Numbers 15:21 kjv
Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.
Numbers 15:21 nkjv
Of the first of your ground meal you shall give to the LORD a heave offering throughout your generations.
Numbers 15:21 niv
Throughout the generations to come you are to give this offering to the LORD from the first of your ground meal.
Numbers 15:21 esv
Some of the first of your dough you shall give to the LORD as a contribution throughout your generations.
Numbers 15:21 nlt
Throughout the generations to come, you are to present a sacred offering to the LORD each year from the first of your ground flour.
Numbers 15 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Firstfruits Principle & Provision | ||
| Ex 23:19 | “You shall bring the best of the firstfruits of your ground into the house of the LORD your God…” | Command to offer first produce to God. |
| Ex 34:26 | “You shall bring the choicest of the firstfruits of your ground to the house of the LORD your God.” | Reiteration of the firstfruits law. |
| Deut 18:4 | “You shall give him the firstfruits of your grain, of your new wine, and of your oil…” | Specific firstfruit items for priestly support. |
| Neh 10:37 | “…that we should bring the first of our dough, and our contributions… to the priests… to the storerooms of the house of our God.” | Post-exilic adherence to the dough offering and support. |
| Prov 3:9-10 | “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled…” | Spiritual principle: honoring God with first brings blessing. |
| Rom 11:16 | “If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.” | Theological significance of firstfruits for sanctification. |
| Jas 1:18 | “Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.” | Believers as spiritual firstfruits to God. |
| Offerings & Contributions (Terumah) | ||
| Ex 25:2 | “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution (terumah). From every man whose heart moves him…” | Freewill contribution for the tabernacle. |
| Lev 7:14 | “Of it he shall offer one loaf from each offering, as a contribution (terumah) to the LORD. It shall belong to the priest…” | Priestly portion of peace offerings. |
| Num 18:8,11 | “And the LORD said to Aaron, ‘Behold, I have given you charge of My contributions (terumah)…” | LORD designates priestly share from various offerings. |
| Deut 12:6 | “There you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices… your contributions (terumot)…” | Place for offerings in the Promised Land. |
| Deut 12:17 | “You may not eat within your towns the tithe of your grain… nor any of your contributions (terumot)…” | Consumption restrictions on offerings for the worshiper. |
| Num 18:24 | “For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution (terumah) to the LORD, I have given…” | Levites receiving the tithe as their portion. |
| Perpetuity & Covenant | ||
| Ex 12:14 | “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations…” | Passover as a perpetual ordinance. |
| Lev 23:21 | “And you shall proclaim on the same day that it is a holy convocation for you. You shall not do any ordinary work; it is a statute forever throughout your generations.” | Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) as perpetual. |
| Num 10:8 | “And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. This shall be a statute forever for you throughout your generations.” | Command for priestly trumpet blowing. |
| Deut 5:29 | “Oh that they had such a heart as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” | Desire for perpetual obedience and blessing. |
| Divine Sovereignty & Sustenance | ||
| Gen 1:29 | “And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth…’” | God as the ultimate provider of food. |
| Psa 24:1 | “The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…” | God's absolute ownership of creation. |
| 1 Cor 10:26 | “For ‘the earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof.’” | Paul quotes Psalm 24:1 to assert God's ownership. |
| Col 1:16-17 | “For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth… all things were created through Him and for Him.” | Christ's preeminence and role in creation and sustenance. |
| Acts 17:25 | “…He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” | God as the source of all life and provision. |
Numbers 15 verses
Numbers 15 21 Meaning
Numbers 15:21 commands the Israelites to continually set aside and give a portion of their first kneaded dough as a dedicated offering to the LORD, for all generations. This precept underscores God's ultimate ownership and generous provision of all sustenance, requiring His people to acknowledge Him from the very beginning of their labors and blessings.
Numbers 15 21 Context
Numbers 15:21 concludes a specific directive given to Israel as they anticipate entering the Promised Land. Verses 17-21 instruct them on offering a portion of their first kneaded dough to the LORD, a commandment that assumes they will soon transition from miraculous wilderness manna to cultivating their own crops and baking bread. This law connects the daily act of baking with their covenant obligations, extending the principle of giving firstfruits from raw produce to the processed food. The broader context of Numbers 15 details various laws concerning sacrifices (burnt, grain, drink, sin, unintentional sin), emphasizing proper worship and atonement procedures. It underlines God's expectation for continuous recognition and devotion from His people in all aspects of their lives, providing divine order for a nation about to settle into an agrarian lifestyle. Historically, these laws prepared Israel for a settled existence in Canaan, reminding them that their sustenance, even their daily bread, originated from God and was not a result of their own efforts alone, standing in stark contrast to pagan practices that offered firsts to idols or simply consumed them.
