Tree of Life Version
Numbers 18:21
21See, I have given all the tithes in Israel to the sons of Levi as an inheritance in return for all the work of the service they are doing in the Tent of Meeting.
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
19Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings which Bnei-Yisrael present to Adonai, I have given to you, your sons and your daughters with you as a permanent share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before Adonai for you and your offspring.” 20Adonai said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land nor share among them. I am your portion and your share among Bnei-Yisrael. See, I have given all the tithes in Israel to the sons of Levi as an inheritance in return for all the work of the service they are doing in the Tent of Meeting. 22From now on, Bnei-Yisrael must never trespass the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and die. 23The Levites will perform the service of the Tent of Meeting. They will bear the responsibility for their iniquity. It is a permanent ordinance throughout your generations. So among Bnei-Yisrael they are to receive no inheritance.
Read all of Numbers 18Numbers 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 the tithes that Bnei-Yisrael present to Adonai as an offering to the Levites as an inheritance. That is why I said they would receive no inheritance among Bnei-Yisrael.”
- Leviticus 27:30“All the tithe of the land whether from the seed of the land, or the fruit of the trees, belongs to Adonai, for it is holy to Adonai.
- Deuteronomy 12:17You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, or any of your vow offerings that you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the offering of your hand.
- Deuteronomy 14:22“You will surely set aside a tenth of all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.
- 2 Chronicles 31:5As soon as the word spread, Bnei-Yisrael gave generously the firstfruits of their grain, wine, oil, honey and all the produce of the field, as well as tithe of all the abundance.
- Nehemiah 10:37and the firstborn of our sons and our livestock as written in the Torah; the firstborn of our cattle and our sheep to the House of our God—to the kohanim ministering in the House of our God;
- Nehemiah 12:44On that day men were appointed over the storehouses for the offerings, firstfruits and tithes. They were to gather into them the portions from the fields of the cities required by the Torah for the kohanim and the Levites. For Judah delighted in the kohanim and in the Levites who were ministering.
- Nehemiah 13:12Then all Judah brought the tithe of grain, new wine and oil to the storehouses.
- Numbers 18:6“See, I have personally taken your kinsmen, the Levites, from among Bnei-Yisrael as a gift for you and your sons with you, dedicated to Adonai to serve in the work of the Tent of Meeting.
- Numbers 3:7They are to keep watch over duties for him and the entire community before the Tent of Meeting while performing the service of the Tabernacle.
- 1 Corinthians 9:13Don’t you know that those who perform the holy services eat from the Temple, and those who wait on the altar receive a share at the altar?
- Galatians 6:6Now let the one who is taught the word share all good things with his 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
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries