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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Good News Translation

Numbers 18:21

The Lord said, "I have given to the Levites every tithe that the people of Israel present to me. This is in payment for their service in taking care of the Tent of my presence.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Tithes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Benevolence;   Dues, Priests';   Giving;   Leaders;   Levites;   Liberality-Parsimony;   Ministers;   Priests;   Religious;   Tithes, Giving of;   The Topic Concordance - Tithe;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Levites, the;   Offerings;   Tithe;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Tithe;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Giving;   Levite;   Tithes;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Levite;   Tithe, Tithing;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Levites;   Tithes;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Economic Life;   Inheritance;   Levitical Cities;   Pentateuch;   Priests;   Tithe;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron's Rod;   Malachi;   Numbers, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   Tithes;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Levites ;   Numbers as Symbols;   Tithes;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Covenant;   Levites;   Tithes;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Law of Moses;   Le'vites;   Tithe;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Levites;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Criticism (the Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis);   Talmud;   Tithe;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abrogation of Laws;   Baraita;   Bible Canon;   Gemaá¹­ria;   ḥaber;   Ma'aserot;   Masseket;   Mishnah;   Tithe;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Yisra'el for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
"Behold, I have given to the descendants of Levi every tithe in Israel as an inheritance in return for their service, which they are doing, the work of the tent of assembly.
New Century Version
"When the people of Israel give me a tenth of what they make, I will give that tenth to the Levites. This is their payment for the work they do serving at the Meeting Tent.
New English Translation
See, 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.
Amplified Bible
"Behold, I have given the Levites all the tithe in Israel as an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle).
New American Standard Bible
"To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel as an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For beholde, I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their seruice which they serue in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Now to the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said to Aaron: Ten percent of the Israelites' crops and one out of every ten of their newborn animals belong to me. But I am giving all this to the Levites as their pay for the work they do at the sacred tent.
Complete Jewish Bible
(vii) "To the descendants of Levi I have given the entire tenth of the produce collected in Isra'el. It is their inheritance in payment for the service they render in the tent of meeting.
Darby Translation
And to the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.
Easy-to-Read Version
"The Israelites will give one-tenth of everything they have. So I give that one-tenth to the Levites. This is their payment for the work that they do while they serve at the Meeting Tent.
English Standard Version
"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,
George Lamsa Translation
And, behold, I have given to the children of Levi all the tithes of the children of Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Christian Standard Bible®
“Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting.
Literal Translation
And, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel to the sons of Levi for an inheritance, in return for their service which they are serving, the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Vnto the children of Leui haue I geuen all the tithes in Israel to inheritaunce, for ye seruyce which they do vnto me in the Tabernacle of witnesse,
American Standard Version
And unto the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
Bible in Basic English
And to the children of Levi I have given as their heritage all the tenths offered in Israel, as payment for the work they do, the work of the Tent of meeting.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Beholde, I haue geuen the children of Leui all the tenth in Israel to inherite, for the seruice which they serue in the tabernacle of the congregation.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And unto the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
King James Version (1611)
And behold, I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenth in Israel, for an inheritance, for their seruice which they serue, euen the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And, behold, I have given to the sons of Levi every tithe in Israel for an inheritance for their services, whereinsoever they perform ministry in the tabernacle of witness.
English Revised Version
And unto the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
Berean Standard Bible
Behold, I have given to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the service of the Tent of Meeting.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Y yaf to the sones of Leuy alle the tithis of Israel in to possessioun, for the seruyce bi whyche thei seruen me in the tabernacle of boond of pees;
Young's Literal Translation
and to the sons of Levi, lo, I have given all the tenth in Israel for inheritance in exchange for their service which they are serving -- the service of the tent of meeting.
Update Bible Version
And to the sons of Levi, look, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
World English Bible
To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the tent of meeting.
New King James Version
"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.
New Living Translation
As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel.
New Life Bible
"See, I have given a tenth part of everything in Israel to the Levites, in return for the work they do, the work of the meeting tent.
New Revised Standard
To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for a possession in return for the service that they perform, the service in the tent of meeting.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And unto the sons of Levi, lo! I have given all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, - the allotted portion for their laborious work which, they are performing, the laborious work of the tent of meeting:
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I have given to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel for a possession, for the ministry wherewith they serve me in the tabernacle of the covenant:
Revised Standard Version
"To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, their service in the tent of meeting.
THE MESSAGE
"I'm giving the Levites all the tithes of Israel as their pay for the work they do in the Tent of Meeting. Starting now, the rest of the People of Israel cannot wander in and out of the Tent of Meeting; they'll be penalized for their sin and the penalty is death. It's the Levites and only the Levites who are to work in the Tent of Meeting and they are responsible for anything that goes wrong. This is the regular rule for all time. They get no inheritance among the People of Israel; instead I turn over to them the tithes that the People of Israel present as an offering to God . That's why I give the ruling: They are to receive no land-inheritance among the People of Israel."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting.

