Numbers 18:23

23 To the sons alone of Levi, serving me in the tabernacle, and bearing the people's sins, it shall be a lawful thing everlasting in your generations. (This is only for the sons of Levi, who serve me in the Tabernacle, and who bear the people's sins; and this shall be an everlasting law in all your generations.)

Numbers 18:23 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 18:23

But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation
In guarding the tabernacle, that no unclean persons enter into it, or any others take anything out of it, and in assisting the priests in their service, and carrying the vessels of the sanctuary when required:

and they shall bear their iniquity:
that is, when they fail in the duty of their office, are not careful in their service and work, and business appointed them; if either they did not do their business themselves, or suffered others to do it, or such to come to the tabernacle who should not, they would be blameworthy and suffer for it:

[it shall be] a statute for ever throughout your generations, that the
children of Israel they have no inheritance;
having such a plentiful provision made for them, by a statute as durable as this.

Numbers 18:23 In-Context

21 Soothly, I gave to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel into possession, for the service by which they serve me in the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace; (Truly, I have given to the sons of Levi all of the tithes of Israel for a possession, for the service which they do in the Tabernacle of the Covenant, that is, the Tabernacle of the Witnessing;)
22 that the sons of Israel nigh no more to the tabernacle of [the] bond of peace, neither do deadly sin. (so that the Israelites no longer come near to the Tabernacle of the Covenant, and so do sin, and then must die.)
23 To the sons alone of Levi, serving me in the tabernacle, and bearing the people's sins, it shall be a lawful thing everlasting in your generations. (This is only for the sons of Levi, who serve me in the Tabernacle, and who bear the people's sins; and this shall be an everlasting law in all your generations.)
24 They shall wield none other thing, and they shall be satisfied with the offering of tithes, which I separated into [the] uses and necessaries of them. (They shall possess nothing else, and they shall be satisfied with the offering of the tithes which I set apart for their uses and their necessities.)
25 And the Lord spake to Moses and said,
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.