Numbers 18:11 kjv
And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
Numbers 18:11 nkjv
"This also is yours: the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel; I have given them to you, and your sons and daughters with you, as an ordinance forever. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.
Numbers 18:11 niv
"This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
Numbers 18:11 esv
This also is yours: the contribution of their gift, all the wave offerings of the people of Israel. I have given them to you, and to your sons and daughters with you, as a perpetual due. Everyone who is clean in your house may eat it.
Numbers 18:11 nlt
"All the sacred offerings and special offerings presented to me when the Israelites lift them up before the altar also belong to you. I have given them to you and to your sons and daughters as your permanent share. Any member of your family who is ceremonially clean may eat of these offerings.
Numbers 18 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 18:8 | "I have given you charge of My heave offerings..." | General priestly portion. |
| Num 18:20 | "You shall have no inheritance in their land... I am your share..." | Priestly dependence on God's provision. |
| Lev 6:16 | "The remainder of the grain offering Aaron and his sons are to eat..." | Priests consume portions of sacrifices. |
| Lev 7:6 | "Every male among the priests may eat of it..." | Priests consume holy things. |
| Lev 7:14 | "...it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings." | Priest's share of peace offerings. |
| Lev 7:34 | "For I have taken the wave breast and the heave thigh... for Aaron..." | Specific wave and heave offerings for priests. |
| Lev 10:14 | "But the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented you may eat..." | Explicit permission for family members to eat. |
| Lev 10:17 | "Why did you not eat the sin offering in the holy place?" | Holiness required for eating holy things. |
| Deut 10:9 | "Therefore Levi has no share or inheritance with his brothers..." | Levites/Priests have no land inheritance. |
| Deut 18:1-2 | "The Levitical priests... shall have no portion or inheritance..." | Confirmation of priestly dependence. |
| 1 Cor 9:13 | "Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service eat..." | NT principle of supporting ministry. |
| Heb 13:10 | "We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat." | Contrast Old Covenant and New Covenant eating. |
| Neh 13:10 | "...I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them." | Importance of Israel providing for Levites. |
| Mal 3:8-10 | "Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me in tithes and contributions." | Israel's duty to provide God's due. |
| Ezek 44:28 | "And they shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance..." | Prophetic vision of priestly portion. |
| Num 6:20 | "Then the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord..." | Description of wave offering process. |
| Ex 29:27-28 | "This is the heave offering for Aaron and his sons..." | Priestly share from offerings. |
| Lev 22:3-7 | "...any man... who is unclean... shall be cut off... not eat of the holy gifts." | Strictures on eating holy gifts while unclean. |
| Num 5:9 | "And every heave offering of all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel..." | Priestly share of heave offerings. |
| Num 18:19 | "All the heave offerings of the holy things... an everlasting covenant of salt." | Perpetual covenant of priestly portions. |
| Matt 10:10 | "...the worker is worthy of his provision." | NT echo on supporting ministers. |
| 1 Tim 5:18 | "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages." | Supports remuneration for ministry. |
Numbers 18 verses
Numbers 18 11 Meaning
Numbers 18:11 establishes the specific portions of the people's offerings that are designated for the sustenance of the Aaronic priesthood and their immediate families. God commands that various 'wave offerings' presented by the Israelites are to be given perpetually to the priests (Aaron and his sons) and their entire clean households (including daughters), serving as their rightful sustenance due to their sacred service and lack of tribal land inheritance. This provision is divinely ordained, underscoring God's faithfulness in caring for those set apart for His service, but also stipulates ritual cleanness as a prerequisite for consumption.
Numbers 18 11 Context
Numbers chapter 18 defines the specific duties, privileges, and boundaries of the Aaronic priests and the Levites concerning the Tabernacle and its service. The preceding verses (18:1-7) established the exclusive priestly role of Aaron and his sons and the supportive role of the Levites, with stern warnings against unauthorized approaches to the sanctuary. This particular section (18:8-20) then details the comprehensive provisions for the priests and Levites. Because they were not allotted an inheritance of land among the other tribes (as mentioned in Num 18:20 and Deut 10:9, 18:1-2), God Himself became their portion and inheritance, primarily through a structured system of sacred gifts, tithes, and portions from sacrifices presented by the people. Verse 11 focuses on the particular offerings that fall under the category of 'most holy' and 'holy' gifts, designating specific 'wave' and 'heave' offerings from the people's sacrifices and gifts as the perpetual sustenance for the entire clean household of the priest. This ensures the ongoing ability of the priesthood to fulfill their divinely appointed roles.
