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.

2And 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 ministerbefore the tabernacle of witness.

3And 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.

4And 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.

5And 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.

6And 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.

7Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing 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.

9This 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.

10In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.

11And 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.

12All 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.

13And 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.

14Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.

15Every 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.

16And 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.

17But 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 savour unto the LORD.

18And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.

19All 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.

20And 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.

21And, 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.

22Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

23But 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.

24But 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.

25And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

26Thus 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.

27And 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.

28Thus 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.

29Out 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.

30Therefore 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.

31And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it isyour reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.

32And 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.

1 And the Lord sayd vnto Aaron, Thou and thy sonnes, and thy fathers house with thee, shall beare the iniquitie of the Sanctuary: and thou and thy sonnes with thee, shall beare the iniquitie of your Priesthood.

2And thy brethren also of the tribe of Leui, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be ioyned vnto thee, and minister vnto thee: but thou and thy sonnes with thee shall minister before the Tabernacle of Witnesse.

3And they shall keepe thy charge, and the charge of all the Tabernacle: onely they shall not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuarie, and the Altar, that neither they, nor you also die.

4And they shall bee ioyned vnto thee, and keepe the charge of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, for all the seruice of the Tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh vnto you.

5And yee shall keepe the charge of the Sanctuary, and the charge of the Altar, that there be no wrath any more vpon the children of Israel.

6And I, beholde, I haue taken your brethren the Leuites from among the children of Israel: to you they are giuen as a gift for the Lord, to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

7Therefore thou and thy sonnes with thee, shall keepe your Priests office for euery thing of the Altar, and within the Uaile, and yee shall serue: I haue giuen your Priests office vnto you, as a seruice of gift: and the stranger that commeth nigh, shall bee put to death.

8 And the Lord spake vnto Aaron, Behold, I also haue giuen thee the charge of mine heaue offerings, of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel, vnto thee haue I giuen them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sonnes by an ordinance for euer.

9This shall bee thine of the most holy things, reserued from the fire: euery oblation of theirs, euery meat offering of theirs, and euery sinne offering of theirs, and euery trespasse offering of theirs, which they shal render vnto me, shall be most holy for thee, and for thy sonnes.

10In the most holy place shalt thou eate it, euery male shall eate it: it shall be holy vnto thee.

11And this is thine: the heaue offering of their gift, with all the waue offrings of the children of Israel: I haue giuen them vnto thee, & to thy sonnes, and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for euer: euery one that is cleane in thy house, shall eate of it.

12All the best of the oyle, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the first fruits of them which they shall offer vnto the Lord, them haue I giuen thee.

13And whatsoeuer is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring vnto the Lord, shall be thine, euery one that is cleane in thine house, shall eat of it.

14Euery thing deuoted in Israel, shall be thine.

15Euery thing that openeth the matrice in all flesh, which they bring vnto the Lord, whether it bee of men or beasts, shall be thine: Neuertheles the first borne of man shalt thou surely redeeme, and the firstling of vncleane beasts shalt thou redeeme.

16And those that are to be redeemed, from a moneth old shalt thou redeeme according to thine estimation, for the money of fiue shekels, after the shekel of the Sanctuary, which is twentie gerahs.

17But the firstling of a cowe, or the firstling of a sheepe, or the firstling of a goat thou shalt not redeeme, they are holy: thou shalt sprinckle their blood vpon the Altar, and shalt burne their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet sauour vnto the Lord.

18And the flesh of them shall bee thine: as the waue breast, and as the right shoulder are thine.

19All the heaue offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer vnto the Lord, haue I giuen thee and thy sonnes, and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for euer: it is a couenant of salt for euer, before the Lord vnto thee, and to thy seed with thee.

20 And the Lord spake vnto Aaron, Thou shalt haue no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou haue any part among them: I am thy part, and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

21And 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.

22Neither must the children of Israel hencefoorth come nigh the Tabernacle of the Congregation, lest they beare sinne, and die.

23But the Leuites shall doe the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and they shal beare their iniquitie: it shall be a statute for euer throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they haue no inheritance.

24But the tithes of the children of Israel which they offer as an heaue offering vnto the Lord, I haue giuen to the Leuites to inherite: therefore I haue said vnto them, Among the children of Israel they shall haue no inheritance.

25 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying,

26Thus speake vnto the Leuites, and say vnto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes, which I haue giuen you from them for your inheritance, then ye shal offer vp an heaue offering of it for the Lord, euen a tenth part of the tithe.

27And this your heaue offering shall be reckoned vnto you, as though it were the corne of the threshing floore, and as the fulnesse of the wine presse.

28Thus you also shal offer an heaue offering vnto the Lord of all your tithes which ye receiue of the children of Israel, and ye shall giue thereof the Lords heaue offering to Aaron the Priest.

29Out of all your gifts ye shall offer euery heaue offering of the Lord, of all the best thereof, euen the hallowed part thereof, out of it.

