Numbers 18:21

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.

📖 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 You shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes forth from the field year by year. 23 You shall eat before Yahweh your God, in the place which he shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may learn to fear Yahweh your God always. 24 If the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, because the place is too far from you, which Yahweh your God shall choose, to set his name there, when Yahweh your God shall bless you; 25 then shall you turn it into money, and bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your God shall choose: 26 and you shall bestow the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you; and you shall eat there before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household. 27 The Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him; for he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 28 At the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your increase in the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: 29 and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the foreigner living among you, and the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that Yahweh 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 first fruits of our dough, and our heave-offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, the new wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground to the Levites; for they, the Levites, take the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.
• Neh 12:44 : 44 On that day were men appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the heave-offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who waited.
• Neh 13:12 : 12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the grain and the new wine and the oil to the treasuries.
• 1 Cor 9:13-14 : 13 Don't you know that those who serve around sacred things eat from the things of the temple, and those who wait on the altar have their portion with the altar? 14 Even so the Lord ordained that those who proclaim the Gospel should live from the Gospel.
• Gal 6:6 : 6 But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.
• Heb 7:5 : 5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham,
• 2 Chr 31:5-6 : 5 As soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly. 6 The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh their God, and laid them by heaps.
• 2 Chr 31:12 : 12 They brought in the offerings and the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: and over them Conaniah the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was second.
• Neh 10:29 : 29 They joined with their brothers, 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 Yahweh our Lord, and his ordinances and his statutes;
• Gen 14:20 : 20 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram gave him a tenth of all.
• Lev 27:30-33 : 30 "'All the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the trees, is Yahweh's. It is holy to Yahweh. 31 If a man redeems anything of his tithe, he shall add a fifth part to it. 32 All the tithe of the herds or the flocks, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Yahweh. 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 that for which it is changed shall be holy. It shall not be redeemed.'"
• Num 3:7-8 : 7 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 They shall keep all the furnishings of the Tent of Meeting, and the obligations of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
• Num 18:6 : 6 I, behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
• Num 18:24-26 : 24 For the tithe of the children of Israel, which they offer as a heave-offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 25 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 26 Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe 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 of your flock, nor any of your vows which you vow, nor your freewill-offerings, nor the heave-offering of your hand; 18 but you shall eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God shall choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your man-servant, and your maid-servant, and the Levite who is within your gates: and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all that you put your hand to. 19 Take heed to yourself that you don't forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.