Numbers 18:21
in Numbers 18Behold, 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And 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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Numbers 18
Commentary
5 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek: Jacob had promised the tithe of all wherewith God blessed him if he should return in peace to his father’s house. But now first the Lord’s tithes are assigned to the Levites for their support (compare Lev 27:30). The payment of tithes to them is recognized in Neh 10:37; Neh 12:44; Tobit 1:7.
This site's exposition
I am thy part and thine inheritance
on Numbers 18:20-24
Every portion listed above this verse exists because of it. Aaron is told he will hold no ground in the land, and the portion named in its place is God himself, I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. Joshua 13:14 and 13:33 record the rule being kept when the land was actually divided, and Deuteronomy 18:1-2 repeats it to the next generation. Albert Barnes observes that Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek long before this at Genesis 14:20, and that verse 21 is where the tithe is first assigned to the Levites, which Hebrews 7:5 takes up by name.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
): I have given (whose the whole is) all the tenths in Israel, of all the productions of the land, to the children of Levi, to be divided among them in just proportions, for their service which they serve.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלִבְנֵ֣י | velivnei | and to [the] descendants of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| לֵוִ֔י | levi | Levi | H3878 → | 59 times |
| הִנֵּ֥ה | hineh | here! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| נָתַ֛תִּי | natati | I give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥ר | maaser | tithe | H4643 → | 32 times |
| בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | beyisrael | in Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לְנַחֲלָ֑ה | lenachalah | for an inheritance | H5159 → | 222 times |
| חֵ֤לֶף | chelef | in return for | H2500 → | |
| עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙ | ʾavodatam | service their | H5656 → | 145 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הֵ֣ם | hem | they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| עֹֽבְדִ֔ים | ʾoedim | [are] serving | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲבֹדַ֖ת | ʾavodat | [the] service of | H5656 → | 145 times |
| אֹ֥הֶל | ʾohel | [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵֽד׃ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
וְלִבְנֵ֣יand to [the] descendants of
velivneiH1121 →4930 times
לֵוִ֔יLevi
leviH3878 →59 times
הִנֵּ֥הhere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
נָתַ֛תִּיI give
natatiH5414 →2011 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥רtithe
maaserH4643 →32 times
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לin Israel
beyisraelH3478 →2507 times
לְנַחֲלָ֑הfor an inheritance
lenachalahH5159 →222 times
חֵ֤לֶףin return for
chelefH2500 →
עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙service their
ʾavodatamH5656 →145 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
הֵ֣םthey
hemH1992 →553 times
עֹֽבְדִ֔ים[are] serving
ʾoedimH5647 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֲבֹדַ֖ת[the] service of
ʾavodatH5656 →145 times
אֹ֥הֶל[the] tent of
ʾohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵֽד׃meeting
moedH4150 →223 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
Nehemiah 13:12and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
it leads to
- Nehemiah 10:37–39
Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Malachi 3:10
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this,” says the LORD of Hosts. “See if I will not open the windows of…
- Nehemiah 12:44
And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these…
- Nehemiah 10:37–39
Through
Nehemiah 10:37Moreover, we will bring to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God the firstfruits of our dough, of our grain offerings, of the fruit of all our trees, and of…
it leads to
- Leviticus 23:17
Bring two loaves of bread from your dwellings as a wave offering, each made from two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with leaven, as the firstfruits to the LORD.
- Leviticus 23:17
Through
Nehemiah 12:44And on that same day men were appointed over the rooms that housed the supplies, contributions, firstfruits, and tithes. The portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites were gathered into these…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 13:12–13
and all Judah brought a tenth of the grain, new wine, and oil into the storerooms.
- Nehemiah 13:12–13
Through
Numbers 18:6Behold, I Myself have selected your fellow Levites from the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to perform the service for the Tent of Meeting.
it leads to
- Numbers 3:9
Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites.
- Numbers 3:12
“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel in place of every firstborn Israelite from the womb. The Levites belong to Me,
- Numbers 3:45
“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites belong to Me; I am the LORD.
- Numbers 3:9
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); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.