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Duties of Priests and Levites

18 The Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary,(A) and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood. Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister(B) before the tent of the covenant law. They are to be responsible to you(C) and are to perform all the duties of the tent,(D) but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar. Otherwise both they and you will die.(E) They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the tent of meeting—all the work at the tent—and no one else may come near where you are.(F)

“You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar,(G) so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you,(H) dedicated to the Lord to do the work at the tent of meeting.(I) But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain.(J) I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift.(K) Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.(L)

Offerings for Priests and Levites

Then the Lord said to Aaron, “I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion,(M) your perpetual share.(N) You are to have the part of the most holy offerings(O) that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain(P) or sin[a](Q) or guilt offerings,(R) that part belongs to you and your sons. 10 Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it.(S) You must regard it as holy.(T)

11 “This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings(U) of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share.(V) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean(W) may eat it.

12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain(X) they give the Lord(Y) as the firstfruits of their harvest.(Z) 13 All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours.(AA) Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.(AB)

14 “Everything in Israel that is devoted[b] to the Lord(AC) is yours. 15 The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours.(AD) But you must redeem(AE) every firstborn(AF) son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.(AG) 16 When they are a month old,(AH) you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels[c](AI) of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel,(AJ) which weighs twenty gerahs.(AK)

17 “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy.(AL) Splash their blood(AM) against the altar and burn their fat(AN) as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(AO) 18 Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering(AP) and the right thigh are yours.(AQ) 19 Whatever is set aside from the holy(AR) offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt(AS) before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

20 The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them;(AT) I am your share and your inheritance(AU) among the Israelites.

21 “I give to the Levites all the tithes(AV) in Israel as their inheritance(AW) in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.(AX) 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.(AY) 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinance(AZ) for the generations to come.(BA) They will receive no inheritance(BB) among the Israelites.(BC) 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord.(BD) That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you(BE) as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.(BF) 27 Your offering will be reckoned(BG) to you as grain from the threshing floor(BH) or juice from the winepress.(BI) 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes(BJ) you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’

30 “Say to the Levites: ‘When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress.(BK) 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the tent of meeting.(BL) 32 By presenting the best part(BM) of it you will not be guilty in this matter;(BN) then you will not defile the holy offerings(BO) of the Israelites, and you will not die.’”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 18:9 Or purification
  2. Numbers 18:14 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord.
  3. Numbers 18:16 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams

Duties of Priests and Levites

18 So the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father's house with you shall (A)bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, (B)and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood. And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may (C)join you and (D)minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. They shall keep guard over you and (E)over the whole tent, (F)but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar (G)lest they, and you, die. They shall join you and keep guard over the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, (H)and no outsider shall come near you. And you shall (I)keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, (J)that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel. (K)And behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. (L)They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting. And (M)you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and (N)that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift,[a] and (O)any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, “Behold, (P)I have given you charge of the contributions made to me, all the consecrated things of the people of Israel. I have given them to you (Q)as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual due. This shall be yours of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, every grain offering of theirs and every (R)sin offering of theirs and every (S)guilt offering of theirs, which they render to me, shall be most holy to you and to your sons. 10 In a most holy place shall you eat it. Every male may eat it; it is holy to you. 11 This also is yours: the contribution of their gift, all the (T)wave offerings of the people of Israel. I have given them to (U)you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. (V)Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it. 12 (W)All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, (X)the firstfruits of what they give to the Lord, I give to you. 13 The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, (Y)which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours. (Z)Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it. 14 (AA)Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. 15 (AB)Everything that opens the womb of all flesh, whether man or beast, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours. Nevertheless, (AC)the firstborn of man you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 And their redemption price (AD)(at a month old you shall redeem them) you shall fix at five shekels[b] in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, (AE)which is twenty gerahs. 17 (AF)But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall burn their fat as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the Lord. 18 But their flesh shall be yours, as (AG)the breast that is waved and as the right thigh are yours. 19 (AH)All the holy contributions that the people of Israel present to the Lord I give to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. (AI)It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord for you and for your offspring with you.” 20 And the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. (AJ)I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.

21 (AK)“To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, 22 (AL)so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, (AM)lest they bear sin and die. 23 But (AN)the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, (AO)and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the people of Israel, which (AP)they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance (AQ)among the people of Israel.”

