About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand. In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form.
The book of Numbers
This book was written in 1444-1405 BC. The name comes from the census when Moses counted the people. It tells about the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness for 39 years. It starts when the Israelites are at Mt. Sinai. It tells about their travels through the wilderness. It ends in the plains of Moab just before the Israelites enter Canaan.
The book of Numbers tells about 2 generations of Israelites. The 1st generation did not obey God and could not enter Canaan. The 2nd generation obeyed God, and they were allowed to go into Canaan.
Please visit this page to see where the book of Numbers fits into the whole Bible.
Numbers 16 - 18
Some Israelite men challenge Moses and Aaron.
The challengers are punished.
God shows everyone who He chooses to be the priest.
The priests can use the offerings from the other Israelites.
Numbers 16
Some of the Israelite men challenge Moses and
Aaron. They think they should be priests, too.
Korah was a man from the tribe of Levi.
He got
some other men to help him. The men were Dathan, Abiram, and On.
These 3
helpers were from the tribe of Reuben. Then they got 250 other
leaders of the
Israelites to join them. They went to see Moses and Aaron.
They were
complaining about Moses and Aaron. They said they were equal to Moses
and Aaron.
They asked Moses why he thought he was better than the rest of them.
[1] Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi,
and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth,
sons of Reuben, took men:
[2] And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of
Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the
congregation, men of renown:
[3] And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against
Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the
congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them:
wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
After they said this, Moses fell
down and
prayed. Then Moses said that there will be a
test the next day. The Lord will show everyone who He chooses. He
will show
who the holy ones are. The holy ones will go near Him .
[4] And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:
[5] And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to
morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause
him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause
to come near unto him.
Photo of censer from Tonini Church Supply Co. |
This will be the test. Korah and the others should bring their
censers (censers are pans for fire). They should put some coals
(rocks
that are hot and make
fire) and incense (smells good) in the pans. God will choose the
priest. Moses said that Korah
and the others had gone too far--they were behaving badly and wanted
too much
[6] This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company;
[7] And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to
morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he
shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
Moses was upset with Korah. Korah was
from the
tribe of Levi. The men in the tribe of Levi were workers in the
tabernacle. God set them apart and made them special. But Korah wanted
more. He
wanted to be the priest. Korah complained that Aaron was the
priest. Korah
was really complaining about the Lord God.
[8] And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
[9] Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath
separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to
himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand
before the congregation to minister unto them?
[10] And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the
sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?
[11] For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered
together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against
him?
Moses asked 2 of the other men, Dathan and
Abiram, to come to him. They refused. They complained that Moses took
them out of
Egypt. They said Egypt had good land for farms. Now they are in
the
wilderness desert where they can't have farms. They said that
Moses was
just trying to trick them and be their boss. They said they would not
go to
Moses now.
[12] And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which
said, We will not come up:
[13] Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land
that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except
thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
[14] Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with
milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt
thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
Moses was very mad at Dathan and Abiram. Moses told God not to accept
any of
their offerings. Moses said he had never taken anything from them, not
even one
donkey. He also said he had never hurt any of them.
[15] And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou
their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt
one of them.
Moses told Korah to come the next day. The
other 253
men should come, too. They should all bring their firepans with incense
and hot coals in
them. Aaron would be there, too, with his firepan.
[16] And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the
LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow:
[17] And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring
ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers;
thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
The next day, all of the men were there with their firepans and
incense.
They all stood in the door of the tabernacle with Moses and Aaron. They
waited
for God to come and show who He wanted to be the priest.
[18] And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid
incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation with Moses and Aaron.
Korah got all of the other Israelites to come, too. They all
stood and
watched. Then God appeared. They could all see His bright light.
[19] And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD
appeared unto all the congregation.
God talked to Moses and
Aaron.
He told them to move away from the other people. He said He would kill
all of the other
people.
[20] And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
[21] Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may
consume them in a moment.
Moses and Aaron fell down and prayed.
