Numbers 18 Introduction

Structure and Formatting

2. In the wilderness (10:11–19:22) * Duties of the priests and Levites and the support they receive (18:1–32)This chapter includes instructions about how the Levites and the Priests serve at the sacred tent. It also includes regulations about which sacred things belong to the priests and to the Levites. It concludes with the requirement that the Levites give a tithe to the priests.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Priests and Levites

This chapter indicates that the Levites and the priests are responsible for making sure that no one defiles any of the holy things or places. The priests are responsible especially for the sacred tent and for who acts as a priest. The Levites are responsible for making sure that no one comes near the sacred tent, especially when they are setting it up, taking it down, moving it. This chapter also makes it clear that the Levites are under the direction of the priests.

Contributions for the priests

In 18:8–19, Yahweh outlines the contributions from the Israelites that go directly to the priests. These include parts of the grain offering, sin offering, and guilt offering that the priests do not burn. These also include the firstfruits of crops and the firstborn male animals and humans. In the case of humans and clean animals, however, the priests receive money instead of the human or animal. All these contributions are very holy, so Yahweh gives them to the priests specifically.

Contributions for the Levites

In 18:20–24, Yahweh outlines the contributions from the Israelites that go directly to the Levites. The tithes are made up of one-tenth of all the produce and animals that Israelites have grown or raised. The Israelites give these tithes to Yahweh, and Yahweh gives them to the Levites instead of land.

Tithes from the Levites

In 18:25–32, Yahweh indicates that the Levites also must give tithes. They tithe directly to the priests. Once the Levites have given their tithes, they can use the rest of what they receive from the Israelites as regular food. It is not considered sacred any longer.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

“Keeping” and “service”

As in Numbers 3–4, the word “keeping” refers to keeping watch or guarding. No one else was supposed to approach the sacred items, so the Levites were required to guard these items, especially when they were transporting them. The word “service” refers to physical labor, particularly taking down and setting up the sacred tent and the items that were in it. The Levites were also responsible for these tasks. See how you translated “keeping” and “service” in Numbers 3–4. (See: servant and watch)

Singular and plural “you”

In 18:1–7, both singular and plural “you” appear in many verses. See the notes on those verses for details. In 18:8–20, Yahweh only uses the singular “you,” since he is addressing Aaron. In 18:21–32, every “you” is plural except the occurrences in 18:26, 30 where Yahweh tells Moses to speak.

Quotes in quotes

In 18:25–32, there are quotes inside quotes. Consider how your language indicates that a quote contains a quote. The UST models how to express the idea with only one level of quotations. (See: figs-quotesinquotes)