Numbers 18

In Numbers 18, God outlines the roles and responsibilities of the priests and Levites, emphasizing the sanctity and sacred duties assigned to them. The chapter focuses on the privilege and responsibility of ministering before the Lord and defines how the priests and Levites will be provided for by the offerings of the people.

Numbers 18:1 (NKJV)
Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood.”

God holds Aaron and his family accountable for the duties of the sanctuary and the priesthood. They are to take responsibility for any offenses related to their holy service. This highlights the seriousness of their calling and the need for careful observance of God's commands, as the burden of ensuring holiness in the sanctuary rests upon them.

Numbers 18:2-3 (NKJV)
2 “Also bring with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you while you and your sons are with you before the tabernacle of witness.
3 They shall attend to your needs and all the needs of the tabernacle; but they shall not come near the articles of the sanctuary and the altar, lest they die—they and you also.”

God commands Aaron to involve the Levites in assisting him and his sons with their duties. The Levites were to help the priests but were not allowed to handle the most sacred items of the sanctuary. This division of roles emphasizes the holiness of the priesthood and the serious consequences of crossing boundaries established by God.

Numbers 18:4-5 (NKJV)
4 “They shall be joined with you and attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the work of the tabernacle; but an outsider shall not come near you.
5 And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, that there may be no more wrath on the children of Israel.”

The Levites are further instructed to assist in the work of the tabernacle, while outsiders (those not of the priestly family or Levites) are strictly forbidden from approaching the sanctuary. Aaron and his sons are reminded that their diligent service prevents God's wrath from falling on the Israelites, emphasizing the protective nature of their obedience to these duties.

Numbers 18:6-7 (NKJV)
6 “Behold, I Myself have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; they are a gift to you, given by the Lord, to do the work of the tabernacle of meeting.
7 Therefore you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything at the altar and behind the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood to you as a gift for service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

God designates the Levites as a gift to help Aaron and his sons in the work of the tabernacle, yet the priesthood itself remains the special responsibility of Aaron's family. The roles of the Levites and priests are clearly separated, and any outsider attempting to take on priestly duties would face death, underscoring the gravity of maintaining God’s ordained structure.

Numbers 18:8-9 (NKJV)
8 And the Lord spoke to Aaron: “Here, I Myself have also given you charge of My heave offerings, all the holy gifts of the children of Israel; I have given them as a portion to you and your sons, as an ordinance forever.
9 This shall be yours of the most holy things reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering and every sin offering and every trespass offering which they render to Me, shall be most holy for you and your sons.”

God provides for Aaron and his family by granting them the offerings given by the people of Israel. These holy gifts, such as the grain offerings and sin offerings, are considered most holy and are to be shared among the priests. This provision ensures that those who serve at the altar are sustained through the offerings made to God.

Numbers 18:10-11 (NKJV)
10 “In a most holy place you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you.
11 This also is yours: the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.”

The offerings were to be consumed in a holy manner, with restrictions on who could partake. Every male priest could eat the most holy offerings, while the wave and heave offerings were given to both male and female members of Aaron’s family. These provisions reflect God’s care for the priestly family, ensuring that they are well-supported through the people's worship.

Numbers 18:12-13 (NKJV)
12 “All the best of the oil, all the best of the new wine and the grain, their firstfruits which they offer to the Lord, I have given them to you.
13 Whatever first ripe fruit is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.”

The firstfruits of the land, including the best oil, wine, and grain, were also given to the priests. These were not just any portions but the finest of what the people had. By providing these, God ensures that the priests are honored with the best of the land’s produce, further demonstrating His care and provision for those who serve Him.

Numbers 18:14-15 (NKJV)
14 “Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours.
15 Everything that first opens the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the Lord, whether man or beast, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem.”

God establishes that all things devoted to Him in Israel are to belong to the priests, including the firstborn of both man and animals. However, the firstborn of humans and unclean animals were to be redeemed, meaning a price would be paid for them rather than being sacrificed. This reflects both God’s claim over all firstborn and His provision for the sanctity of human life.

Numbers 18:16-17 (NKJV)
16 “And those redeemed of the devoted things you shall redeem when one month old, according to your valuation, for five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
17 But the firstborn of a cow, the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the Lord.”

The redemption price for human firstborn is set at five shekels, a small amount to redeem the child from the priestly claim. However, the firstborn of clean animals, such as cows, sheep, and goats, are considered holy and are to be sacrificed. Their blood is sprinkled on the altar, and their fat is burned, reflecting the ongoing sacrificial system established by God.

Numbers 18:18-19 (NKJV)
18 “And their flesh shall be yours, just as the wave breast and the right thigh are yours.
19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.”

The priests are also granted the flesh of the sacrifices, as well as the portions of the wave and heave offerings. God describes this provision as a “covenant of salt,” symbolizing a lasting and enduring covenant, indicating that the priesthood will always have the offerings of the people as their portion, ensuring the perpetual support of the priestly family.

Numbers 18:20 (NKJV)
Then the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.”

God declares that Aaron and the priests will not receive land as an inheritance like the other tribes of Israel. Instead, God Himself is their portion and inheritance. This emphasizes the special relationship between the priests and God, as their provision comes directly from the offerings made to Him, reflecting a higher calling than material wealth.

Numbers 18:21 (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.”

The Levites are granted the tithes of Israel as their inheritance, in exchange for their service in the tabernacle. While the other tribes inherit land, the Levites' inheritance is tied to their sacred duties. This arrangement provides for them while they carry out the religious services of the nation, showing the practical and spiritual nature of their calling.

Numbers 18:22-23 (NKJV)
22 “Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die.
23 But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.”

The Israelites are warned not to approach the tabernacle, as only the Levites are permitted to perform its duties. Any violation of this order would bring sin and death. The Levites are tasked with bearing this responsibility, and their inheritance comes from their service to God, not from land. This further reinforces the sanctity of their calling.

Numbers 18:24 (NKJV)
“For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.’”

The tithes offered by the Israelites are clearly designated as the Levites’ inheritance. In contrast to the land that is given to the other tribes, the Levites’ portion is the offerings given to God. This arrangement maintains the Levites' focus on their sacred duties and ensures their material needs are met through the community’s worship.

Numbers 18:25-26 (NKJV)
25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
26 “Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: ‘When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe.’”

God commands the Levites to tithe from the tithes they receive. Even though they are beneficiaries of Israel’s tithes, they are still expected to honor God by offering a tenth of what they receive. This principle ensures that even those who serve in the temple remember to give back to God in recognition of His provision.

Numbers 18:27-28 (NKJV)
27 “And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress.
28 Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord’s heave offering from it to Aaron the priest.”

The tithe offered by the Levites is considered equivalent to the offerings of grain and wine given by the other Israelites. This demonstrates that the Levites’ giving is equally important in the eyes of God, even though it is from the offerings of others. A portion of this tithe is to go to Aaron, ensuring that the priestly family is also supported.

Numbers 18:29-30 (NKJV)
29 “Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them.’
30 Therefore you shall say to them: ‘When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress.’”

The Levites are commanded to offer the best part of their tithes to the Lord. Once they have given their offering, the remainder is considered their portion, similar to the harvests and produce of other Israelites. This ensures that God is always honored first with the best of what is given, setting an example of faithful stewardship.

Numbers 18:31-32 (NKJV)
31 “You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting.
32 And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die.’”

The Levites are permitted to enjoy the rest of the offerings they receive, as long as they first give the best portion to God. This system ensures their sustenance while maintaining the holiness of the gifts given by the people of Israel. Any failure to respect this process, however, would result in grave consequences, emphasizing the sacredness of their role.