Numbers 18 Footnotes

18:1-7 In the aftermath of the Korah rebellion against the Aaronic priesthood, the sanctity of the holy place was viewed as a grave issue for the community of faith. The Aaronic priests and the three clans of the Levites were granted, through a special gift, the responsibility of protecting the sanctuary from defilement.

18:8-32 The priests and Levites would not be given territorial grants in the promised land like the other tribes but were supported through the people’s tithes and offerings. Even the priests and Levites were required to tithe their gifts to the Lord. This section complements similar allocations described in Lv 8–9 and Nm 3–4; 8; 35.