They asked
God why He was mad at everyone if only one man sinned.
[22] And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the
spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with
all the congregation?
God talked to Moses. He told Moses to tell
everyone
else to
stay away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiran.
[23] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[24] Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the
tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram.
Korah and his followers are punished.
Moses went to Dathan and Abiram. The
Israelite
leaders followed Moses. Moses told everyone to stay away from Dathan
and Abiram.
No one should touch any of their things. If they did, they would die
because
Dathan and Abiram were wicked (very bad).
[25] And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders
of Israel followed him.
[26] And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you,
from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest
ye be consumed in all their sins.
Everyone moved away from Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram's
tents. Dathan and Abiram stood in the doors of their tents. Their
wives
and children were with them.
[27] So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,
on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of
their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
Moses said that God sent him to do His work. Moses
said this would be a test. If God did not send Moses to do His
work,
Dathan, Abiram, and Korah would die natural deaths (die from being sick
or old).
If God did send Moses to do His work, Dathan, Abriam, and Korah
would die
suddenly. They would die from something that never happened in the
past. For example, the ground under them
would open and make a big crack. They would fall in.
[28] And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to
do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
[29] If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be
visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
[30] But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth,
and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go
down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have
provoked the LORD.
"The Earth Swallows Up Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram" The Story of the Bible by Charles Foster, (Illustrations by F.B. Schell and others) Digitized by Ted Kuik of CoolNotions.com |
As soon as Moses said this, there was a big crack in the ground.
Dathan,
Abiram, Korah, their families, and their tents fell down in the big
crack. Then,
the ground covered them up, and they were gone.
[31] And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these
words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
[32] And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their
houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their
goods.
[33] They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the
pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the
congregation.
All of the other Israelites
heard
them screaming, so they ran away. They said that the ground might open
up and
swallow them, too.
[34] And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them:
for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
Then God sent fire and burned up the other 250
men who
brought incense to the tabernacle.
[35] And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two
hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
The Lord talked to
Moses. He
told Moses to talk to Aaron's son, Eleazar. He wanted Eleazar to
pick up
all of the firepans. He should dump out the coals someplace else.
Now, the
firepans are holy because they were used for offerings to God.
[36] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[37] Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up
the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for
they are hallowed.
The men who made the offerings were dead
now. God
said they should take the firepans and hammer them into thin plates of
metal.
They should use the thin plates of metal to cover the altar. This will
remind
the other Israelites about what happened.
[38] The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them
make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered
them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a
sign unto the children of Israel.
Eleazar did what God said. He made thin metal plates with the firepans.
Then
they used the plates to cover the altar. This would remind the
Israelites
that only Aaron and his descendants were allowed to be priests. If
anyone
else tried to be a priest, he would be punished the same as Korah and
the other men.
[39] And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they
that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a
covering of the altar:
[40] To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger,
which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before
the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said
to him by the hand of Moses.
The other Israelites blame Moses for the death of Korah and his
followers. God
punishes them for complaining.
The next day, the other Israelites started
to
complain again. They blamed Moses because Dathan, Abiram, Korah, their
families,
and the other 250 men had died.
[41] But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel
murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the
people of the LORD.
The Israelites came and met together. They
looked at the tabernacle. They saw God's cloud covering
the tabernacle. Moses and Aaron came to the tabernacle. God
told
Moses and Aaron to move away from the other Israelites. He was going to
kill
them all. But Moses and Aaron fell down and started to pray.
[42] And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against
Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the
LORD appeared.
[43] And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
[44] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[45] Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them
as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
God sent a plague. A plague is a sickness or
disease.
One person gets sick. Then other people get sick. Many people get sick
fast. Some
of the Israelites started getting sick and died. Moses told Aaron to
hurry and
get a firepan. He should put some fire and incense in it. Then he
should go
stand by the other Israelites and ask God to forgive them for
complaining.