30Therefore thou shalt say vnto them, When yee haue heaued the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted vnto the Leuites, as the encrease of the threshing floore, and as the encrease of the wine presse.

31And ye shall eate it in euery place, ye and your housholds: for it is your reward for your seruice, in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

32And yee shall beare no sinne by reason of it, when ye haue heaued from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

I == Ex 28:38 ; Num 17:13

 

 

II == Gen 29:34 ; Num 3:6-7 , 10

 

 

 

 

III == Num 3:25 , 31 , 36 ; 4:15 ; 16:40

 

 

IV == Num 3:10

 

 

 

V == Ex 27:21 ; 30:7 ; Lev 24:3 ; Num 8:2 ; 16:46

 

 

 

 

 

 

VII == Num 3:10 ; Heb 9:3 , 6

 

 

 

 

VIII == Ex 29:29 ; 40:13 , 15 ; Lev 6:16 , 18 , 26 ; 7:6 , 32 ; Num 5:9 ; 1st Cor 9:13

 

 

IX == Lev 2:2-3 ; 4:22 , 27 ; 5:1 ; 6:25-26 ; 7:7 ; 10:12-13 ; 14:13

 

 

 

X == Lev 6:16 , 18 , 26 , 29 ; 7:6

 

XI == Ex 29:27-28 ; Lev 7:30 , 34 ; 10:14 ; 22:2-3 , 11-13

 

 

 

XII == Num 18:29 ; Deut 18:4 ; Neh 10:35-36

 

XIII == Ex 22:29 ; 23:19 ; 34:26 ; Lev 2:14 ; Num 15:19 ; Deut 26:2

 

XV == Ex 13:2 , 13 ; 22:29 ; 34:20 ; Lev 27:26 ; Num 3:13

 

 

 

XVI == Ex 30:13 ; Num 3:47 ; Ezek 45:12

 

 

XVII == Lev 3:2 , 5 ; Deut 15:19

 

 

 

XVIII == Ex 29:26 , 28 ; Lev 7:31-32 , 34 ; Heb 7:5

XIX == Lev 2:13 ; 2nd Chr 13:5

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Deut 10:9 ; 12:12 ; 14:27 , 29 ; 18:1-2 ; Josh 13:14 , 33 ; 14:3 ; 18:7 ; Ezek 44:28

 

XXI == Lev 27:30 , 32 ; Num 3:7-8 ; Neh 10:37 ; 12:44 ; Heb 7:5 , 8-9

 

XXII == Lev 22:9;Neum 1:51

 

XXIII == Num 3:7

 

 

 

 

XXIV == Deut 10:9 ; 14:27 , 29 ; 18:1

 

 

 

 

 

XXVI == Neh 10:38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXIX == Num 18:12

 

 

XXX == Num 18:27

 

 

 

XXXI == Matt 10:10 ; Luke 10:7 ; 1st Cor 9:13 ; 1st Tim 5:18

 

XXXII == Lev 19:8 ; 22:2 , 15-16

 

1The LORD said to Aaron, "You and your sons as well as the other members of your ancestral house shall be responsible for the sanctuary; but the responsibility of the priesthood shall rest on you and your sons alone.

2 Bring with you also your other kinsmen of the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, as your associates and assistants, while you and your sons are in front of the tent of the commandments.

3 They shall look after your persons and the whole tent; however, they shall not come near the sacred vessels or the altar, lest both they and you die.

4 As your associates they shall have charge of all the work connected with the meeting tent. But no layman shall come near you.

5 You shall have charge of the sanctuary and of the altar, that wrath may not fall again upon the Israelites.

6 "Remember, it is I who have taken your kinsmen, the Levites, from the body of the Israelites; they are a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD for the service of the meeting tent.

7 But only you and your sons are to have charge of performing the priestly functions in whatever concerns the altar and the room within the veil. I give you the priesthood as a gift. Any layman who draws near shall be put to death."

8 The LORD said to Aaron, "I myself have given you charge of the contributions made to me in the various sacred offerings of the Israelites; by perpetual ordinance I have assigned them to you and to your sons as your priestly share.

9 You shall have the right to share in the oblations that are most sacred, in whatever they offer me as cereal offerings or sin offerings or guilt offerings; these shares shall accrue to you and to your sons.

10 In eating them you shall treat them as most sacred; every male among you may partake of them. As sacred, they belong to you.

11 "You shall also have what is removed from the gift in every wave offering of the Israelites; by perpetual ordinance I have assigned it to you and to your sons and daughters. All in your family who are clean may partake of it.

12 I have also assigned to you all the best of the new oil and of the new wine and grain that they give to the LORD as their first fruits;

13 and likewise, of whatever grows on their land, the first products that they bring in to the LORD shall be yours; all of your family who are clean may partake of them.

14 Whatever is doomed in Israel shall be yours.

15 Every living thing that opens the womb, whether of man or of beast, such as are to be offered to the LORD, shall be yours; but you must let the first-born of man, as well as of unclean animals, be redeemed.

