Numbers 18 · Verse 20

Numbers 18:20

And 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.
Numbers 18:20, King James Version

Numbers 18:20 in other translations

BSBThen the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
WEBThe LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
ASVAnd Jehovah said unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them: I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
YLTAnd Jehovah saith unto Aaron, ‘In their land thou dost not inherit, and a portion thou hast not in their midst: I am thy portion, and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel;
DARBYAnd Jehovah said to Aaron, In their land thou shalt have no inheritance, neither shalt thou have any portion among them: I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
BBEAnd the Lord said to Aaron, You will have no heritage in their land, or any part among them; I am your part and your heritage among the children of Israel.
WebsterAnd the LORD spoke to Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thy inheritance among the children of Israel.

What does Numbers 18:20 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 I am thy part and thine inheritance - The principal part of what was offered to God was the portion of the priests, therefore they had no inheritance of land in Israel; independently of that they had a very ample provision for their support. The rabbins say twenty-four gifts were given to the priests, and they are all expressed in the law. Eight of those gifts the priests ate nowhere but in the sanctuary: these eight are the following: - 1. The flesh of the Sin-Offering, whether of beasts or fowls, Lev 6:25, Lev 6:26. 2. The flesh of the Trespass-Offering, Lev 7:1, Lev 7:6. 3. The Peace-Offerings of the congregation, Lev 23:19, Lev 23:20. 4. The remainder of the Omer or Sheaf, Lev 23:10, etc. 5. The remnants of the Meat-Offerings of the Israelites, Lev 6:16. 6. The two Loaves, Lev 23:17. 7. The Shew-Bread, Lev 24:9. 8. The Log of oil offered by the leper, Lev 14:10, etc. Five of those gifts they ate only in Jerusalem: - 1. The breast and shoulder of the Peace-Offerings, Lev 7:31, Lev 7:34. 2. The Heave-Offering of the sacrifice of confession, Lev 7:12-14. 3. The Heave-Offering of the Nazarite's ram, Lev 6:17-20. 4. The Firstling of the clean beast, Num 18:15; Deu 15:19, Deu 15:20. 5. The First-Fruits, Num 18:13. Five gifts were not due unto them by the law, but in the land of Israel only: - 1. The heave-offering or First-Fruits, Num 18:12. 2. The heave-offering of the Tithe, Num 18:28. 3. The Cake, Num 15:20. These three were holy. 4. The first-fruits of the Fleece, Deu 18:4. 5. The Field of Possession, Numbers 35. These two were common. Five gifts were due unto them both within and without the land: - 1. The gifts of the Beasts Slain, Deu 18:3. 2. The redemption of the First-Born Son, Num 18:15. 3. The Lamb for the firstling of an ass, Exo 4:20; Numbers 18. 4. The restitution of that taken by violence from a stranger, Num 5:8. 5. All Devoted things, Num 18:14. One gift was due unto them from the sanctuary: - 1. The skins of the burnt-offering, and all the skins of the other most holy things, Lev 7:8. In all 24. See Ainsworth. The gifts which the females of the priests' families had a part in were these: - 1. The heave-offering, or first-fruits. 2. The heave-offering of the tithe. 3. The cake. 4. The gifts of the beast, Deu 18:3. 5. The first of the fleece. - See Mishna, Tract. Biccurim, and Ainsworth on the Pentateuch. Besides all this the priests had the tribute money mentioned Num 31:28, Num 31:29.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 18:20-32
As Israel was a people not to be numbered among the nations, so Levi was a tribe to be distinguished from the rest. Those who have God for their Inheritance and their Portion for ever, ought to look with holy contempt and indifference upon the possessions of this world. The Levites were to give God his dues out of their tithes, as well as the Israelites out of their increase. See, in ver. #(31), the way to have comfort in all our worldly possessions, so as to bear no sin by reason of them. 1. We must be sure that what we have is got honestly and in the service of God. That meat is best eaten which is first earned; but if any will not work, neither shall he eat, 2Th 3:10. 2. We must be sure that God has his dues out of it. We have the comfort of our substance, when we have honoured the Lord with it. Ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved the best from it. We should give alms of such things as we have, that all may be holy and comfortable to us.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Numbers 18:20 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
יְהוָ֜הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶֽל\־'el-toH413
אַהֲרֹ֗ן'a.ha.RonAaronH175
בְּאַרְצָם֙be.'ar.Tzamin land theirH776
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
תִנְחָ֔לtin.Chalyou will have an inheritanceH5157
וְחֵ֕לֶקve.Che.lekand a shareH2506
לֹא\־lo'-notH3808
יִהְיֶ֥הyih.Yehit will belongH1961
לְךָ֖le.Khato <the> you
בְּתוֹכָ֑םbe.to.Khamin midst of themH8432
אֲנִ֤י'a.NiIH589
חֶלְקְךָ֙chel.ke.Cha[am] share yourH2506
וְנַחֲלָ֣תְךָ֔ve.na.cha.La.te.khaand inheritance yourH5159
בְּת֖וֹךְbe.Tokhin amongH8432
בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃\ \סYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 18:20

