Numbers 18 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Responsibilities of the Levites

1 So Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Aaron ^H175, “You and your sons ^H1121 and your father’s ^H1 household ^H1004 with you shall bear ^H5375 the guilt ^H5771 [fn]in connection with the sanctuary ^H4720, and you and your sons ^H1121 with you shall bear ^H5375 the guilt ^H5771 [fn]in connection with your priesthood ^H3550.

2 But bring ^H7126 near ^H7126 with you also ^H1571 your brothers ^H251, the tribe ^H4294 of Levi ^H3878, the tribe ^H7626 of your father ^H1, that they may be joined ^H3867 with you and minister ^H8334 to you, while you and your sons ^H1121 with you are before ^H6440 the tent ^H168 of the testimony ^H5715. 3 And they shall thus keep ^H8104 your responsibility ^H4931 and the responsibility ^H4931 of all ^H3605 the tent ^H168, but they shall not come ^H7126 near ^H7126 to the furnishings ^H3627 of the sanctuary ^H6944 and the altar ^H4196, so that neither ^H1571 H3808 they nor ^H1571 H3808 you will die ^H4191. 4 And they shall be joined ^H3867 with you and keep ^H8104 the responsibility ^H4931 of the tent ^H168 of meeting ^H4150, for all ^H3605 the service ^H5656 of the tent ^H168; but [fn]an outsider ^H2114 may not come ^H7126 near ^H7126 you. 5 So you shall keep ^H8104 the responsibility ^H4931 of the sanctuary ^H6944 and the responsibility ^H4931 of the altar ^H4196, so that there will no ^H3808 longer ^H5750 be wrath ^H7110 on the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478. 6 And behold ^H2009, I Myself ^H589 have taken ^H3947 your brothers ^H251 the Levites ^H3881 from among ^H8432 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478; they are a gift ^H4979 to you, given ^H5414 to Yahweh ^H3068, to perform ^H5647 the service ^H5656 for the tent ^H168 of meeting ^H4150. 7 But you and your sons ^H1121 with you shall keep ^H8104 your priesthood ^H3550 in everything ^H3605 that concerns ^H1697 the altar ^H4196 and inside ^H4480 H1004 the veil ^H6532, and you are to perform ^H5647 service ^H5656. I am giving ^H5414 you the priesthood ^H3550 as a [fn]bestowed ^H4979 service ^H5656, but the [fn]outsider ^H2114 who comes ^H7131 near ^H7131 shall be put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191.”

The Priests’ Portion

8 Then Yahweh ^H3068 spoke ^H1696 to Aaron ^H175, “Now behold ^H2009, I Myself ^H589 have given ^H5414 you the responsibility ^H4931 of My [fn]contributions ^H8641, even all ^H3605 the holy ^H6944 gifts of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 I have given ^H5414 them to you as a portion ^H4888 and to your sons ^H1121 as a perpetual ^H5769 statute ^H2706.

9 This ^H2088 shall be yours from the most ^H6944 holy ^H6944 gifts reserved from the fire ^H784; every ^H3605 offering ^H7133 of theirs, even every ^H3605 grain offering ^H4503 and every ^H3605 sin ^H2403 offering ^H2403 and every ^H3605 guilt ^H817 offering ^H817, which ^H834 they shall render ^H7725 to Me, shall be most ^H6944 holy ^H6944 for you and for your sons ^H1121. 10 As the most ^H6944 holy ^H6944 gifts you shall eat ^H398 it; every ^H3605 male ^H2145 shall eat ^H398 it. It shall be holy ^H6944 to you. 11 This ^H2088 also is yours, the contribution ^H8641 from their gift ^H4976, even all ^H3605 the wave ^H8573 offerings ^H8573 of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478; I have given ^H5414 them to you and to your sons ^H1121 and daughters ^H1323 with you as a perpetual ^H5769 statute ^H2706. Everyone ^H3605 of your household ^H1004 who is clean ^H2889 may eat ^H398 it. 12 All ^H3605 the [fn]best ^H2459 of the fresh ^H3323 oil ^H3323 and all ^H3605 the [fn]best ^H2459 of the fresh ^H8492 wine ^H8492 and of the grain ^H1715, the first ^H7225 fruits ^H7225 of those which ^H834 they give ^H5414 to Yahweh ^H3068, I give ^H5414 them to you. 13 The first ^H1061 ripe ^H1061 fruits ^H1061 of all ^H3605 that is in their land ^H776, which ^H834 they bring ^H935 to Yahweh ^H3068, shall be yours; everyone ^H3605 of your household ^H1004 who is clean ^H2889 may eat ^H398 it. 14 Every ^H3605 devoted ^H2764 thing ^H2764 in Israel ^H3478 shall be yours. 15 [fn]Every ^H3605 first ^H6363 issue ^H6363 of the womb ^H7358 of all ^H3605 flesh ^H1320, whether man ^H120 or animal ^H929, which ^H834 they bring ^H7126 near ^H7126 to Yahweh ^H3068, shall be yours; nevertheless ^H389 the firstborn ^H1060 of man ^H120 you shall surely ^H6299 redeem ^H6299, and the firstborn ^H1060 of unclean ^H2931 animals ^H929 you shall redeem ^H6299. 16 Now as to their redemption ^H6302 price ^H6302, from a month ^H2320 old ^H1121 you shall redeem ^H6299 them, by your valuation ^H6187, five ^H2568 [fn]shekels ^H8255 in silver ^H3701, according to the [fn]shekel ^H8255 of the sanctuary ^H6944, which ^H1931 is twenty ^H6242 gerahs ^H1626. 17 But the firstborn ^H1060 of an ox ^H7794 or ^H176 the firstborn ^H1060 of a sheep ^H3775 or ^H176 the firstborn ^H1060 of a goat ^H5795, you shall not redeem ^H6299; they are holy ^H6944. You shall splash ^H2236 their blood ^H1818 on the altar ^H4196 and shall offer ^H6999 up ^H6999 their fat ^H2459 in ^H6999 smoke ^H6999 as an offering ^H801 by ^H801 fire ^H801, for a soothing ^H5207 aroma ^H7381 to Yahweh ^H3068. 18 And their [fn]meat ^H1320 shall be yours; it shall be yours like the breast ^H2373 of a wave ^H8573 offering ^H8573 and like the right ^H3225 thigh ^H7785. 19 All ^H3605 the contributions ^H8641 of the holy ^H6944 gifts, which ^H834 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 raise ^H7311 up ^H7311 to Yahweh ^H3068, I have given ^H5414 to you and your sons ^H1121 and your daughters ^H1323 with you, as a perpetual ^H5769 statute ^H2706. It is an everlasting ^H5769 covenant ^H1285 of salt ^H4417 before ^H6440 Yahweh ^H3068 to you and your seed ^H2233 with you.” 20 Then Yahweh ^H3068 said ^H559 to Aaron ^H175, “You shall have no ^H3808 inheritance ^H5157 in their land ^H776 nor ^H3808 own ^H1961 any portion ^H2506 among ^H8432 them; I am your portion ^H2506 and your inheritance ^H5159 among ^H8432 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478.