25 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, ‘When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, (AR)a tithe of the tithe. 27 (AS)And your contribution shall be counted to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the winepress. 28 So you shall also present a contribution to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the people of Israel. And from it you shall give the Lord's contribution to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all the gifts to you, you shall present every contribution due to the Lord; from each its best part is to be dedicated.’ 30 Therefore you shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, (AT)then the rest shall be counted to the Levites as produce of the threshing floor, and as produce of the winepress. 31 And you may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is (AU)your reward in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 And you shall (AV)bear no sin by reason of it, when you have contributed the best of it. But you shall not (AW)profane the holy things of the people of Israel, lest you die.’”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 18:7 Hebrew service of gift
  2. Numbers 18:16 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams

Duties of Levites

18 So the Lord said to Aaron, “You, your sons, and your father’s household with you shall (A)bear the guilt [a]in connection with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the guilt [b]in connection with your priesthood. But also bring your brothers with you, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, so that they may (B)join you and serve you, while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. And they shall perform duties for you and the duties of the whole tent, but (C)they shall not come near the furnishings of the sanctuary and (D)the altar, or both they and you will die. They shall join you and perform the duties of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; but [c]an unauthorized person shall not come near you. So you shall perform the (E)duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, (F)so that there will no longer be wrath on the sons of Israel. Behold, I Myself (G)have taken your [d]fellow Levites from among the sons of Israel; they are (H)a gift to you, [e]dedicated to the Lord, to perform the service for the tent of meeting. But you and your sons with you shall (I)attend to your priesthood for everything that concerns the altar and inside the veil, and you are to perform service. I am giving you the priesthood as (J)a [f]service that is a gift, and (K)the [g]unauthorized person who comes near shall be put to death.”

The Priests’ Portion

Then the Lord spoke to Aaron, “Now behold, I Myself have put you in charge of My [h](L)offerings, all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel I have given to you as a portion and to your sons as a permanent allotment. This shall be yours from the most holy gifts reserved from the fire; every offering of theirs, namely (M)every grain offering, every (N)sin offering, and every guilt offering, with which they shall make restitution to Me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons. 10 As the most holy gifts you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you. 11 This also is yours, (O)the offering of their gift, that is, all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel; I have (P)given them to you and to your sons and daughters with you as a permanent allotment. Everyone of your household who is clean may eat it. 12 (Q)All the [i]best of the fresh oil and all the [j]best of the fresh wine and of the grain, the first fruits of what they give to the Lord, I have given them to you. 13 (R)The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the Lord, shall be yours; everyone of your household who is clean may eat it. 14 (S)Everything banned from secular use in Israel shall be yours. 15 [k](T)Every firstborn of the womb of all flesh, whether human or animal, which they offer to the Lord, shall be yours; however you must redeem the human firstborn, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16 As to [l]their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your assessment, five [m]shekels in silver by the [n]shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 17 But (U)the firstborn of an ox, the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. (V)You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and offer up their fat in smoke as an offering by fire, for a soothing aroma to the Lord. 18 However, their [o]meat shall be yours; it shall be yours like the (W)breast of a wave offering and like the right thigh. 19 (X)All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a permanent allotment. It is (Y)a permanent covenant of salt before the Lord to you and your [p]descendants with you.” 20 Then the Lord said to Aaron, “(Z)You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; (AA)I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

21 “To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the (AB)tithe in Israel as an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting. 22 And (AC)the sons of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting again, or they will bring sin on themselves and die. 23 Only the Levites shall perform the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall (AD)bear their own guilt; it shall be a permanent statute throughout your generations, and among the sons of Israel (AE)they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said concerning them, ‘(AF)They shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.’”

25 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 26 “Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel (AG)the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the Lord, a (AH)tithe of the tithe. 27 Your offering shall be credited to you like the grain from the threshing floor or the full produce from the wine vat. 28 So you shall also present an offering to the Lord from all your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the Lords offering to Aaron the priest. 29 Out of all your gifts you shall present every offering due to the Lord, from all the [q]best of them, [r]the sacred part from them.’ 30 And you shall say to them, ‘When you have [s]offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be credited to the Levites like the product of the threshing floor, and like the product of the wine vat. 31 You may eat it anywhere, you and your households, for it is your compensation in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32 And you will bring on yourselves no sin by reason of it when you have [t]offered the [u]best of it. But you shall not (AI)profane the sacred gifts of the sons of Israel, so that you do not die.’”