Numbers 18 11 Word analysis
- And this is yours: Emphasizes divine bestowal and ownership. God is actively granting these provisions directly to the priesthood, highlighting their divinely ordained right.
- as a heave offering (Hebrew: terumah / תְרוּמָה): Refers to a portion lifted or separated from the rest, typically for God and then for the priests. It signifies something "set apart" or "dedicated."
- every wave offering (Hebrew: tenuphah / תְנוּפָה): An offering that was waved from side to side before the Lord, signifying its presentation to Him and then, often, its dedication to the priests. The inclusion of "every" indicates comprehensive provision, covering all such presentations.
- of the people of Israel: Clearly indicates the source of these provisions – the general Israelite populace contributing to the sanctuary.
- I have given them to you: God directly declares His act of giving. This is not a human concession but a divine ordinance, underscoring the authority and legitimacy of the priests' right to these portions. "You" here refers specifically to Aaron and, by extension, his priestly successors.
- and to your sons and daughters with you: Significantly extends the eligibility for consumption beyond the active male priests to include their entire immediate household, implying financial and sustenance support for their families who live "with them" in their homes, highlighting God's care for the priestly family unit.
- as a perpetual due: (Hebrew: chok olam / חֹק עוֹלָם): Denotes an eternal or perpetual statute, an unchangeable ordinance, establishing this provision as a lasting, unceasing arrangement throughout Israel's history with the Tabernacle/Temple.
- everyone who is clean: A crucial condition. Refers to ceremonial purity, free from defilement according to Levitical laws (e.g., contact with dead bodies, certain bodily discharges). Access to holy food was strictly regulated to maintain the sanctity of God's provisions.
- in your house: Pertains to members of the priest's domestic household – family members, including daughters who are unmarried or living at home, but excludes a priest's daughter married to a non-priest (Lev 22:12-13). It underscores that this provision sustains the priest's home, not just his personal needs.
- may eat of it: Explicit permission for consumption, but qualified by the preceding "everyone who is clean."
Words-group analysis:
- "And this is yours as a heave offering: every wave offering...": Defines the category and source of the sacred provisions – these are specific types of communal offerings designated for the priesthood.
- "I have given them to you, and to your sons and daughters with you...": Establishes divine ownership and the broad scope of beneficiaries within the priestly household. It emphasizes God's proactive provision for their full domestic needs.
- "as a perpetual due; everyone who is clean in your house may eat of it.": Highlights the permanence of this divine statute and the strict requirement of ritual purity for anyone within the priestly family who partakes of these holy things, reinforcing the sanctity of the provision.
Numbers 18 11 Bonus section
The specific distinction between 'heave' (terumah) and 'wave' (tenuphah) offerings is crucial. A heave offering was generally a portion set aside, "lifted up" from a larger quantity, signifying its dedication. A wave offering involved a ritualistic movement, presenting it to God's presence at the altar, after which it was often given to the priests. This verse includes both categories, showing the broad spectrum of gifts intended for the priests. The stipulation "everyone who is clean in your house may eat of it" highlights the concept of sacred food. These portions were not merely food; they were holy gifts. Unclean individuals eating holy food was considered a serious offense, often punishable by being "cut off" from the community (Lev 22:3). This also differentiated these priestly provisions from other sacrifices that only the male priests could eat, showcasing some priestly gifts as accessible to the entire household under proper conditions.
Numbers 18 11 Commentary
Numbers 18:11 articulates a vital aspect of God's covenant with Israel: His faithful provision for those consecrated to His service. This verse clarifies that specific 'heave' and 'wave' offerings, presented by the community as a whole, were God's ordained means of sustaining the Aaronic priesthood. Unlike other tribes who received land, the priests' "inheritance" was God Himself and the holy offerings of His people. The phrase "I have given them to you" underscores that this was a divine mandate, not a human concession, imbuing these provisions with sacred status. The scope extended beyond the male priests to include "sons and daughters," illustrating God's care for the entire family unit dedicated to Him, reinforcing their separation for His holy purposes. The perpetual nature of this "due" highlighted its enduring importance throughout Israel's generations. Crucially, access to these holy portions was conditioned upon ceremonial purity ("everyone who is clean"), emphasizing that proximity to the sacred (through consuming holy food) demanded a corresponding state of ritual holiness. This taught Israel, and the priests themselves, the profound seriousness of dealing with anything consecrated to God. While specific to the Mosaic covenant, this principle undergirds the concept of believers supporting those dedicated to spiritual ministry, understanding their provision as both a divine command and an expression of God's ongoing care for His servants.