Numbers 18 · Verse 21

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.
Numbers 18:21, King James Version

Numbers 18:21 in other translations

BSBBehold, 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.
WEB“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.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand 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.
DARBYAnd 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.
BBEAnd 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.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does Numbers 18:21 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 18:21-22

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.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 21 Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth - 1. 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, etc. 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 labor 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.

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…

Read the full comment on Numbers 18:20-32 →

Numbers 18:21 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.

וְלִבְנֵ֣יve.liv.Neiand to [the] descendants ofH1121
לֵוִ֔יle.ViLeviH3878
הִנֵּ֥הhi.Nehhere!H2009
נָתַ֛תִּיna.Ta.tiI giveH5414
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥רma.'a.SertitheH4643
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לbe.Yis.ra.'Elin IsraelH3478
לְנַחֲלָ֑הle.na.cha.Lahfor an inheritanceH5159
חֵ֤לֶףChe.lefin return forH2500
עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙'a.vo.da.Tamservice theirH5656
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834
הֵ֣םhemtheyH1992
עֹֽבְדִ֔ים'oe.Dim[are] servingH5647
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֲבֹדַ֖ת'a.vo.Dat[the] service ofH5656
אֹ֥הֶל'O.hel[the] tent ofH168
מוֹעֵֽד\׃mo.'EdmeetingH4150

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

Cross references for Numbers 18:21

  • Nehemiah 12:44

    And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited.

  • Nehemiah 10:37

    And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

  • Numbers 18:6

    And 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.

  • Deuteronomy 14:22-29

    Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the Lord thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the Lord thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose: …

  • Hebrews 7:5

    And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

  • Nehemiah 13:12

    Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine and the oil unto the treasuries.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:12

    And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

  • Nehemiah 10:29

    They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;

  • Genesis 14:20

    And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

  • Deuteronomy 12:17-19

    Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: But thou must eat them before the Lord thy God in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto. Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:5-6

    And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, and laid them by heaps.

  • Numbers 18:24-26

    But 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. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thus 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.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the tenth.
24-26; Le 27:30-32; De 12:17-19; 14:22-29; 2Ch 31:5,6,12
Ne 10:37-29; 12:44; 13:12
even the service.
6; 3:7,8; 1Co 9:13,14; Ga 6:6

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Numbers 18:22

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

Read all of Numbers 18

Numbers 18:21 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y he aquí yo he dado á los hijos de Leví todos los diezmos en Israel por heredad, por su ministerio, por cuanto ellos sirven en el ministerio del tabernáculo del testimonio.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et voici, j’ai donné pour héritage aux fils de Lévi toutes les dîmes en Israël, pour leur service auquel ils s’emploient, le service de la tente d’assignation.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und siehe, den Kindern Levi habe ich allen Zehnten in Israel zum Erbteil gegeben für ihren Dienst, den sie verrichten, den Dienst des Zeltes der Zusammenkunft.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Filiis autem Levi dedi omnes decimas Israëlis in possessionem, pro ministerio, quo serviunt mihi in tabernaculo fœderis: