Numbers 18 1

Numbers 18:1 kjv

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.

Numbers 18:1 nkjv

Then the LORD said to Aaron: "You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear the iniquity related to the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity associated with your priesthood.

Numbers 18:1 niv

The LORD said to Aaron, "You, your sons and your family are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses connected with the priesthood.

Numbers 18:1 esv

So the LORD said to Aaron, "You and your sons and your father's house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood.

Numbers 18:1 nlt

Then the LORD said to Aaron: "You, your sons, and your relatives from the tribe of Levi will be held responsible for any offenses related to the sanctuary. But you and your sons alone will be held responsible for violations connected with the priesthood.

Numbers 18 verses

Numbers 18 1 Meaning

This verse signifies a profound delegation of sacred responsibility and accountability to Aaron and his descendants, who comprised the Aaronic priesthood, as well as to the broader house of Levi. They alone were to bear the moral and ritual burden, or the "iniquity," associated with the sanctuary (Tabernacle) and their sacred office of priesthood. This means they were held responsible for any offenses, defilement, or failure to maintain the holiness of God's dwelling place, or for errors and failures within their priestly duties, ensuring the people were not directly struck by God's wrath due to such transgressions. It underscored the seriousness and the divine authorization of their unique role.

Numbers 18 1 Context

Numbers chapter 18 directly follows a period of profound crisis and divine confirmation in the Israelite camp. Chapters 16 and 17 detail the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram against Moses and Aaron’s leadership, specifically challenging the exclusive right of the Aaronic priesthood. This rebellion resulted in severe divine judgment, including the earth swallowing the rebels and a plague that killed many. In response, God divinely affirmed Aaron’s high priesthood through the miraculous budding of his staff (Num 17). Immediately after these events, Numbers 18:1 clarifies and solidifies the responsibilities, privileges, and boundaries of the priests and Levites. The verse acts as a strong affirmation of the unique and demanding nature of the priesthood, designed to maintain order, sanctity, and prevent future challenges to God's chosen intermediaries. Historically and culturally, it addresses the constant need for ritual purity, adherence to divine law, and the dire consequences of defiling the holy things or presuming unauthorized access in a worship system centered around the Tabernacle.

Numbers 18 1 Word analysis

• And the Lord said (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה - wayyō'mer YHWH):
  • Lord (YHWH): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal and sovereign interaction with His chosen people and their designated leaders. It highlights the divine origin and authority of the commands given.
  • Said (wayyō'mer): The Hebrew waw-consecutive perfect indicates a direct, immediate divine utterance, typically marking the beginning of a new revelation or instruction. This is a solemn divine communication.
• to Aaron (אֶל-אַהֲרֹן - ’el-’ahărōn): Direct address to the High Priest, underlining his personal and supreme accountability within the priestly system. He is the primary recipient of this charge.
• You and your sons (אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ - ’attâ ūvāneḵā): Refers to Aaron himself and the consecrated priests, his direct descendants, who ministered in the Holy Place and offered sacrifices. This is the inner circle of priestly responsibility.
• and your father's house with you (וּבֵית אָבִיךָ אִתָּךְ - ūḇêt ’āḇîḵā ’ittāḵ): This phrase extends the accountability beyond just the priests to the entire tribe of Levi, from which the priests (Aaron’s family) were drawn. The Levites (non-priestly members of the tribe) were responsible for the Tabernacle's upkeep, transport, and protection, serving as guardians to prevent unauthorized access. This indicates a shared, though differentiated, responsibility among the priestly lineage.
• shall bear (תִּשְּׂאוּ - tiśśə’û): From the root nasa', meaning to lift, carry, bear. In this context, it implies carrying the burden, taking responsibility for, enduring the consequences of, or even atoning for the "iniquity." It signifies both accountability and the solemn duty to address and prevent issues.
• the iniquity (עֲוֹן - ‘ăwōn): Not merely "sin" (חַטָּאת - ḥaṭṭā't), but 'avon (iniquity) often implies guilt, punishment, or the twisted consequences of transgression. Here, it refers to the guilt and punishment that would arise from defilement of the sanctuary, ritual errors, or negligence on the part of the priests and Levites, which could incur divine wrath. It is also used in other priestly contexts (e.g., Ex 28:38; Lev 10:17) to describe the priest’s role in managing or atoning for the congregation's impurities or defects in worship.
• of the sanctuary (הַמִּקְדָּשׁ - hammiqdāš): Refers to the Tabernacle, the holy dwelling place of God. Its holiness required meticulous adherence to divine law, and any profanation of it was a grave matter requiring serious responsibility from those appointed to serve there.
• and you and your sons with you shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood (וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת-עֲוֹן כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם - wə’attâ ūvāneḵā ’ittāḵ tiś’û ’êṯ-‘ăwōn kəhunnātḵem): This repeats the emphasis on Aaron and his priestly sons, specifically highlighting responsibility for their priestly office and its duties (kehunnātḵem - your priesthood). This means accountability not only for the sanctuary itself but for the faithful execution of their specific sacred functions, lest they introduce defilement or incur God's judgment through their negligence or impropriety. This distinguishes priestly (Aaronic) accountability from broader Levitical accountability, although the Levites still have an overarching tribal responsibility related to the Tabernacle.

Numbers 18 1 Bonus section

This verse carries a deep theological weight by establishing a divine "chain of accountability." The ultimate aim was to safeguard God's holy presence from human defilement. Without this assigned responsibility, unauthorized approaches or unaddressed pollutions could lead to indiscriminate divine wrath, as seen with Uzzah (2 Sam 6:6-7) or Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-2). The specific differentiation between "sanctuary" and "priesthood" in the "iniquity" phrase implies that the priests were responsible both for the physical holiness of the Tabernacle and for the proper performance of all their assigned ritual duties. The severe nature of this command foreshadows the perfection required of the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who uniquely bore the iniquity of all humanity—not for any flaw in Himself or in the sanctuary he served (His body, the church), but by fully taking on our sin, thereby establishing a new, perfect access to God (Heb 7-10). The principles of sacred responsibility and severe accountability for those entrusted with spiritual oversight find resonance throughout scripture and serve as a sober warning to leaders in God's service.

Numbers 18 1 Commentary

Numbers 18:1 is a direct consequence of the recent rebellion against Moses and Aaron. God unequivocally assigns primary responsibility for the sanctity of the Tabernacle and the integrity of its worship to the priestly family. The phrase "bear the iniquity" is multi-faceted: it signifies the heavy burden of guardianship, ensuring the Tabernacle's holiness; it indicates accountability for any sin, error, or profanation (either by them or the people whose unatoned sins defile the sanctuary) that impacts the holy place or priestly office; and implicitly, it underscores their unique role in making atonement or interceding to avert God's wrath, thus protecting the people from the consequences of profanation. This weighty charge served as a stark reminder against negligence and improper approach to God’s holy presence, ensuring that divine judgment fell upon the appointed intercessors first, rather than the entire congregation, acting as a buffer while also making them fully accountable. It establishes a divine firewall around the holy space, whose maintenance is solely the task of the divinely chosen priesthood.