Numbers 18:19
in Numbers 18All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you and your offspring.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto Jehovah, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, as a portion for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before Jehovah unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Numbers 18
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It is a common phrase among Oriental people, who consider the eating of salt a pledge of fidelity, binding them in a covenant of friendship. Hence the partaking of the altar meats, which were appropriated to the priests on condition of their services and of which salt formed a necessary accompaniment, was naturally called "a covenant of salt" (Le 2:13).
This site's exposition
Every thing that openeth the matrix
on Numbers 18:15-19
The claim on the firstborn made at Exodus 13:2 comes back here as income for the priests, and the five shekels of verse 16 is the price Numbers 3:46-51 set when the Levites were counted against the firstborn of Israel. Clean and unclean are separated in the payment, since a clean firstling is killed with its blood sprinkled and its flesh given to the priest, while a man and an unclean beast are bought back with money. Verse 19 calls the arrangement a covenant of salt, a phrase used of the meat offering at Leviticus 2:13 and of the throne of David at 2 Chronicles 13:5. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown tie it to the eating of salt as a pledge of fidelity in the East, which makes the shared meal the sign of the bond.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And this privilege conferred upon the priests is called a covenant because it is given them conditionally, upon condition of their service, and care about the worship of God.
All the heave offerings of the holy things,....
Thus provision is made that a gospel ministry should continue till Christ comes, by an ordinance for ever. Lo, I am with you (that is their maintenance and support) always, even to the end of the world. Thanks be to the Redeemer, it is the word which he has commanded to a thousand generations.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
It is a covenant of salt - That is, an incorruptible, everlasting covenant. As salt was added to different kinds of viands, not only to give them a relish, but to preserve them from putrefaction and decay, it became the emblem of incorruptibility and permanence. Hence, a covenant of salt signified an everlasting covenant. We have already seen that, among the Asiatics, eating together was deemed a bond of perpetual friendship; and as salt was a common article in all their repasts, it may be in reference to this circumstance that a perpetual covenant is termed a covenant of salt; because the parties ate together of the sacrifice offered on the occasion, and the whole transaction was considered as a league of endless friendship. See the note on Lev 2:13.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
A covenant of salt - Compare the marginal reference. covenants were ordinarily cemented in the East by the rites of hospitality; of which salt was the obvious token, entering as it does into every article of diet. It indicates perpetuity: compare Lev 2:13 note.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כֹּ֣ל׀ | kol | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| תְּרוּמֹ֣ת | terumot | [the] contributions of | H8641 → | 76 times |
| הַקֳּדָשִׁ֗ים | hakodashim | the holy gifts | H6944 → | 469 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יָרִ֥ימוּ | yarimu | they will offer up | H7311 → | 190 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לַֽיהוָה֒ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| נָתַ֣תִּֽי | natati | I give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְךָ֗ | lekha | to you | ||
| וּלְבָנֶ֧יךָ | ulevaneikha | and to sons your | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְלִבְנֹתֶ֛יךָ | velivnoteikha | and to daughters your | H1323 → | 588 times |
| אִתְּךָ֖ | ʾitekha | with you | H854 → | 929 times |
| לְחָק־ | lechok- | to a prescribed portion of | H2706 → | 127 times |
| עוֹלָ֑ם | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| בְּרִית֩ | berit | [is] a covenant of | H1285 → | 284 times |
| מֶ֨לַח | melach | salt of | H4417 → | 27 times |
| עוֹלָ֥ם | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| הִוא֙ | hi' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | to you | ||
| וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֥ | ulezarakha | and to offspring your | H2233 → | 229 times |
| אִתָּֽךְ׃ | ʾitakh | with you | H854 → | 929 times |
כֹּ֣ל׀all
kolH3605 →5413 times
תְּרוּמֹ֣ת[the] contributions of
terumotH8641 →76 times
הַקֳּדָשִׁ֗יםthe holy gifts
hakodashimH6944 →469 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יָרִ֥ימוּthey will offer up
yarimuH7311 →190 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] people of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֮Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לַֽיהוָה֒to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
נָתַ֣תִּֽיI give
natatiH5414 →2011 times
לְךָ֗to you
lekha
וּלְבָנֶ֧יךָand to sons your
ulevaneikhaH1121 →4930 times
וְלִבְנֹתֶ֛יךָand to daughters your
velivnoteikhaH1323 →588 times
אִתְּךָ֖with you
ʾitekhaH854 →929 times
לְחָק־to a prescribed portion of
lechok-H2706 →127 times
עוֹלָ֑םperpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
בְּרִית֩[is] a covenant of
beritH1285 →284 times
מֶ֨לַחsalt of
melachH4417 →27 times
עוֹלָ֥םperpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
הִוא֙it
hi'H1931 →1879 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לְךָ֖to you
lekha
וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֥and to offspring your
ulezarakhaH2233 →229 times
אִתָּֽךְ׃with you
ʾitakhH854 →929 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Leviticus 2:13And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to…
it leads to
- Mark 9:49–50
For everyone will be salted with fire.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezekiel 43:24
You must present them before the LORD; the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the LORD.
- Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and…
- Colossians 4:6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
- 2 Chronicles 13:5
Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
- Mark 9:49–50
Through
2 Chronicles 13:5Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
it leads to
- Leviticus 2:13
And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to…
- 2 Samuel 7:12–16
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
- Leviticus 2:13
Through
Numbers 31:41Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as an offering for the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
it leads to
- Numbers 18:8
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Numbers 18:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.