Numbers 5 9

Numbers 5:9 kjv

And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.

Numbers 5:9 nkjv

Every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his.

Numbers 5:9 niv

All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.

Numbers 5:9 esv

And every contribution, all the holy donations of the people of Israel, which they bring to the priest, shall be his.

Numbers 5:9 nlt

All the sacred offerings that the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him.

Numbers 5 9 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Num 18:8Then the Lord said to Aaron, “Behold, I have given you charge of My heave offerings... all the consecrated things... I have given them to you... a perpetual due."God ordains priestly right to heave offerings and consecrated items.
Num 18:11Every dedicated gift... all the heave offerings of the people of Israel... shall be yours...Reinforces the general principle of dedicated gifts for priests.
Num 18:14Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours.Explicitly states dedicated (devoted) things are priestly possession.
Lev 6:16The remainder of it Aaron and his sons shall eat; with unleavened bread it shall be eaten in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it.Priests entitled to a portion of the grain offering.
Lev 7:6Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy.Priest's share of most holy offerings, like the sin offering.
Lev 7:34For from the people of Israel I have taken the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the heave offering, and have given them to Aaron the priest... for a perpetual due.Priestly share of fellowship offering.
Deut 18:1“The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the Lord’s food offerings and His inheritance."General statement on priestly sustenance from offerings instead of land.
Deut 18:3This shall be the priests’ due from the people...Specifies parts of sacrifices as priestly portions.
Deut 14:27And the Levite that is within your gates, you shall not neglect him, for he has no portion or inheritance with you.Reminder to support Levites/priests as they have no land inheritance.
Ezek 44:29-30And they shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering, and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. The first of all the firstfruits of all kinds... shall be for the priests...Priestly entitlements reaffirmed in future temple vision.
Neh 10:38And the priest, the son of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes, and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes to the house of our God...Order of distribution, highlighting portion for priests from Levites' tithes.
Mal 3:8-10“Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me... Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house..."Principle of supporting God's house/servants through offerings.
1 Cor 9:13Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?Paul references the Old Testament principle of priestly sustenance.
1 Cor 9:14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.New Testament application: Gospel ministers deserve financial support.
Gal 6:6Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches.Principle of reciprocal support for spiritual teachers.
1 Tim 5:18For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”General principle supporting the right of workers (including spiritual) to be paid.
Phil 4:18I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.Paul gratefully accepts financial support for his ministry.
Rom 15:27...for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material things.Principle of sharing material blessings with those who impart spiritual ones.
Heb 7:5And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers...Highlighting the legal basis for priestly reception of tithes.
Josh 14:4For the descendants of Joseph became two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim. And no portion was given to the Levites in the land, except cities to dwell in, with their pasturelands...Historical confirmation of Levites' lack of land inheritance, emphasizing reliance on offerings.
Eze 48:11-12It shall be for the consecrated priests... for they remained faithful when the people of Israel went astray... the most holy portion out of the produce of the land.Future provision for faithful priests, highlighting their dedication.

Numbers 5 verses

Numbers 5 9 Meaning

Numbers 5:9 states a foundational principle concerning priestly provision in ancient Israel: "Every offering of all the holy things of the people of Israel, which they offer to the priest, shall be his." This verse establishes that dedicated sacred items and specific contributions presented by the people of Israel to the Lord, when processed or designated for the priests, rightfully become their property. It assures the legitimate support of those serving in the Tabernacle.

Numbers 5 9 Context

Numbers chapter 5 details laws concerning ritual purity and justice within the Israelite camp, leading into a discussion of priestly roles. The immediate verses (5:1-4) address the expulsion of defiled individuals from the camp. Following this, verses 5-8 focus on restitution for wrongdoing, particularly highlighting cases where there is no surviving relative to whom restitution can be made; in such cases, the restitution is paid directly to the priest. Numbers 5:9 broadens this specific scenario, establishing a general principle that "every offering of all the holy things" dedicated to the Lord through the priest becomes the priest's property. This context highlights the priest's dual role as an intermediary in matters of sin and atonement (including restitution) and as one supported by the very sacred economy they facilitate. Historically, the priestly class (Levites, specifically the Aaronic line) was not given a tribal land inheritance like the other tribes. Instead, their livelihood was divinely ordained to come from a portion of the people's offerings, sacrifices, tithes, and specific dedicated items. This arrangement ensured their full devotion to the service of God and the instruction of His Law without needing to farm or engage in typical economic activities for sustenance.

