All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.
Read it in contextOfferings for Priests and Levites
Start reading at Numbers 18:8 (Numbers 18:8 to Numbers 18:32).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Further rebellion and instructions about service and cleansing develop the people's life during the wilderness period.
18:8And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
18:9This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.
18:10In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.
18:11And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
18:12All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.
18:13And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.
18:14Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.
18:15Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
18:16And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
18:17But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
18:18And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.
18:19All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
18:20And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
18:21And, 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.
18:22Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
18:23But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.
18:24But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
18:25And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18:26Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
18:27And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress.
18:28Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
18:29Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
18:30Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
18:31And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.
18:32And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional author. He is explicitly credited with writing Israel's journeys at the LORD's command. Biblical references: Numbers 33:2. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Numbers 18:1–19:22): Aaron, the priests, the Levites, and the wider Israelite community receive duties concerning sanctuary service, provision, and purification. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel during the wilderness journey, including the generation preparing to enter Canaan, with the record preserved for later Israel. Biblical references: Numbers 1:1; Numbers 26:63; Numbers 36:13. stated in the text
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Offerings for Priests and Levites. Read Numbers 18:8 through Numbers 18:32 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? This unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Further rebellion and instructions about service and cleansing develop the people's life during the wilderness period. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The book moves from the second year after departure from Egypt toward the fortieth year, through the deaths of the wilderness generation and preparation of its successors. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The setting moves from Sinai through wilderness stations to the plains of Moab east of Jordan. Individual journeys and encounters name more precise locations. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Offerings for Priests and Levites (Numbers 18:8 to Numbers 18:32).
Start reading at Numbers 18:8. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Jesus explicitly refers to Moses lifting up the serpent when speaking about the Son of man. Paul also uses wilderness events as warnings for the church; these connections preserve both God's provision and human responsibility. See John 3:14, John 3:15, 1 Corinthians 10:6, 1 Corinthians 10:12. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Receive warnings about complaint, unbelief, and rebellion without presuming that participation in a community removes personal responsibility. Read each event with its stated circumstances. interpretation
Cited: Numbers 18:8, Numbers 18:32, John 3:14, John 3:15, 1 Corinthians 10:6, 1 Corinthians 10:12
Who wrote it, and how we know
Moses (traditional)Named in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe book states that Moses wrote the record of the journeys at the LORD's command. Numbers 33:2
Early traditionJewish and Christian tradition names Moses.
What is debatedSource-critical theories propose later editing.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Time covered by Numbers
About 38 years
Second year after the exodusBeginning · Numbers 1:1
Israel is counted at Sinai
The opening census is dated to the first day of the second month in the second year after leaving Egypt.
Fortieth year after the exodusClosing wilderness period
Israel prepares to enter the land
Aaron’s death is dated to the fortieth year. The closing instructions are given on the plains of Moab before Israel crosses the Jordan.
The dated narrative moves from the second year toward the end of the fortieth year, an interval of roughly 38 years.
View historical notes and sources
This is an approximate span of the narrative, not an exact count of days and not the date when the book was written. Numbers 33:38 dates Aaron’s death; Numbers 36:13 identifies the closing setting. Deuteronomy 1:3 places Moses’ subsequent address in the fortieth year.
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Numbers 18
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Numbers follows Israel in the wilderness and toward the plains of Moab. The narrative moves from one numbered generation to another, combining events with commands for Israel. Distinguish the date of a narrated event from a proposed date of composition. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Further rebellion and instructions about service and cleansing develop the people's life during the wilderness period.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Further rebellion and instructions about service and cleansing develop the people's life during the wilderness period.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Numbers
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Numbers follows Israel in the wilderness and toward the plains of Moab. The narrative moves from one numbered generation to another, combining events with commands for Israel. Distinguish the date of a narrated event from a proposed date of composition.
Connection to the wholeDeaths and conflicts accompany the approach to Moab. Balaam's oracles are followed by Israel's sin at Peor, keeping blessing and responsibility together.