Numbers 18:23
in Numbers 18The Levites are to perform the work of the Tent of Meeting, and they must bear their iniquity. This is a permanent statute for the generations to come. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations; and among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
KJV
But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.
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This verse in Numbers 18
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Bear their iniquity - The words probably refer to the iniquity of the people; who would, had they approached the tabernacle have fallen, from their proneness to transgress, into overt acts of offence. Against such a result they were, through the ministrations of the Levites, mercifully protected. Compare Num 18:1.
This site's exposition
I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites
on Numbers 18:20-24
Every portion above rests on this verse. Aaron will hold no land, and God names Himself in its place: I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. Joshua 13:33 records the rule kept at the division.
This site's exposition
they must bear their iniquity
Their iniquity has two readings. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown take it as the Levites' own liability for any neglect of the holy things. Albert Barnes takes it as the people's offence, which the Levites carry by keeping the people back.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Their iniquity - The punishment due not only for their own, but also for the people's miscarriage, if it be committed through their connivance or negligence. And this was the reason why the priests withstood King Uzziah, when he would have burnt incense to the Lord.
But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: they shall bear their iniquity--They were to be responsible for the right discharge of those duties that were assigned to them, and consequently to bear the penalty that was due to negligence or carelessness in the guardianship of the holy things.
The words behind it
19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעָבַ֨ד | veavad | and he will serve | H5647 → | 288 times |
| הַלֵּוִ֜י | halevi | the Levite[s] | H3881 → | 291 times |
| ה֗וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲבֹדַת֙ | ʾavodat | [the] service of | H5656 → | 145 times |
| אֹ֣הֶל | ʾohel | [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵ֔ד | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
| וְהֵ֖ם | vehem | and they | H1992 → | 553 times |
| יִשְׂא֣וּ | yisu | they will bear | H5375 → | 656 times |
| עֲוֹנָ֑ם | ʾavonam | iniquity their | H5771 → | 233 times |
| חֻקַּ֤ת | chukat | a statute of | H2708 → | 104 times |
| עוֹלָם֙ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
| לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם | ledoroteikhem | to generations your | H1755 → | 167 times |
| וּבְתוֹךְ֙ | uvetokh | and in among | H8432 → | 418 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִנְחֲל֖וּ | yinchalu | they will inherit | H5157 → | 59 times |
| נַחֲלָֽה׃ | nachalah | an inheritance | H5159 → | 222 times |
וְעָבַ֨דand he will serve
veavadH5647 →288 times
הַלֵּוִ֜יthe Levite[s]
haleviH3881 →291 times
ה֗וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֲבֹדַת֙[the] service of
ʾavodatH5656 →145 times
אֹ֣הֶל[the] tent of
ʾohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵ֔דmeeting
moedH4150 →223 times
וְהֵ֖םand they
vehemH1992 →553 times
יִשְׂא֣וּthey will bear
yisuH5375 →656 times
עֲוֹנָ֑םiniquity their
ʾavonamH5771 →233 times
חֻקַּ֤תa statute of
chukatH2708 →104 times
עוֹלָם֙perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
לְדֹרֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔םto generations your
ledoroteikhemH1755 →167 times
וּבְתוֹךְ֙and in among
uvetokhH8432 →418 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִנְחֲל֖וּthey will inherit
yinchaluH5157 →59 times
נַחֲלָֽה׃an inheritance
nachalahH5159 →222 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
Numbers 18:20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 44:28
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
- Deuteronomy 10:9
That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.
- Joshua 13:33
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.
- Deuteronomy 18:1–2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance.
- Lamentations 3:24
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
- Ezekiel 44:28
Through
Numbers 18:1So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.
it leads to
- Exodus 28:38
And it will be worn on Aaron’s forehead, so that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall…
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- Exodus 28:38
Through
Numbers 3:7They are to perform duties for him and for the whole congregation before the Tent of Meeting, attending to the service of the tabernacle.
it leads to
- Numbers 1:50
Instead, you are to appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its articles, care for it, and camp…
- Numbers 1:50
Where this verse is studied
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.