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 18:1 Lit of the sanctuary
  2. Numbers 18:1 Lit of your priesthood
  3. Numbers 18:4 Lit a stranger
  4. Numbers 18:6 Lit brothers the
  5. Numbers 18:6 Lit given
  6. Numbers 18:7 Lit service of a gift
  7. Numbers 18:7 Lit stranger
  8. Numbers 18:8 Or uplifted offerings, and so throughout the ch
  9. Numbers 18:12 Lit fat
  10. Numbers 18:12 Lit fat
  11. Numbers 18:15 Lit Everything that opens
  12. Numbers 18:16 Lit his being redeemed
  13. Numbers 18:16 A shekel is about 0.5 oz. or 14 gm
  14. Numbers 18:16 A shekel is about 0.5 oz. or 14 gm
  15. Numbers 18:18 Lit flesh
  16. Numbers 18:19 Lit seed
  17. Numbers 18:29 Lit fat
  18. Numbers 18:29 Lit its
  19. Numbers 18:30 Lit lifted
  20. Numbers 18:32 Lit lifted
  21. Numbers 18:32 Lit fat

祭司与利未人之职

18 耶和华对亚伦说:“你和你的儿子并你本族的人,要一同担当干犯圣所的罪孽,你和你的儿子也要一同担当干犯祭司职任的罪孽。 你要带你弟兄利未人,就是你祖宗支派的人前来,使他们与你联合,服侍你,只是你和你的儿子,要一同在法柜的帐幕前供职。 他们要守所吩咐你的,并守全帐幕,只是不可挨近圣所的器具和坛,免得他们和你们都死亡。 他们要与你联合,也要看守会幕,办理帐幕一切的事,只是外人不可挨近你们。 你们要看守圣所和坛,免得愤怒再临到以色列人。 我已将你们的弟兄利未人,从以色列人中拣选出来归耶和华,是给你们为赏赐的,为要办理会幕的事。 你和你的儿子要为一切属坛和幔子内的事一同守祭司的职任。你们要这样供职。我将祭司的职任给你们当做赏赐侍奉我。凡挨近的外人必被治死。”

祭司当得之物

耶和华晓谕亚伦说:“我已将归我的举祭,就是以色列人一切分别为圣的物,交给你经管。因你受过膏,把这些都赐给你和你的子孙,当做永得的份。 以色列人归给我至圣的供物,就是一切的素祭、赎罪祭、赎愆祭,其中所有存留不经火的,都为至圣之物,要归给你和你的子孙。 10 你要拿这些当至圣物吃,凡男丁都可以吃。你当以此物为圣。 11 以色列人所献的举祭并摇祭都是你的,我已赐给你和你的儿女,当做永得的份。凡在你家中的洁净人都可以吃。 12 凡油中、新酒中、五谷中至好的,就是以色列人所献给耶和华初熟之物,我都赐给你。 13 凡从他们地上所带来给耶和华初熟之物,也都要归于你。你家中的洁净人都可以吃。 14 以色列中一切永献的都必归于你。 15 他们所有奉给耶和华的,连人带牲畜,凡头生的,都要归给你。只是人头生的,总要赎出来,不洁净牲畜头生的也要赎出来。 16 其中在一月之外所当赎的,要照你所估定的价,按圣所的平,用银子五舍客勒赎出来(一舍客勒是二十季拉)。 17 只是头生的牛,或是头生的绵羊和山羊,必不可赎,都是圣的,要把它的血洒在坛上,把它的脂油焚烧,当做馨香的火祭献给耶和华。 18 它的肉必归你,像被摇的胸、被举的右腿归你一样。 19 以色列人所献给耶和华圣物中的举祭,我都赐给你和你的儿女,当做永得的份。这是给你和你的后裔,在耶和华面前作为永远的盐[a]约。” 20 耶和华对亚伦说:“你在以色列人的境内不可有产业,在他们中间也不可有份。我就是你的份,是你的产业。

十取其一归利未人

21 “凡以色列中出产的十分之一,我已赐给利未的子孙为业。因他们所办的是会幕的事,所以赐给他们为酬他们的劳。 22 从今以后,以色列人不可挨近会幕,免得他们担罪而死。 23 唯独利未人要办会幕的事,担当罪孽,这要做你们世世代代永远的定例。他们在以色列人中不可有产业。 24 因为以色列人中出产的十分之一,就是献给耶和华为举祭的,我已赐给利未人为业,所以我对他们说:在以色列人中不可有产业。”

25 耶和华吩咐摩西说: 26 “你晓谕利未人说:你们从以色列人中所取的十分之一,就是我给你们为业的,要再从那十分之一中取十分之一作为举祭献给耶和华。 27 这举祭要算为你们场上的谷,又如满酒榨的酒。 28 这样,你们从以色列人中所得的十分之一也要做举祭献给耶和华,从这十分之一中,将所献给耶和华的举祭归给祭司亚伦 29 奉给你们的一切礼物,要从其中将至好的,就是分别为圣的,献给耶和华为举祭。 30 所以你要对利未人说:‘你们从其中将至好的举起,这就算为你们场上的粮,又如酒榨的酒。 31 你们和你们家属随处可以吃,这原是你们的赏赐,是酬你们在会幕里办事的劳。 32 你们从其中将至好的举起,就不致因这物担罪。你们不可亵渎以色列人的圣物,免得死亡。’”