[46] And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein
from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the
congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone
out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
Aaron did what Moses said. He ran and stood in
the
middle of the other Israelites. He held the fire and incense. He asked
God to
forgive the Israelites for complaining. He stood between the dead
people
and the live people. Then the sickness stopped.
[47] And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the
congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and
he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
[48] And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was
stayed.
14,700 people died from the plague. That
was
added to the number of people who died with Korah, Dathan, and
Abiram.
[49] Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven
hundred, beside them that died about the matter of
Korah.
Then Aaron went back to the tabernacle with
Moses.
There was no more sickness.
[50] And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
Numbers 17
The test with the walking sticks.
God shows that He
chooses Aaron to be the priest.
|
Walking sticks Photo from CanesGalore.com |
The
leader of each tribe had a special walking stick (a cane to help
them walk). God talked to Moses. God said
that each leader should bring his walking stick to Moses. Then,
Moses
should write each man's name on his stick.
[1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[2] Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a
rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes
according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every
man's name upon his rod.
Aaron was from the tribe of
Levi. They should write Aaron's name on
the walking stick from the tribe of Levi. There will be one
walking stick
for the leader of each tribe.
[3] And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod
shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
They should put all of the walking sticks in
the
tabernacle in front of the Ark of the Covenant (box that holds the 10
Commandments).
[4] And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation
before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
God said that one of the sticks will blossom
(make new
green plants and flowers). They will look at the stick with the
flowers. They
will see the man's name on the stick. That is the man who God
chooses to
be the priest.
[5] And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose,
shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the
children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
Moses told everyone what God said. Each leader
gave
Moses a walking stick. Aaron gave Moses a stick, too.
[6] And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their
princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their
fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their
rods.
Moses put the sticks in the tabernacle.
The next
day, Moses went back into the tabernacle. He looked at the
walking sticks.
Aaron's walking stick had green plants, flowers, and almonds (a kind of
nut that
grows on a tree).
[7] And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of
witness.
[8] And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the
tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of
Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and
yielded almonds.
Aaron's walking stick bloomed. |
Moses
brought the walking sticks out
of the tabernacle. Everyone saw Aaron's stick with the green
plants and
flowers. The leaders came and took their sticks. God told Moses
to take Aaron's stick back into the tabernacle. Moses should put
the stick
in front of the Ark of the Covenant. That will remind the other
Israelites to
stop complaining. God said that if the Israelites continue to
complain, He
will kill them all.
[9] And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all
the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
[10] And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the
testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt
quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
Moses did what God told him to do.
[11] And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
The Israelites talked to Moses. They
said they
had no hope. Anyone who goes near the tabernacle dies. They said
they would all
die.
[12] And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we
die, we perish, we all perish.
[13] Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD
shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?
Numbers 18
God talks to Aaron about the priests' jobs
God talked to Aaron. Aaron and his sons
were the priests. They were responsible for everything that happened in
the
tabernacle. They were the only ones who could go near the holy things
in the
tabernacle.
[1] And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's
house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and
thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
The other Levites will help the priests.
They should do what the priests tell them to do. But Aaron and his sons
are the
only ones who can go near the holy things in the tabernacle. If
any of the
Levites go near the holy things, they
will die. Aaron is responsible for the holy things, so Aaron will die,
too.
[2] And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy
father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and
minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister
before the tabernacle of witness.
[3] And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the
tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary
and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
The Levites will work together with Aaron.
They
will take care of the tabernacle and do the work of the
tabernacle. No
other people are allowed to go into the tabernacle.
[4] And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the
tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle:
and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
The priests should take care of the tabernacle and the altar so that
God won't
be angry with the Israelites again.
[5] And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of
the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
God chose the Levites to help the priests. They are a gift to the
priests. The
Levites will help do the work of the tabernacle.
[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.
When God made Aaron and his sons the priests,
it was a
gift to them. Now they will take care of the altar and inside the
tabernacle.
Any other person who comes near those areas will die.