16 The ransom for a boy is to be paid when he is a month old; it is fixed at five silver shekels according to the sanctuary standard, twenty gerahs to the shekel.

17 But the first-born of cattle, sheep or goats shall not be redeemed; they are sacred. Their blood you must splash on the altar and their fat you must burn as a sweet-smelling oblation to the LORD.

18 Their meat, however, shall be yours, just as the breast and the right leg of the wave offering belong to you.

19 By perpetual ordinance I have assigned to you and to your sons and daughters all the contributions from the sacred gifts which the Israelites make to the LORD; this is an inviolable covenant to last forever before the LORD, for you and for your descendants."

20 Then the LORD said to Aaron, "You shall not have any heritage in the land of the Israelites nor hold any portion among them; I will be your portion and your heritage among them.

21 "To the Levites, however, I hereby assign all tithes in Israel as their heritage in recompense for the service they perform in the meeting tent.

22 The Israelites may no longer approach the meeting tent; else they will incur guilt deserving death.

23 Only the Levites are to perform the service of the meeting tent, and they alone shall be held responsible; this is a perpetual ordinance for all your generations. The Levites, therefore, shall not have any heritage among the Israelites,

24 for I have assigned to them as their heritage the tithes which the Israelites give as a contribution to the LORD. That is why I have ordered that they are not to have any heritage among the Israelites."

25 The LORD said to Moses,

26 "Give the Levites these instructions: When you receive from the Israelites the tithes I have assigned you from them as your heritage, you are to make a contribution from them to the LORD, a tithe of the tithes;

27 and your contribution will be credited to you as if it were grain from the threshing floor or new wine from the press.

28 Thus you too shall make a contribution from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites, handing over to Aaron the priest the part to be contributed to the LORD.

29 From all the gifts that you receive, and from the best parts, you are to consecrate to the LORD your own full contribution.

30 "Tell them also: Once you have made your contribution from the best part, the rest of the tithes will be credited to you Levites as if it were produce of the threshing floor or of the winepress.

31 Your families, as well as you, may eat them anywhere, since they are your recompense for service at the meeting tent.

32 You will incur no guilt so long as you make a contribution of the best part. Do not profane the sacred gifts of the Israelites and so bring death on yourselves."

1 – 7 Duties of Levi

v 1. Aaron and his sons were to bear and remove the unintentional sins of the people and their own unintentional sins.

v 2-7. Aaron was to bring the rest of the Levites to minister with them, only Aaron and his sons would minister in the sanctuary and the altar, the others would attend to other menial duties concerning the tabernacle. The others were definitely not to enter the sanctuary or come near any of it’s holy objects. It may have been a part of their duties to make sure no other people came near, as Korah, Dathan and Abiram were desirous to do. The other Levites were a gift given to the Lord for service to Aaron.

 

 

 

 

8 – 21 Provision for the Support of the Priests

v 8-14. By permanent declaration, Aaron and his sons are given all the parts of sacrifices not consumed on the altar. Only Aaron and his male descendants could eat these because they were most holy, but their families could eat the wave offerings. They were also given the first fruits and everything devoted for the families to eat. Verse 10 is not to be misconstrued as eating in the Holy of Holies or even the Holy place, but in the court, compare Lev. 6:16 and 10:12,13. Things which are most holy signifies they were separated to God. For this purpose it was considered holy or most holy as compared to offerings which could be eaten anywhere by the families.

 

 

 

 

v 15. Unclean first born animals in general could be redeemed according to the rule in Lev. 27:27, by paying 120% of the value. However if it was an ass colt, it had to be redeemed by sacrificing a lamb, or by having it’s neck broken Ex. 13:13; 34:20.

v 16. First born males from one month to five years were redeemed with the evaluation of 5 shekels, as mentioned in Lev. 27:6. Other age evaluations stated there.

v 17-19. These three clean animals had to be offered, the blood placed on the altar and the fat burned, but the flesh was food for the priests and their families. All offerings must be seasoned with salt, Lev. 2:13. Parties to a covenant partook of salt to make it a sure covenant. As salt keeps food from decay, it’s presence would indicate that it was a true, permanent covenant, not subject to decay. 

 

21 – 24 The Dues of the Levites

v 21-24. Levites were not given their own inheritance n the land, but were given certain cities and their suburbs from the possession of the other tribes, Numbers 35:2. Levites were to serve in the tabernacle and other tribes would pay tithes to them, but others could not serve in the tabernacle. The offerings were the Levite’s inheritance.

 

 

 

25 – 32 Tithes Paid by the Levites

v 25-32. The Levites were to tithe all the tithes and offerings that were given to them by the others, just as much as if they were tithing from a field of grain. They were to offer them in a heave offering to the Lord and present them to Aaron. Then the remainder they could eat with their families in any place without guilt or fear of death, because they had offered the best to the Lord and not polluted the holy offerings.