, or your freewill and personal offerings.
• Deuteronomy 14:22You must be certain to tithe all the produce of your seed that comes from the field year after year.
• 2 Chronicles 31:5When the edict was issued, the Israelites freely contributed the initial portion of their grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and all the produce of their fields. They brought a tenth of everything, which added up to a huge amount.
• Nehemiah 10:37We will also bring the first of our coarse meal, of our contributions, of the fruit of every tree, of new wine, and of olive oil to the priests at the storerooms of the temple of our God, along with a tenth of the produce of our land to the Levites, for the Levites are the ones who collect the tithes in all the cities where we work.
• Nehemiah 12:44On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits, and tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions prescribed by the law for the priests and the Levites, for the people of Judah took delight in the priests and Levites who were ministering.
• Nehemiah 13:12Then all of Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms.
• Numbers 18:6I myself have chosen your brothers the Levites from among the Israelites. They are given to you as a gift from the Lord, to perform the duties of the tent of meeting.
• Numbers 3:7They are responsible for his needs and the needs of the whole community before the tent of meeting, by attending to the service of the tabernacle.
• 1 Corinthians 9:13Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple eat food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar receive a part of the offerings?
• Galatians 6:6Now the one who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with the one who teaches it.

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