9 This shall be thine of the most H6944 holy things, H6944 reserved from the fire: H784 every oblation H7133 of theirs, every meat offering H4503 of theirs, and every sin offering H2403 of theirs, and every trespass offering H817 of theirs, which they shall render H7725 unto me, shall be most H6944 holy H6944 for thee and for thy sons. H1121
As the sin offering H2403 is, so is the trespass offering: H817 there is one H259 law H8451 for them: the priest H3548 that maketh atonement H3722 therewith shall have it.
When a ruler H5387 hath sinned, H2398 and done H6213 somewhat through ignorance H7684 against any H259 of the commandments H4687 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 concerning things which should not be done, H6213 and is guilty; H816
Speak H1696 unto Aaron H175 and to his sons, H1121 saying, H559 This is the law H8451 of the sin offering: H2403 In the place H4725 where the burnt offering H5930 is killed H7819 shall the sin offering H2403 be killed H7819 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 it is most H6944 holy. H6944 The priest H3548 that offereth it for sin H2398 shall eat H398 it: in the holy H6918 place H4725 shall it be eaten, H398 in the court H2691 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation. H4150
And he shall slay H7819 the lamb H3532 in the place H4725 where he shall kill H7819 the sin offering H2403 and the burnt offering, H5930 in the holy H6944 place: H4725 for as the sin offering H2403 is the priest's, H3548 so is the trespass offering: H817 it is most H6944 holy: H6944
And when any H5315 will offer H7126 a meat H4503 offering H7133 unto the LORD, H3068 his offering H7133 shall be of fine flour; H5560 and he shall pour H3332 oil H8081 upon it, and put H5414 frankincense H3828 thereon: And he shall bring H935 it to Aaron's H175 sons H1121 the priests: H3548 and he shall take H7061 thereout H8033 his handful H7062 H4393 of the flour H5560 thereof, and of the oil H8081 thereof, with all the frankincense H3828 thereof; and the priest H3548 shall burn H6999 the memorial H234 of it upon the altar, H4196 to be an offering made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD: H3068 And the remnant H3498 of the meat offering H4503 shall be Aaron's H175 and his sons': H1121 it is a thing most H6944 holy H6944 of the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire. H801
And if a soul H5315 sin, H2398 and hear H8085 the voice H6963 of swearing, H423 and is a witness, H5707 whether H176 he hath seen H7200 or known H3045 of it; if he do not utter H5046 it, then he shall bear H5375 his iniquity. H5771
And he shall bring H935 his trespass offering H817 unto the LORD H3068 for his sin H2403 which he hath sinned, H2398 a female H5347 from the flock, H6629 a lamb H3776 or a kid H8166 of the goats, H5795 for a sin offering; H2403 and the priest H3548 shall make an atonement H3722 for him concerning his sin. H2403
And Moses H4872 spake H1696 unto Aaron, H175 and unto Eleazar H499 and unto Ithamar, H385 his sons H1121 that were left, H3498 Take H3947 the meat offering H4503 that remaineth H3498 of the offerings H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire, H801 and eat H398 it without leaven H4682 beside H681 the altar: H4196 for it is most H6944 holy: H6944 And ye shall eat H398 it in the holy H6918 place, H4725 because it is thy due, H2706 and thy sons' H1121 due, H2706 of the sacrifices H801 of the LORD H3068 made by fire: H801 for so I am commanded. H6680
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.