Numbers 18:23

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

21See, 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. But 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. 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.” 25The Lord spoke to Moses:

Numbers 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 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.
• Numbers 18:20The 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.

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

• Tithes

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Exodus
• Levite
• Tithe
• Agrapha
• Atonement, Day of
• Chronicles, Books 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