Leviticus 6 18

Leviticus 6:18 kjv

All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.

Leviticus 6:18 nkjv

All the males among the children of Aaron may eat it. It shall be a statute forever in your generations concerning the offerings made by fire to the LORD. Everyone who touches them must be holy.' "

Leviticus 6:18 niv

Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it. For all generations to come it is his perpetual share of the food offerings presented to the LORD. Whatever touches them will become holy.'?"

Leviticus 6:18 esv

Every male among the children of Aaron may eat of it, as decreed forever throughout your generations, from the LORD's food offerings. Whatever touches them shall become holy."

Leviticus 6:18 nlt

Any of Aaron's male descendants may eat from the special gifts presented to the LORD. This is their permanent right from generation to generation. Anyone or anything that touches these offerings will become holy."

Leviticus 6 verses

Leviticus 6 18 Meaning

Leviticus 6:18, pertaining to the unburnt portion of the grain offering given to the priests, underscores its supreme sacredness as "most holy." It mandates that only male priests, sons of Aaron, may consume this portion, symbolizing their special consecration and participation in divine provisions. Furthermore, the verse conveys the principle of holiness contagion: whatever comes into physical contact with this intensely sacred offering also acquires a measure of consecrated status, thus necessitating reverent handling and separation from common use. This signifies the profound purity and separation demanded by God's presence and His offerings.

Leviticus 6 18 Context

Leviticus 6:18 concludes the instructions concerning the grain offering (Lev 6:14-18), following those for the burnt offering. The surrounding context (chapters 6-7) elaborates on the laws for the various sacrificial offerings – burnt, grain, sin, guilt, and peace offerings – specifically detailing the priests' portions and responsibilities. These instructions establish the meticulous procedures and profound sacredness governing Israel's worship, emphasizing that contact with the divine and things dedicated to God necessitates stringent holiness and separation from common use. The chapter sets the operational framework for the priesthood, delineating their duties and their sustenance through portions of the offerings, ensuring that they maintain the sacred space between God and Israel.

Leviticus 6 18 Word analysis

• "Every male among the children of Aaron" (כָּל זָכָר בִּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן kol zakhar biv'nei Aharon):
  • "Every male": Kol zakhar refers to male individuals, emphasizing the exclusion of female priests or other non-priestly males from consuming this specific offering. This aligns with the patriarchal structure of the Old Covenant priesthood.
  • "Children of Aaron": Biv'nei Aharon designates the divinely appointed priestly lineage (Ex 28:1). Only priests were permitted to eat this sanctified portion, highlighting their unique mediatorial role and special status before God. It reinforces the exclusive access to certain sacred elements of worship.
• "shall eat of it" (יֹאכַ֥ל בָּֽהּ yokhal bah):
  • "shall eat": Yokhal is a verb indicating mandatory consumption. This act of eating was not merely sustenance but a priestly prerogative, signifying their communion with God and participation in the offering. It demonstrated their identity as God's servants living from His sanctuary.
  • "of it": Bah refers to the specific portion of the grain offering that was not burned on the altar but reserved for the priests (Lev 2:3). This emphasizes the sacred value of this particular offering to the priests.
• "It is most holy" (קֹ֣דֶשׁ קָדָשִׁ֖ים הִֽוא qodesh qodashim hi):
  • "most holy": Qodesh qodashim (literally "holiness of holinesses") is the highest category of holiness in the Levitical system, used for items and spaces in the tabernacle that were closest to God's immediate presence. This classification (distinct from "holy things" or "sacred things") denotes extreme separation and sacredness. This particular classification limits access, consumption, and handling, reflecting God's absolute holiness and demanding ultimate reverence. It underscores that only objects or persons explicitly designated as "holy" or "most holy" could be used in His worship. This stands in contrast to common pagan practices which might involve less reverence for divine things.
• "Any one who touches them shall be holy" (כָּל־נֹגֵ֥עַ בָּהֶ֖ם יִקְדָּֽשׁ kol noge'a bahem yiqdash):
  • "Any one who touches": Kol noge'a refers to direct physical contact. The verse does not imply that such contact is forbidden or renders one sinful, but rather has an immediate effect.
  • "them": Bahem (plural pronoun) likely refers to the "most holy" portions of the offering themselves, or possibly any articles used in preparing/handling these portions. The plural is often used generically.
  • "shall be holy": Yiqdash. This does not mean the person becomes a priest, pure, or perfectly holy like God. Rather, it indicates a transfer of consecrated status by association. The one touching acquires a measure of the offering's sacredness, becoming "set apart" in a way that demands specific, careful behavior regarding the touched object or the person's subsequent actions. They become obligated to treat the object with appropriate reverence and may require purification rituals themselves before handling common things, thus maintaining the strict separation between the holy and the profane. This emphasizes the radiating nature of holiness, requiring greater care and often necessitating subsequent purificatory actions to prevent unintended profanation. It suggests an underlying polemic against common disregard for sacred objects as might be found in other cultures.

Leviticus 6 18 Bonus section

The concept of "contagious holiness" as seen in Lev 6:18 (and similar passages like Ex 29:37) is fundamental to understanding the ritual laws of the Old Covenant. While "unclean" status was more commonly "contagious" and required specific rites for purification, holiness was also transferable. However, the nature of "becoming holy" through contact with "most holy" objects was distinct. It did not necessarily mean moral transformation but a change in ritual status. This change necessitated altered behavior: the newly "holy" person or object had to be treated with greater reverence, perhaps needing ritual washing before engaging in common activities or before re-entering sacred spaces, thus preventing a mixing of the sacred and the common. This legal principle maintained the sanctity of the tabernacle and its rituals by preventing the most holy elements from being casually handled. This concept ultimately finds its theological fulfillment in Christ, who, by his very presence, makes those who touch him in faith (spiritually, through his atoning work) truly holy and able to draw near to God.

Leviticus 6 18 Commentary

Leviticus 6:18 functions as a critical declaration about the nature and handling of "most holy" sacrificial portions, specifically here the grain offering. By restricting consumption to male priests, the verse underscores the sanctity of the priesthood itself as well as the unique communion established through these offerings. The declaration "it is most holy" places this particular offering portion on the highest plane of consecration, demanding a profound sense of reverence and strict adherence to divine protocol. The significant aspect of this verse lies in the principle of holiness contagion: "Anyone who touches them shall be holy." This does not automatically confer priestly status or moral purity on the toucher. Instead, it signifies that physical contact with the "most holy" imparts a measure of its consecrated status. This imparted holiness demands special treatment from the person or object involved. For instance, an object might then be restricted from common use or the person might be required to observe certain ritual cleanings or behaviors to maintain the sanctity or to avoid profane contamination of what has become sanctified. This contrasts sharply with the contagion of impurity, which often rendered one unfit for worship. This verse serves as a crucial theological boundary, reinforcing God's utter transcendence and holiness, reminding Israel of the severe consequences of treating sacred things irreverently. The pervasive nature of holiness teaches that God’s presence influences everything proximate to it, demanding absolute purity and disciplined access.