21 “Now to the sons ^H1121 of Levi ^H3878, behold ^H2009, I have given ^H5414 all ^H3605 the tithe ^H4643 in Israel ^H3478 for an inheritance ^H5159, in ^H2500 return ^H2500 for ^H2500 their service ^H5656 which ^H834 they perform ^H5647, the service ^H5656 of the tent ^H168 of meeting ^H4150. 22 And the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 shall not come ^H7126 near ^H7126 the tent ^H168 of meeting ^H4150 again ^H5750, or they will bear ^H5375 sin ^H2399 and die ^H4191. 23 Only the Levites ^H3881 shall perform ^H5647 the service ^H5656 of the tent ^H168 of meeting ^H4150, and they shall bear ^H5375 their iniquity ^H5771; it shall be a perpetual ^H5769 statute ^H2708 throughout your generations ^H1755, and among ^H8432 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 they shall have ^H5157 no ^H3808 inheritance ^H5159. 24 For the tithe ^H4643 of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478, which ^H834 they raise ^H7311 up ^H7311 as a contribution ^H8641 offering ^H8641 to Yahweh ^H3068, I have given ^H5414 to the Levites ^H3881 for an inheritance ^H5159; therefore ^H5921 H3651 I have said ^H559 concerning them, ‘They shall have ^H5157 no ^H3808 inheritance ^H5159 among ^H8432 the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478.’”

25 Then Yahweh ^H3068 spoke ^H1696 to Moses ^H4872, saying ^H559, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak ^H1696 to the Levites ^H3881 and say ^H559 to them, ‘When ^H3588 you take ^H3947 from the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 the tithe ^H4643 which ^H834 I have given ^H5414 you from them for your inheritance ^H5159, then you shall raise ^H7311 up ^H7311 a contribution ^H8641 offering ^H8641 from it to Yahweh ^H3068, a tithe ^H4643 of the tithe ^H4643. 27 And your contribution ^H8641 offering ^H8641 shall be reckoned ^H2803 to you as the grain ^H1715 from the threshing ^H1637 floor ^H1637 or the full ^H4395 produce ^H4395 from the wine ^H3342 vat ^H3342. 28 So ^H3651 you shall also ^H1571 raise ^H7311 up ^H7311 a contribution ^H8641 offering ^H8641 to Yahweh ^H3068 from all your tithes ^H4643, which ^H834 you receive ^H3947 from the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478; and from it you shall give ^H5414 the contribution ^H8641 offering ^H8641 of Yahweh ^H3068 to Aaron ^H175 the priest ^H3548. 29 Out of all ^H3605 your gifts ^H4979 you shall raise ^H7311 up ^H7311 every ^H3605 contribution ^H8641 offering ^H8641 due to Yahweh ^H3068, from all ^H3605 the [fn]best ^H2459 of them, [fn]the sacred ^H4720 part ^H4720 from them.’ 30 And you shall say ^H559 to them, ‘When you have raised ^H7311 up ^H7311 from it the best ^H2459 of it, then the rest shall be accounted ^H2803 to the Levites ^H3881 as the product ^H8393 of the threshing ^H1637 floor ^H1637 and as the product ^H8393 of the wine ^H3342 vat ^H3342. 31 And you may eat ^H398 it anywhere ^H3605 H4725, you and your households ^H1004, for it is your compensation ^H7939 in ^H2500 return ^H2500 for ^H2500 your service ^H5656 in the tent ^H168 of meeting ^H4150. 32 And you will bear ^H5375 no ^H3808 sin ^H2399 by ^H5921 reason ^H5921 of ^H5921 it when you have raised ^H7311 up ^H7311 the [fn]best ^H2459 of it. But you shall not profane ^H2490 the sacred ^H6944 gifts ^H6944 of the sons ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478, so that you will not ^H3808 die ^H4191.’”