Contextual Overview

20 The Lord said to Aaron, "You will not receive any property that can be inherited, and no part of the land of Israel will be assigned to you. I, the Lord , am all you need." 21 The Lord said, "I have given to the Levites every tithe that the people of Israel present to me. This is in payment for their service in taking care of the Tent of my presence. 22 The other Israelites must no longer approach the Tent and in this way bring on themselves the penalty of death. 23 From now on only the Levites will take care of the Tent and bear the full responsibility for it. This is a permanent rule that applies also to your descendants. The Levites shall have no permanent property in Israel, 24 because I have given to them as their possession the tithe which the Israelites present to me as a special contribution. That is why I told them that they would have no permanent property in Israel." 25 The Lord commanded Moses 26 to say to the Levites: "When you receive from the Israelites the tithe that the Lord gives you as your possession, you must present a tenth of it as a special contribution to the Lord . 27 This special contribution will be considered as the equivalent of the offering which the farmer makes of new grain and new wine. 28 In this way you also will present the special contribution that belongs to the Lord from all the tithes which you receive from the Israelites. You are to give this special contribution for the Lord to Aaron the priest. 29 Give it from the best that you receive.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the tenth: Numbers 18:24-26, Leviticus 27:30-32, Deuteronomy 12:17-19, Deuteronomy 14:22-29, 2 Chronicles 31:5, 2 Chronicles 31:6, 2 Chronicles 31:12, Nehemiah 10:37-39, Nehemiah 12:44, Nehemiah 13:12

even the service: Numbers 18:6, Numbers 3:7, Numbers 3:8, 1 Corinthians 9:13, 1 Corinthians 9:14, Galatians 6:6

Reciprocal: Numbers 31:47 - the Levites 2 Chronicles 11:14 - their possession Nehemiah 12:47 - and they Nehemiah 13:5 - which was commanded to be given to the Malachi 3:8 - In Hebrews 7:2 - a tenth Hebrews 7:5 - who

Cross-References

Genesis 11:5
Then the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which they had built,
Genesis 11:7
Let us go down and mix up their language so that they will not understand each other."
Genesis 18:1
The Lord appeared to Abraham at the sacred trees of Mamre. As Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day,
Genesis 18:24
If there are fifty innocent people in the city, will you destroy the whole city? Won't you spare it in order to save the fifty?
Exodus 3:8
and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live.
Exodus 33:5
For the Lord had commanded Moses to tell them, "You are a stubborn people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I would completely destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you."
Deuteronomy 8:2
Remember how the Lord your God led you on this long journey through the desert these past forty years, sending hardships to test you, so that he might know what you intended to do and whether you would obey his commands.
Deuteronomy 13:3
do not pay any attention to them. The Lord your God is using them to test you, to see if you love the Lord with all your heart.
Joshua 22:22
"The Mighty One is God! He is the Lord ! The Mighty One is God! He is the Lord ! He knows why we did this, and we want you to know too! If we rebelled and did not keep faith with the Lord , do not let us live any longer!
Job 34:22
There is no darkness dark enough to hide a sinner from God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance,.... The tenth part of the produce of the land; of the wheat, barley, oil, and wine; the tenth part of their harvest and vintage; so that though they were the least of the tribes, they had the greatest share of the increase of the land, and that without any labour or expense; the other having but nine parts among them all, and at the charge and labour of manuring, cultivating, c. and this they were to have

for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation see Numbers 18:3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Abraham 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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 18:21. Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth

First, the Levites had the tenth of all the productions of the land.

2. They had forty-eight cities, each forming a square of 4,000 cubits.

3. They had 2,000 cubits of ground round each city.

Total of the land they possessed, 53,000 acres.

4. 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 rather less than as one to two hundred and twelve; for 11,264,000 divided by 53,000, quotes only 212 28/53. - See Lowman, Dodd, c. But though this was a very small proportion for a whole tribe that had consented to annihilate its political existence, that it might wait upon the service of God, and labour for the people's souls yet let it be considered that what they possessed was the best of the land: and while it was a slender remuneration for their services, yet their portion was such as rendered them independent, and kept them comfortable; so that they could wait on the Lord's work without distraction. This is a proper pattern for the maintenance of the ministers of God: let them have a sufficiency for themselves and families, that there may be no distracting cares; and let them not be encumbered with riches or worldly possessions, that they may not be prevented from taking care of souls.


 
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