1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.
10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.
11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.
13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.
14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.
15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor unto the LORD.
18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.
19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
21 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.
22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
23 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.
24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress.
28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.
32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.
Chapter 18 of the book of Numbers in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible is primarily focused on the duties and responsibilities of the Levites, the tribe of Israelites chosen by God to serve as priests and caretakers of the Tabernacle. The chapter also addresses the allocation of tithes and offerings to the Levites and the importance of obedience to God's commands.
The main themes in chapter 18 of Numbers are the roles and responsibilities of the Levites, the consecration of the priesthood, the allocation of tithes and offerings, and the importance of obedience to God's commands. These themes are interconnected and serve to highlight the significance of the Levites in the Israelite community and their role in maintaining the holiness and order of the Tabernacle.
The Levites were a tribe of Israelites chosen by God to serve as priests and caretakers of the Tabernacle. In chapter 18, God reiterates the importance of the Levites and their role in maintaining the holiness of the Tabernacle. The Levites were responsible for the transportation, assembly, and disassembly of the Tabernacle, as well as for the care and upkeep of its sacred objects. They were also responsible for carrying out sacrifices and offerings on behalf of the Israelites. The Levites were chosen by God to perform these duties and were not allowed to own land or property like the other tribes, as their primary focus was to serve God and the community.
In chapter 18, God also instructs Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests, setting them apart for holy service. This consecration process involved washing, anointing, and presenting specific offerings to God. The priesthood was a hereditary position, passed down from father to son, and only the descendants of Aaron were eligible to serve as priests. This consecration process served to emphasize the holiness and importance of the priesthood and the need for them to fulfill their duties with utmost reverence and obedience to God.
One of the primary responsibilities of the Levites outlined in chapter 18 was the allocation of tithes and offerings given by the Israelites to God. God commanded that a tenth of all crops, livestock, and other possessions be given to the Levites as their inheritance. This was to be their compensation for their service to God and the community. In addition to this, the Levites were also responsible for collecting offerings and presenting them to God on behalf of the people. These offerings were essential for the maintenance and upkeep of the Tabernacle and its sacred objects.
Throughout chapter 18, God emphasizes the importance of obedience to His commands. He makes it clear that the Levites must carry out their duties according to His instructions and that failure to do so would result in severe consequences. God also reminds the Israelites that their obedience to His commands, such as giving tithes and offerings, was a way for them to show their love and devotion to Him. He warns against disobedience and rebellion, which would ultimately lead to punishment and separation from Him.
Chapter 18 of the book of Numbers carries significant meaning for the Israelites and serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining holiness and obedience to God's commands. It emphasizes the role of the Levites in upholding the sacredness of the Tabernacle, which served as a symbol of God's presence among His people. The consecration of the priesthood highlights the significance of the role of the priests in mediating between God and the people, as well as the need for them to be set apart and consecrated for this holy service.
The allocation of tithes and offerings serves as a reminder of the Israelites' responsibility to support the Levites and the Tabernacle through their contributions, as well as their obedience to God. It also highlights the importance of stewardship and giving back to God as a way of showing gratitude for His blessings.
Lastly, the theme of obedience runs throughout the chapter, emphasizing the consequences of disobedience and the importance of following God's commands. This serves as a reminder to the Israelites that their relationship with God is dependent on their obedience and faithfulness to Him.
In summary, chapter 18 of Numbers brings to light the significance of the Levites in the Israelite community and their role in maintaining the holiness and order of the Tabernacle. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of obedience to God's commands and the responsibility of the Israelites to support the Levites and the Tabernacle through their tithes and offerings. Overall, this chapter emphasizes the importance of holiness, stewardship, and obedience in the lives of God's people.
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