Numbers 15 21 Word analysis
- מֵרֵאשִׁית (mē-rē’šîṯ): "From the beginning/first."
- Significance: Not just any part, but the absolute initial portion. This emphasizes dedication of the origin or prime produce, sanctifying the whole. It points to valuing God's blessing from the very outset.
- עֲרִיסֹתֵכֶם (‘ă-rî-sō-ṯê-ḵem): "of your dough."
- Significance: This is specific. Not grain or flour, but kneaded dough. It represents human labor and skill in combination with divine provision (the grain), underscoring that even their transformed resources belong to God.
- תִּתְּנוּ (tit-tə-nū): "you shall give."
- Significance: A strong imperative, a direct divine command. This is an obligatory act of worship, not optional charity, reflecting Israel's covenant relationship with God.
- לַֽיהוָה (la-YHWH): "to the LORD."
- Significance: Identifies the specific recipient as Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This establishes His sole claim and sovereignty over all things, contrasting with pagan deities.
- תְּרוּמָה (tə-rū-māh): "a heave offering / contribution."
- Significance: Lit. "that which is lifted up." This was an offering set apart for God, typically given to the priests (Num 18:8, 11). It signifies elevation, dedication, and support for the priestly ministry, vital for Israel's spiritual functioning.
- לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם (lə-ḏō-rō-ṯê-ḵem): "throughout your generations."
- Significance: Indicates perpetuity. This command is not for a single instance or generation but an enduring obligation, highlighting the ongoing nature of their covenant relationship with God and the perpetual need for spiritual remembrance.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "From the first of your dough": This phrase encapsulates the principle of offering the prime and initial yield from personal labor. It sanctifies the earliest efforts and products, acknowledging God's prior blessing and ultimate provision. This sets a precedent for how all their subsequent produce and wealth are viewed—as gifts from Him.
- "You shall give to the LORD": A succinct command emphasizing a compulsory act of reverence and submission to God's authority. It underlines that this act is direct worship, a recognition of His claim over their sustenance and their lives.
- "A heave offering throughout your generations": Defines both the type of offering and its timeless validity. The terumah aspect highlights it as a consecrated portion, often supporting the priesthood. Its perpetual nature signifies that dependency on God and the commitment to worship Him are fundamental, lasting principles for every Israelite, through every age.
Numbers 15 21 Bonus section
This command served as a spiritual bulwark against idolatry and self-sufficiency, reminding Israel that their daily bread came not by their own might, but by divine blessing. Unlike neighboring nations who might offer firstfruits to fertility gods or kings, Israel dedicated theirs exclusively to the LORD, affirming His unique status as the living God and sustainer. This offering of the dough also foreshadows broader biblical principles where the "first" (firstborn, firstfruits, first part of income) is consecrated to God as a symbol of trusting Him with the entire sum and acknowledging His lordship over all of life. It’s a testament to God's desire to integrate faith into the most fundamental and repeated activities of human existence, shaping the Israelite identity as a people who continually walked in covenant with Him.
Numbers 15 21 Commentary
Numbers 15:21, though seemingly simple, encapsulates profound theological truths and practical disciplines for Israel. It mandated that even the daily act of baking bread be infused with sacred acknowledgment of God's provision. This was a "firstfruits" offering (terumah) specifically from dough, demonstrating that God was not only Lord of the harvest but also Lord over human industry and the domestic sphere. By giving the first part, the entire "lump" of dough (Rom 11:16) was hallowed, illustrating how dedicating an initial portion to God sanctifies the whole. This continuous giving for "generations" was a constant reminder of their dependence on Yahweh and a tangible act of covenant loyalty. It also supported the Levitical priesthood, enabling their dedicated service to God on behalf of the nation. It transformed mundane household activity into an act of worship and stewardship, ensuring that the source of their prosperity was never forgotten.