Numbers 18:21

KJV1611 – Modern English

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.

📖 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

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  To the Levites, I have given every tithe in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And unto the children{H1121} of Levi,{H3878} behold, I have given{H5414} all the tithe in Israel{H3478} for{H2500} an inheritance,{H5159} in return for{H2500} their service{H5656} which they serve,{H5647} even the service{H5656} of the tent{H168} of meeting.{H4150}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And, behold, I have given{H5414}{(H8804)} the children{H1121} of Levi{H3878} all the tenth{H4643} in Israel{H3478} for an inheritance{H5159}, for{H2500} their service{H5656} which they serve{H5647}{(H8802)}, even the service{H5656} of the tabernacle{H168} of the congregation{H4150}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And beholde I haue geuen the childern of Leui the tenth in Israel to enherite for the seruyce whiche they serue in the tabernacle of witnesse

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Vnto the children of Leui haue I geuen all the tithes in Israel to inheritaunce, for ye seruyce which they do vnto me in the Tabernacle of witnesse,

• 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.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Beholde, I haue geuen the children of Leui all the tenth in Israel to inherite, for the seruice which they serue in the tabernacle of the congregation.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  To 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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and to the sons of Levi, lo, I have given all the tenth in Israel for inheritance in exchange for their service which they are serving -- the service of the tent of meeting.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And to the children of Levi I have given as their heritage all the tenths offered in Israel, as payment for the work they do, the work of the Tent of meeting.

• World English Bible (2000)

  "To 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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  See, I have given the Levites all the tithes in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they perform– the service of the tent of meeting.

Referenced Verses

• Deut 14:22-29 : 22 You shall truly tithe all the increase of your seed, that the field brings forth year by year. 23 And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place which He shall choose to place His name there, the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks; that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. 24 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it; or if the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God shall choose to set His name there, when the LORD your God has blessed you: 25 Then you shall turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which the LORD your God shall choose. 26 And you shall spend the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul desires: and you shall eat there before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household, 27 And the Levite that is within your gates; you shall not forsake him; for he has no part nor inheritance with you. 28 At the end of three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: 29 And the Levite, (because he has no part nor inheritance with you,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
• Neh 10:37 : 37 And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all kinds of trees, of wine and of oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
• Neh 12:44 : 44 At that time some were appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions required by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who ministered.
• Neh 13:12 : 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, the new wine, and the oil to the storehouses.
• 1 Cor 9:13-14 : 13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
• Gal 6:6 : 6 Let him who is taught in the word share with him who teaches in all good things.
• Heb 7:5 : 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, though they come from the loins of Abraham:
• 2 Chr 31:5-6 : 5 And as soon as the commandment was spread abroad, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things they brought in abundantly. 6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah who dwelt in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and laid them in heaps.
• 2 Chr 31:12 : 12 And brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully; over which Cononiah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.
• Neh 10:29 : 29 They joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and His judgments and His statutes;
• Gen 14:20 : 20 And blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. And he gave him tithes of all."
• Lev 27:30-33 : 30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD'S: it is holy to the LORD. 31 And if a man will at all redeem anything of his tithes, he shall add to it the fifth part thereof. 32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to the LORD. 33 He shall not search whether it is good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he changes it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
• Num 3:7-8 : 7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle. 8 And they shall keep all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and the charge of the children of Israel, to perform the service of the tabernacle.
• Num 18:6 : 6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel; to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
• Num 18:24-26 : 24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 26 Thus speak to the Levites, and say to them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
• Deut 12:17-19 : 17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your voluntary offerings, or heave offering of your hand: 18 But you must eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, your male servant, your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all that you put your hands to. 19 Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live on the earth.