Footnotes

  1. 民数记 18:19 “盐”即“不废坏”的意思。

祭司和利未人的職責

18 耶和華對亞倫說:「你和你的兒子及親族要承擔觸犯聖所的罪責;你和你兒子也要承擔觸犯祭司職務的罪責。 你和你兒子在安放約櫃的聖幕供職時,要把你們利未支派的親族也一同帶去,讓他們協助你。 他們要遵守你的吩咐,看守整個聖幕,但不可接近聖所的器具和祭壇,以免他們和你們都死亡。 他們要協助你,負責看守聖幕,辦理聖幕的一切事務。外人不可靠近。 你們要看守聖所和祭壇,以免我的憤怒再臨到以色列人。 我已從以色列人中選出你們的利未親族歸給我,協助你們在會幕中司職。 你和你兒子要盡祭司的本分,負責祭壇和至聖所的一切事務。祭司的職分是我賞賜給你們的,外人若近前來,必被處死。」

祭司當得之物

耶和華對亞倫說:「你看!我讓你照管以色列人獻給我的禮物,把舉祭等一切聖物賜給你和你的子孫,作為你們應得之份。此律永遠不變。 以色列人獻給我的至聖之物——素祭、贖罪祭和贖過祭中留下不燒的部分都歸你和你的子孫。 10 你們男子都可以吃這些聖物,要在極其聖潔的地方吃。要把這些視為聖物。 11 以色列人獻的舉祭和搖祭都歸你,我已把它們賜給你和你的兒女,這是永遠的定例。你家中所有潔淨的人都可以吃。 12 我把以色列人獻給耶和華的初熟之物——最好的新油、新酒和五穀都賜給你。 13 他們獻給耶和華的一切初熟之物都歸你,你家中潔淨的人都可以吃。 14 以色列人永遠獻上的一切[a]都要歸你。 15 奉獻給耶和華的長子和頭生的牲畜都歸你,但要贖出長子和不潔淨的頭生牲畜。 16 他們要在滿月的時候被贖回,以聖所的秤為準,即一舍客勒是二十季拉,贖價是五十五克銀子。 17 頭生的牛、綿羊和山羊不用贖出來,牠們都是聖物。你要把牠們的血灑在祭壇上,把脂肪燒掉,作為獻給耶和華的馨香火祭; 18 牠們的肉要歸你,正如搖祭的胸肉和舉祭的右腿肉一樣。 19 以色列人獻給耶和華的聖物中,我把舉祭賜給你和你的兒女,這是永遠的定例,是我與你及你的後代所立的永世之約。」

20 耶和華對亞倫說:「你在以色列人將得之地不可有產業,不可有份於他們的財產,因為我是你在以色列人中的所得之份,是你的產業。

利未人應得之物

21 「我要把以色列人出產的十分之一賜給利未人作產業,作為他們在會幕司職的酬勞。 22 今後以色列人不可走近會幕,以免因犯罪而死。 23 只有利未人可在會幕司職,他們要擔負觸犯聖幕的罪責,這是你們世世代代要遵守的條例。利未人在以色列人中不可有產業, 24 因為我已經把以色列人給耶和華的十分之一出產賜給他們作產業。因此,我吩咐他們不可在以色列人中有產業。」

利未人應納的十分之一

25 耶和華對摩西說: 26 「你把以下條例告訴利未人。

「你們從以色列人手中得到我賜給你們作產業的十分之一後,要從中取出十分之一作為舉祭獻給耶和華, 27 這就算作你們獻上了麥場的五穀和榨酒池的酒。 28 這樣,你們要從以色列人給你們的十分之一中,拿出一部分獻給耶和華作舉祭,將這舉祭歸給亞倫祭司。 29 你們要把所得之物中至聖至好的獻給耶和華作舉祭。

30 「你要告訴利未人,『你們奉獻了最好的以後,其餘的算作你們麥場上的五穀和榨酒池的酒, 31 你們和家人可以在任何地方吃,因為這些是你們在會幕司職的酬勞。 32 你們獻上最好的以後,就不會獲罪了。你們不可褻瀆以色列人獻上的聖物,免得死亡。』」

Footnotes

  1. 18·14 永遠獻上的一切」指徹底奉獻給耶和華的人或物,要麼被毀滅,要麼被獻為供物。