Numbers 18:21

Geneva Bible (1560)

For beholde, I haue giuen the children of Leui all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their seruice which they serue in the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְלִבְנֵ֣י לֵוִ֔י הִנֵּ֥ה נָתַ֛תִּי כָּל־מֽ͏ַעֲשֵׂ֥ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְנַחֲלָ֑ה חֵ֤לֶף עֲבֹֽדָתָם֙ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣ם עֹֽבְדִ֔ים אֶת־עֲבֹדַ֖ת אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

Transliteration

And to bənê lēwî, behold, I nātattî all maʿăśēr in yiśrāʾēl for naḥălâ, ḥēlep ʿăbōdātām which they ʿōbədîm, ʾet-ʿăbōdat ʾōhel môʿēd.

Grammar Details

• *bənê lēwî*: construct chain - sons of Levi, Levites
• *nātattî*: qal perfect 1st person singular - I have given
• *maʿăśēr*: common noun, masculine singular - tithe, tenth part
• *yiśrāʾēl*: proper name - Israel
• *naḥălâ*: common noun, feminine singular - inheritance, possession
• *ḥēlep*: preposition - in exchange for, instead of
• *ʿăbōdātām*: common noun, feminine singular with 3rd person masculine plural suffix - their service/work
• *ʿōbədîm*: qal participle masculine plural - serving, working
• *ʾet-ʿăbōdat*: direct object marker with common noun, feminine singular construct - service/work of
• *ʾōhel môʿēd*: construct chain - tent of meeting

Word Meanings

• *maʿăśēr*: tithe, tenth part, tenth portion
• *naḥălâ*: inheritance, heritage, possession
• *ḥēlep*: in exchange for, as compensation for, in return for
• *ʿăbōdātām*: their service, their work, their labor
• *ʿōbədîm*: serving, performing, working, laboring
• *ʿăbōdat*: service, work, labor
• *ʾōhel môʿēd*: tent of meeting, tabernacle of congregation

Referenced Verses

• Deut 14:22-29 : 22 Thou shalt giue the tithe of all the increase of thy seede, that commeth foorth of the fielde yeere by yeere. 23 And thou shalt eate before the Lorde thy God (in the place which he shall chose to cause his Name to dwell there) the tithe of thy corne, of thy wine, and of thine oyle, and the first borne of thy kine and of thy sheepe, that thou maiest learne to feare the Lord thy God alway. 24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to cary it, because the place is farre from thee, where the Lord thy God shall chose to set his Name, when the Lorde thy God shall blesse thee, 25 Then shalt thou make it in money, and take the money in thine hand, and goe vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chose. 26 And thou shalt bestowe the money for whatsoeuer thine heart desireth: whether it be oxe, or sheepe, or wine, or strong drinke, or whatsoeuer thine heart desireth: and shalt eate it there before the Lord thy God, and reioyce, both thou, and thine household. 27 And the Leuite that is within thy gates, shalt thou not forsake: for he hath neither part nor inheritance with thee. 28 At the end of three yeere thou shalt bring foorth all the tithes of thine increase of the same yeere, and lay it vp within thy gates. 29 Then ye Leuite shall come, because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee, and the stranger, and the fatherlesse, and the widowe, which are within thy gates, and shall eate, and be filled, that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in al the worke of thine hand which thou doest.
• Neh 10:37 : 37 And that we should bring the first fruite of our dough, and our offrings, and the fruite of euery tree, of wine and of oyle, vnto the Priests, to the chambers of the house of our God: and the tithes of our lande vnto the Leuites, that the Leuites might haue the tithes in all the cities of our trauaile.
• Neh 12:44 : 44 Also at the same time were men appointed ouer the chambers of the store for the offerings (for the first fruites, and for the tithes) to gather into them out of the fieldes of the cities, the portions of the Law for the Priests and the Leuites: for Iudah reioyced for the Priests and for the Leuites, that serued.
• Neh 13:12 : 12 Then brought all Iudah the tithes of corne and of wine, and of oyle vnto the treasures.
• 1 Cor 9:13-14 : 13 Doe ye not knowe, that they which minister about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple? and they which waite at the altar, are partakers with the altar? 14 So also hath the Lorde ordeined, that they which preach ye Gospel, should liue of the Gospel.
• Gal 6:6 : 6 Let him that is taught in the worde, make him that hath taught him, partaker of all his goods.
• Heb 7:5 : 5 For verely they which are the childre of Leui, which receiue the office of the Priesthode, haue a commaundement to take, according to the Law, tithes of the people (that is, of their bethren) though they came out of ye loynes of Abraham.
• 2 Chr 31:5-6 : 5 And when the commaundement was spread, the children of Israel brought abundance of first fruites, of corne, wine, and oyle, and honie, and of all the increase of the fielde, and the tithes of all things brought they abundantly. 6 And the children of Israel and Iudah that dwelt in ye cities of Iudah, they also brought the tithes of bullockes and sheepe, and the holy tithes which were consecrate vnto the Lorde their God, and laide them on many heapes.
• 2 Chr 31:12 : 12 And caryed in the first fruites, and the tithes, and the dedicate things faithfully: and ouer them was Conaniah the Leuite, the chiefe, and Shimei his brother the seconde.
• Neh 10:29 : 29 The chiefe of them receiued it for their brethren, and they came to the curse and to the othe to walke in Gods Law, which was giuen by Moses the seruant of God, to obserue and doe all the commandements of the Lorde our God, and his iudgements and his statutes:
• Gen 14:20 : 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath deliuered thine enemies into thine hand. And Abram gaue him tythe of all.
• Lev 27:30-33 : 30 Also all the tithe of the lande both of the seede of the ground, and of the fruite of the trees is the Lords: it is holy to the Lorde. 31 But if a man will redeeme any of his tithe, he shal adde the fift part thereto. 32 And euery tithe of bullock, and of sheepe, and of all that goeth vnder the rod, the tenth shalbe holy vnto the Lord. 33 He shal not looke if it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: els if he change it, both it, and that it was changed withall, shalbe holy, and it shall not be redeemed.
• Num 3:7-8 : 7 And take the charge with him, euen the charge of the whole Congregation before the Tabernacle of the Congregation to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle. 8 They shall also keepe all the instrumentes of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and haue the charge of the children of Israel to doe the seruice of the Tabernacle.
• Num 18:6 : 6 For lo, I haue taken your brethren the Leuites from among the children of Israel, which as a gift of yours, are giuen vnto the Lord, to do the seruice of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
• Num 18:24-26 : 24 For the tythes of the children of Israel, which they shal offer as an offring vnto the Lord, I haue giuen the Leuites for an inheritance: therfore I haue said vnto them, Among the children of Israel ye shal possesse none inheritance. 25 And the Lord spake vnto Moses, saying, 26 Speake also vnto the Leuites and say vnto them, When ye shal take of the children of Israel the tithes, which I haue giuen you of them for your inheritance, then shal ye take an heaue offring of that same for the Lorde, euen the tenth part of the tithe.
• Deut 12:17-19 : 17 Thou maist nor eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corne, nor of thy wine, nor of thine oyle, nor the first borne of thy kine, nor of thy sheep, neither any of thy vowes which thou vowest, nor thy free offerings, nor the offering of thine hands, 18 But thou shalt eate it before the Lorde thy God, in the place which the Lorde thy God shall chuse, thou, & thy sonne, & thy daughter, & thy seruat, and thy maid, and the Leuite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt reioyce before the Lord thy God, in all that thou puttest thine hand to. 19 Beware, that thou forsake not the Leuite, as long as thou liuest vpon the earth.