Numbers 18

1 dixitque Dominus ad Aaron tu et filii tui et domus patris tui tecum portabitis iniquitatem sanctuarii et tu et filii tui simul sustinebitis peccata sacerdotii vestri

2 sed et fratres tuos de tribu Levi et sceptro patris tui sume tecum praestoque sint et ministrent tibi tu autem et filii tui ministrabitis in tabernaculo testimonii

3 excubabuntque Levitae ad praecepta tua et ad cuncta opera tabernaculi ita dumtaxat ut ad vasa sanctuarii et altare non accedant ne et illi moriantur et vos pereatis simul

4 sint autem tecum et excubent in custodiis tabernaculi et in omnibus caerimoniis eius alienigena non miscebitur vobis

5 excubate in custodia sanctuarii et in ministerio altaris ne oriatur indignatio super filios Israhel

6 ego dedi vobis fratres vestros Levitas de medio filiorum Israhel et tradidi donum Domino ut serviant in ministeriis tabernaculi eius

7 tu autem et filii tui custodite sacerdotium vestrum et omnia quae ad cultum altaris pertinent et intra velum sunt per sacerdotes administrabuntur si quis externus accesserit occidetur

8 locutus est Dominus ad Aaron ecce dedi tibi custodiam primitiarum mearum omnia quae sanctificantur a filiis Israhel tibi tradidi et filiis tuis pro officio sacerdotali legitima sempiterna

9 haec ergo accipies de his quae sanctificantur et oblata sunt Domino omnis oblatio et sacrificium et quicquid pro peccato atque delicto redditur mihi et cedet in sancta sanctorum tuum erit et filiorum tuorum

10 in sanctuario comedes illud mares tantum edent ex eo quia consecratum est tibi

11 primitias autem quas voverint et obtulerint filii Israhel tibi dedi et filiis ac filiabus tuis iure perpetuo qui mundus est in domo tua vescetur eis

12 omnem medullam olei et vini ac frumenti quicquid offerunt primitiarum Domino tibi dedi

13 universa frugum initia quas gignit humus et Domino deportantur cedent in usus tuos qui mundus est in domo tua vescetur eis

14 omne quod ex voto reddiderint filii Israhel tuum erit

15 quicquid primum erumpet e vulva cunctae carnis quam offerunt Domino sive ex hominibus sive de pecoribus fuerit tui iuris erit ita dumtaxat ut pro hominis primogenito pretium accipias et omne animal quod inmundum est redimi facias

16 cuius redemptio erit post unum mensem siclis argenti quinque pondere sanctuarii siclus viginti obolos habet

17 primogenitum autem bovis et ovis et caprae non facies redimi quia sanctificata sunt Domino sanguinem tantum eorum fundes super altare et adipes adolebis in suavissimum odorem Domino

18 carnes vero in usum tuum cedent sicut pectusculum consecratum et armus dexter tua erunt

19 omnes primitias sanctuarii quas offerunt filii Israhel Domino tibi dedi et filiis ac filiabus tuis iure perpetuo pactum salis est sempiternum coram Domino tibi ac filiis tuis

20 dixitque Dominus ad Aaron in terra eorum nihil possidebitis nec habebitis partem inter eos ego pars et hereditas tua in medio filiorum Israhel

21 filiis autem Levi dedi omnes decimas Israhelis in possessionem pro ministerio quo serviunt mihi in tabernaculo foederis

22 ut non accedant ultra filii Israhel ad tabernaculum nec committant peccatum mortiferum

23 solis filiis Levi mihi in tabernaculo servientibus et portantibus peccata populi legitimum sempiternum erit in generationibus vestris nihil aliud possidebunt

24 decimarum oblatione contenti quas in usus eorum et necessaria separavi

25 locutusque est Dominus ad Mosen dicens

26 praecipe Levitis atque denuntia cum acceperitis a filiis Israhel decimas quas dedi vobis primitias earum offerte Domino id est decimam partem decimae

27 ut reputetur vobis in oblationem primitivorum tam de areis quam de torcularibus

28 et universis quorum accipitis primitias offerte Domino et date Aaron sacerdoti

29 omnia quae offertis ex decimis et in donaria Domini separatis optima et electa erunt

30 dicesque ad eos si praeclara et meliora quaeque obtuleritis ex decimis reputabitur vobis quasi de area et torculari dederitis primitias

31 et comedetis eas in omnibus locis vestris tam vos quam familiae vestrae quia pretium est pro ministerio quo servitis in tabernaculo testimonii

32 et non peccabitis super hoc egregia vobis et pinguia reservantes ne polluatis oblationes filiorum Israhel et moriamini

Numbers 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

The charge of the priests and Levites. (1-7) The priests' portion. (8-19) The Levites' portion. (20-32)

Verses 1-7 The people complained of their difficulty and peril in drawing near to God. God here gives them to understand, that the priests should come near for them. Aaron would see reason not to be proud of his preferment, when he considered the great care and charge upon him. Be not high-minded, but fear. The greater the trust of work and power that is committed to us, the greater danger there is of betraying that trust. This is a good reason why we should neither envy others' honours, nor desire high places.

Verses 8-19 All believers are spiritual priests, and God has promised to take care of them. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is. And from the provision here made for the priests, the apostle shows that it is the duty of christian churches to maintain their ministers. Scandalous maintenance makes scandalous ministers. The priests were to be wholly devoted to their ministry, not diverted from it, or disturbed in it, by worldly care or business. Also, that they might be examples of living by faith, not only in God's providence, but in his ordinances. The best should be offered for the first-fruits unto the Lord. Those who think to save, by putting God off with the refuse, deceive themselves, for God is not mocked.

Verses 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; ( 2 Thessalonians. 3:10 ) 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 18

This chapter gives an account of the distinct work and service of the priests and Levites, Nu 18:1-7; and of several things given to the priests for their maintenance, Nu 18:8-19; and of the tithes the Levites should have to live upon, since they were to have no inheritance in the land of Israel, Nu 18:20-24; and of the tenth out of those tithes they were to give to the high priest, Nu 18:25-32.