  • Ezekiel 44:28

    And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession.

  • Deuteronomy 10:9

    Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the Lord is his inheritance, according as the Lord thy God promised him.

  • Joshua 13:33

    But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

  • Deuteronomy 18:1-2

    The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance. Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.

  • Lamentations 3:24

    The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

  • Deuteronomy 12:12

    And ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

  • Joshua 18:7

    But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.

  • Deuteronomy 14:27

    And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.

  • Joshua 14:3

    For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

  • Psalms 142:5

    I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living.

  • Revelation 21:3

    And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

  • Psalms 16:5

    The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Thou shalt have.The principal part of what was offered to God was the portion of the priests; who had no inheritance of land in Israel. The Rabbins say, 24 gifts were given to the priests; all of which are expressed in the law. Eight were only eaten in the sanctuary: 1. The flesh of the sin-offering. (Le 6:25, 26.) 2. The flesh of the trespass-offering. (Le 7:1, 6.) 3. The peace-offering of the congregation. (Le 23:19, 20.) 4. The remainder of the sheaf. ( Le 23:10.) 5. The remnants of the meat-offerings. (Le 6:16.) 6. The two loaves. (Le 23:17.) 7. The shew-bread. (Le 24:9.) 8. The log of oil offered by the leper. (Le 14:10.) Five they ate only at Jerusalem: 1. The breast and shoulder of the peace-offerings. (Le 7:31-34.) 2. The heave-offering of confession. (Le 7:12-14.) 3. The heave-offering of the Nazarite's ram. (Le 6:17-20.) 4. The firstling. (ch. 18:15.) 5. The first-fruits. (18:13.) Five were due to them only in the land of Israel: 1. The heave-offering of first-fruits. (ver. 12.) 2. Of the tithe. (ver. 28.) 3. The cake. (ch. 15:20.) 4. The first of the fleece. (De 18:4.) 5. The field of possession. (ch. 35.) Five were due both within and without the land: 1. The gifts of slain beasts. (De 18:3.) 2. The redemption of the first-born. (ver. 15.) 3. The lamb for a firstling ass. (Ex 4:20.) 4. That taken by violence from a stranger. (ch. 5:8.) 5. All devoted things. One was from the sanctuary, the skins, etc. (Le 7:8.)
no inheritance.
23,24; 26:62; De 10:9; 12:12; 14:27,29; Jos 14:3
I am thy part.
De 18:1,2; Jos 13:14,33; 14:3; 18:7; Ps 16:5; 73:26; 142:5; La 3:24
Eze 44:28; 1Co 3:21-23; Re 21:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 18:19

    All 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.

  • Numbers 18:20

    And 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.

  • Numbers 18:21

    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.

Read all of Numbers 18

Numbers 18:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jehová dijo á Aarón: De la tierra de ellos no tendrás heredad, ni entre ellos tendrás parte: Yo soy tu parte y tu heredad en medio de los hijos de Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ Éternel dit à Aaron: Tu n’auras pas d’héritage dans leur pays, et il n’y aura pas de part pour toi au milieu d’eux: moi, je suis ta part et ton héritage au milieu des fils d’Israël.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Jehova sprach zu Aaron: In ihrem Lande sollst du nichts erben und sollst kein Teil in ihrer Mitte haben; ich bin dein Teil und dein Erbe inmitten der Kinder Israel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dixitque Dominus ad Aaron: In terra eorum nihil possidebitis, nec habebitis partem inter eos: ego pars et hæreditas tua in medio filiorum Israël.