[7] Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's
office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall
serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift:
and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
God continued to talk to Aaron. Aaron, his sons, and his
descendants will
be the priests forever. The priests are in charge of the offerings that
the
other Israelites bring for God.
[8] And 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.
God will give some of the offerings to the priests. The priests will be
able to eat the
offerings that are not burned on the altar. These are the the sin
offerings,
grain offerings, and
the trespass offerings.
[9] This 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.
Only the males may eat these
offerings. They must
eat them in a holy place.
[10] In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it:
it shall be holy unto thee.
When Israelites bring special offerings, the priests'
families may eat these. The clean males and clean females may eat the
special offerings.
[11] And 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.
The priests may eat the best oil, wine, and
wheat. They
may also eat the firstfruits (the first things that the Israelites pick
from
their farms each year). Any clean person in the priests' families
may eat these
offerings.
[12] 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.
[13] And 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.
Everything that has been
devoted to God now belongs to the priests.
This means everything that has been set apart for God or given to
God.
[14] Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.
The firstborn males belong to God. This means
that all
of the
oldest men and animals in a family belong to God. But the
firstborn men and firstborn
unclean animals should be redeemed. This means that the person who gave
a
firstborn male or a firstborn unclean animal should buy it back. He
should pay
money to the priest. The priest will keep the money. Then the firstborn
male or
firstborn unclean animal will go back home.
[15] Every 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.
The price to redeem is 5 shekels of
silver. This
is to redeem a firstborn who is at least a month old. A
shekel is a kind of coin. The official shekel in the tabernacle is
equal to 20
gerahs (another smaller coin).
[16] And 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.
But they cannot redeem a firstborn cow, sheep,
or goat.
These animals should be sacrificed on the altar. They should sprinkle
the blood
on the altar. They should burn the fat on the fire. It makes a smell
that God
likes.
[17] But 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.
The priests can eat the meat of the animals that are sacrificed.
They can also eat the breast and the right shoulder of the wave
offerings. The priests and their families can eat all of the
heave
offerings. This is a promise from now on to all of Aaron's
descendants.
[18] And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as
the right shoulder are
thine.
[19] All 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.
God talks to Aaron about the food for the priests.
God talked to Aaron. After the Israelites enter
Canaan, the other families will get land. But Aaron and his family will
not get
land. God will give them everything they need. The other
Israelites will give
God 1/10 of what they have (this is called a tithe). God will give the
tithes to
the Levites. This is in exchange for their working and taking care of
the
tabernacle.
[20] And 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.
[21] 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.
The other Israelites must
not come
near the tabernacle. If they do, they are guilty of sin, and they
will
die.
[22] Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
The Levites will do the work of the
tabernacle. They
will be responsible for everything. If they don't take care of the
tabernacle properly, they
will be guilty. This is a law forever. The Levites will not get
any land
in Canaan. They won't get any land, but God will give them part of
the
offerings from the other Israelites. The other Israelites will give
their tithes
(10% of their crops and animals). God will give the tithes to the
Levites.
[23] But 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.
[24] But 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.
God talked to Moses. Moses should
tell the Levites
this: After the Levites receive the tithe from another
Israelite,
they should offer 1/10 of the tithe to God as a heave offering (lift it
up and
down in the air to show that it is from God).
[25] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[26] Thus 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.
When the Levites offer 1/10 of another
Israelite's
tithe, it is equal to offering crops from a farm. A farmer offers
his crops, and a
Levite offers his part of the farmer's crops.
[27] And 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.
The Levites offer their part of the tithes.
They give
their part to Aaron the priest. They should give Aaron the very
best part
of the tithe.
[28] Thus 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.
[29] Out 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.
After they give the best part to God, they can
eat the part that is
left. Their families can eat it, too. It is their gift because
they work
in the tabernacle.
[30] Therefore 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.
[31] And 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.
After they give the best part to the priest,
they can
eat the rest of the tithe. The tithes are sacred and holy. If the
Levites eat
the tithes before they give 1/10 of the tithe to the priest, they will
be guilty
of sin.
[32] And 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.