17 But the firstling H1060 of a cow, H7794 or the firstling H1060 of a sheep, H3775 or the firstling H1060 of a goat, H5795 thou shalt not redeem; H6299 they are holy: H6944 thou shalt sprinkle H2236 their blood H1818 upon the altar, H4196 and shalt burn H6999 their fat H2459 for an offering made by fire, H801 for a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD. H3068
And he shall lay H5564 his hand H3027 upon the head H7218 of his offering, H7133 and kill H7819 it at the door H6607 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and Aaron's H175 sons H1121 the priests H3548 shall sprinkle H2236 the blood H1818 upon the altar H4196 round about. H5439 And he shall offer H7126 of the sacrifice H2077 of the peace offering H8002 an offering made by fire H801 unto the LORD; H3068 the fat H2459 that covereth H3680 the inwards, H7130 and all the fat H2459 that is upon the inwards, H7130 And the two H8147 kidneys, H3629 and the fat H2459 that is on them, which is by the flanks, H3689 and the caul H3508 above the liver, H3516 with the kidneys, H3629 it shall he take away. H5493 And Aaron's H175 sons H1121 shall burn H6999 it on the altar H4196 upon the burnt sacrifice, H5930 which is upon the wood H6086 that is on the fire: H784 it is an offering made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD. H3068
All the firstling H1060 males H2145 that come H3205 of thy herd H1241 and of thy flock H6629 thou shalt sanctify H6942 unto the LORD H3068 thy God: H430 thou shalt do no work H5647 with the firstling H1060 of thy bullock, H7794 nor shear H1494 the firstling H1060 of thy sheep. H6629 Thou shalt eat H398 it before H6440 the LORD H3068 thy God H430 year H8141 by year H8141 in the place H4725 which the LORD H3068 shall choose, H977 thou and thy household. H1004 And if there be any blemish H3971 therein, as if it be lame, H6455 or blind, H5787 or have any ill H7451 blemish, H3971 thou shalt not sacrifice H2076 it unto the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 Thou shalt eat H398 it within thy gates: H8179 the unclean H2931 and the clean H2889 person shall eat it alike, H3162 as the roebuck, H6643 and as the hart. H354
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Numbers 18
Commentary on Numbers 18 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 18
Nu 18:1-7. The Charge of the Priests and Levites.
1. the Lord said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary—Security is here given to the people from the fears expressed (Nu 17:12), by the responsibility of attending to all sacred things being devolved upon the priesthood, together with the penalties incurred through neglect; and thus the solemn responsibilities annexed to their high dignity, of having to answer not only for their own sins, but also for the sins of the people, were calculated in a great measure to remove all feeling of envy at the elevation of Aaron's family, when the honor was weighed in the balance with its burdens and dangers.
2-7. thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi—The departments of the sacred office, to be filled respectively by the priests and Levites, are here assigned to each. To the priests was committed the charge of the sanctuary and the altar, while the Levites were to take care of everything else about the tabernacle. The Levites were to attend the priests as servants—bestowed on them as "gifts" to aid in the service of the tabernacle—while the high and dignified office of the priesthood was a "service of gift." "A stranger," that is, one, neither a priest nor a Levite, who should intrude into any departments of the sacred office, should incur the penalty of death.
Nu 18:8-20. The Priests' Portion.
8-13. the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of my heave offerings—A recapitulation is made in this passage of certain perquisites specially appropriated to the maintenance of the priests. They were parts of the votive and freewill offerings, including both meat and bread, wine and oil, and the first-fruits, which formed a large and valuable item.
14. Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine—provided it was adapted for food or consumable by use; for the gold and silver vessels that were dedicated as the spoils of victory were not given to the priests, but for the use and adornment of the sacred edifice.
19. it is a covenant of salt—that is, a perpetual ordinance. This figurative form of expression was evidently founded on the conservative property of salt, which keeps meat from corruption; and hence it became an emblem of inviolability and permanence. It is a common phrase among Oriental people, who consider the eating of salt a pledge of fidelity, binding them in a covenant of friendship. Hence the partaking of the altar meats, which were appropriated to the priests on condition of their services and of which salt formed a necessary accompaniment, was naturally called "a covenant of salt" (Le 2:13).
Nu 18:21-32. The Levites' Portion.
21, 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 service; that a bond of mutual love and attachment might be formed between the people and the Levites, who, as performing religious services for the people, derived their subsistence from them; and further, that being the more easily dispersed among the different tribes, they might be more useful in instructing and directing the people.
23. 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.
26. the Levites … offer … a tenth of the tithe—Out of their own they were to pay tithes to the priests equally as the people gave to them. The best of their tithes was to be assigned to the priests, and afterwards they enjoyed the same liberty to make use of the remainder that other Israelites had of the produce of their threshing-floors and wine-presses.
32. ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, &c.—Neglect in having the best entailed sin in the use of such unhallowed food. And the holy things would be polluted by the reservation to themselves of what should be offered to God and the priests.