Leviticus 7 36

Leviticus 7:36 kjv

Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.

Leviticus 7:36 nkjv

The LORD commanded this to be given to them by the children of Israel, on the day that He anointed them, by a statute forever throughout their generations.

Leviticus 7:36 niv

On the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded that the Israelites give this to them as their perpetual share for the generations to come.

Leviticus 7:36 esv

The LORD commanded this to be given them by the people of Israel, from the day that he anointed them. It is a perpetual due throughout their generations."

Leviticus 7:36 nlt

On the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded the Israelites to give these portions to the priests as their permanent share from generation to generation."

Leviticus 7 verses

Leviticus 7 36 Meaning

Leviticus 7:36 details the divine mandate for the Aaronic priests' sustenance, confirming that their consecrated portions from the fire offerings were an established, permanent provision. This provision was instituted from the very day of their anointing and ceremonial setting apart, ensuring a perpetual means of livelihood for them and their descendants as they ministered exclusively to the Lord. It underscores God's meticulous care for His ministers, enabling their undivided service without needing external secular occupation.

Leviticus 7 36 Context

Leviticus chapter 7 concludes the extensive instructions concerning various sacrificial offerings, specifically the details pertaining to the portions allocated to the priests from these offerings. Chapters 1-5 established the different types of sacrifices (burnt, grain, peace, sin, and guilt offerings) and their procedures, while chapter 6 began to outline the specific duties and privileges of the priests. Verse 36 serves as a definitive summary, cementing the regulations outlined for the priestly entitlement. This declaration establishes the legal and perpetual framework for the Aaronic priests' sustenance. Historically, the Levites, including the priests descended from Aaron, received no tribal land inheritance like the other Israelite tribes (Num 18:20-24; Deut 10:9). Their livelihood was solely dependent on the consecrated portions from the offerings and the tithes provided by the other tribes. This ensured their complete devotion to their sacred duties, free from the burdens of farming or commerce. The phrase "from the day they were anointed and set apart" directly references the elaborate consecration ceremony described in Leviticus chapter 8 and Exodus chapter 29, signifying the very initiation of their official service and the commencement of their designated provisions. This permanent, divinely ordained support distinguished the Israelite priesthood from potentially exploitative pagan priestly systems.

Leviticus 7 36 Word analysis

• These are their portions (חֶלְקֵיהֶם - ḥelqehem):

  • Significance: Implies an assigned share or inheritance, directly given by God, not a mere wage or earning. It's a divine allocation that is theirs by right and holy privilege. This provision sets them apart as wholly dependent on God for their sustenance through their sacred service.

• from the sacrifices of the LORD (אִשֵּׁי יְהוָה - ʾišê YHVH):

  • Significance: Emphasizes that the source of the portions is directly from God's sacred offerings. The priests were not supported by the common produce of the land, but from that which was given to Yahweh, highlighting the sanctity and divine ownership of their sustenance.

• from the day they were anointed (מְשֹׁחַ אֹתָם - mishoaḥ otam):

  • Significance: Pinpoints the specific moment their entitlement began – upon their consecration. The anointing ceremony, detailed in Exod 29 and Lev 8, was the ritual act that set them apart for sacred service. This means their provision was tied directly to their divine appointment, not merely to the commencement of their service but to the act that made them fit for it.

• and set apart (מָלֵא אֹתָם - male' otam / literally: "fill their hand"):

  • Significance: This is a distinct Hebrew idiom for priestly ordination or consecration (e.g., Exod 28:41, Lev 8:33). It refers to the specific ceremony during which portions of the sacrifice (like the ram of ordination) were placed into the priests' hands, symbolizing their formal installation into the office and receiving the associated duties and privileges, including the right to receive priestly dues. It's a foundational act of empowerment for their service.

• to minister to the LORD in the priesthood (לְכַהֵן לַיהוָה - lekahen la-YHVH):

  • Significance: States their core function and purpose. Their existence and provision were intricately linked to their exclusive, sacred service to Yahweh. Their entire livelihood was intertwined with their performance of holy duties on behalf of God and His people, allowing for full dedication.

• which the LORD commanded (אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה יְהוָה - ʾasher tziwah YHVH):

  • Significance: Underlines the divine authority behind this arrangement. It wasn't a human invention or tradition, but an explicit decree from God Himself. This immutable command reinforces the legitimacy and holiness of the priestly system of support.

• to be given them (לָתֵת לָהֶם - latet lahem):

  • Significance: Denotes that these portions were a definite bestowal or grant, a permanent right rather than a conditional payment. It highlights God's initiative in providing for His servants.

• by an everlasting statute (חֻקַּת עוֹלָם - ḥuqqat ‘ōlām):

  • Significance: This phrase denotes a permanent, unchangeable, and binding ordinance within the framework of the Mosaic covenant. It guarantees the perpetual nature of this provision for the Levitical priesthood for the duration of that covenant. It ensures stability and security for the priestly class, affirming God's unwavering commitment to His ordained ministers.

• throughout their generations (לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם - ledorotêkem):

  • Significance: Emphasizes the hereditary and continuing nature of this provision, extending to all future generations of the Aaronic line. This was not a temporary arrangement for Aaron and his sons but an established pattern for all who would serve in the priesthood after them, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Levitical service.

Leviticus 7 36 Bonus section

The precise details of the priests' portions throughout Leviticus and Numbers highlight the distinction between different levels of holiness in offerings. Certain parts were for God alone (wholly burned), others were consumed by priests in the Tabernacle court as most holy (e.g., sin offering, guilt offering leftovers), and still others (like portions of the peace offering) could be eaten by the priests and their families in a clean place. This verse encapsulates all these provisions under the "portions from the sacrifices," confirming them as their rightful, enduring due. This divinely ordered system fostered accountability, ensuring the priests performed their duties correctly to continue receiving their portions. It also underscored the community's responsibility to bring offerings, as this directly impacted the priests' sustenance and, by extension, the continuation of sacred worship and atonement for the nation. The priests’ inability to own land not only emphasized their spiritual inheritance in God but also their intrinsic reliance on the faithful obedience of the Israelite community in bringing offerings, thus fostering a symbiotic relationship for the maintenance of the covenant.

Leviticus 7 36 Commentary

Leviticus 7:36 culminates the priestly portion regulations, revealing a profound principle of divine provision for consecrated service. It declares that the allocated "portions" (ḥelqehem) from the holy offerings are a permanent "everlasting statute" (ḥuqqat ‘ōlām) for the Aaronic priesthood, valid "throughout their generations." This arrangement was in effect "from the day they were anointed and set apart," a clear reference to their ceremonial ordination (the "filling of the hands" ceremony), which officially marked their transition into their sacred office. The verse stresses that this entire system was divinely commanded by "the LORD," not a human invention.

This consistent and perpetual provision enabled the priests to devote themselves fully "to minister to the LORD in the priesthood." They were unburdened by the need to acquire wealth or farm land, allowing for undivided attention to their holy duties in the Tabernacle. This underscores God's meticulous care for those dedicated to His service, ensuring their material needs are met through sacred means. While the Old Testament Levitical priesthood and its specific provisions have been fulfilled and superseded by Christ's singular, eternal priesthood (Heb 7), the principle of ministers being supported for their full-time devotion remains echoed in the New Testament (1 Cor 9:13-14, 1 Tim 5:17-18). This verse fundamentally illustrates God's faithful ordering of His kingdom and the dignified sustenance of His appointed servants within His redemptive plan.