Numbers 5 9 Word analysis

  • Every offering: (Hebrew: terumah - תְּרוּמָה). This term generally refers to a "heave offering" or a "contribution" that is lifted up or separated from a larger mass and presented to God, typically as a portion for the priests or for sacred use. It denotes a dedicated portion.
  • of all the holy things: (Hebrew: qodesh - קֹדֶשׁ, used in its plural or collective sense "holy things"). This refers to anything set apart or consecrated exclusively for God's use. In this context, it includes various consecrated portions of sacrifices, firstfruits, devoted things, or payments for specific dedications that, by divine command, were assigned to the priests. This emphasizes the sacred nature and origin of the items becoming the priest's.
  • of the people of Israel: Indicates the source of these offerings, emphasizing the communal responsibility of the Israelites to support the Tabernacle service and those who administer it.
  • which they offer: Signifies the act of presentation or dedication. It can be a voluntary act or a commanded duty to bring forth specific "holy things." The emphasis is on the fact that these items are given.
  • to the priest: Designates the legitimate recipient. The priest acts as God's representative and intermediary in the process, ensuring the offerings are rightly received and used according to God's ordinances.
  • shall be his: Confirms the rightful ownership and possession of the designated portions by the priest. This divine declaration provides legal and spiritual basis for priestly sustenance, making it a sacred provision rather than mere human charity.

Words-group by words-group analysis

  • "Every offering of all the holy things": This phrase combines terumah with qodesh to describe the full range of sacred contributions designated for the priestly support. It's comprehensive, implying no exceptions among items legally defined as "holy offerings" for priests. This includes various firstfruits, dedicated restitution (as per Num 5:8), specific parts of sacrifices, and other items set apart for the Lord.
  • "of the people of Israel, which they offer to the priest": This highlights the flow: from the people, by their act of offering/dedication, to the priest. It underlines the chain of command and provision originating from God, implemented by the people, and received by God's chosen servants. It also distinguishes between items brought for general Tabernacle maintenance and those specifically for priestly support.
  • "shall be his": This simple declaration establishes divine ownership and mandate. It clarifies that these offerings are not merely donations or acts of charity from the people, but rather God’s prescribed method for supporting His chosen ministers, affirming the priest’s divine right to these provisions.

Numbers 5 9 Bonus section

The specific word terumah (heave offering) often refers to the part of the harvest or dedicated items lifted off the bulk and set apart. It symbolizes dedication and separation for a holy purpose. This concept underpins the biblical principle that what is first and best belongs to God, and in this case, to His representatives. The inclusion of this verse after the laws of defilement and restitution (5:1-8) subtly connects the maintenance of a holy environment and proper justice within the community to the practical sustenance of those who enforce and live out these standards. It also emphasizes that even restitution, when there's no earthly recipient, ultimately reverts to God's designated ministers, signifying His comprehensive care over all aspects of His covenant people.

Numbers 5 9 Commentary

Numbers 5:9 articulates a fundamental principle of divine provision for the Levitical priesthood in ancient Israel. While the preceding verse specifically addresses restitution to the priest in cases where no kin exist, this verse broadens the scope to encompass all types of "holy things" (terumah) dedicated to the Lord and presented through the priest. This means any offering, portion of a sacrifice, firstfruits, or devoted item that God designated as priestly due legally and rightfully belonged to the priests. This provision ensured that those whose primary function was the Tabernacle service – mediating between God and man, performing rituals, and teaching the Law – were sustained without needing to pursue secular trades or agriculture, maintaining their separation and focus on sacred duties. It wasn't an arbitrary tax but a divine system reflecting God's faithfulness to those who served Him. This Old Testament principle finds continuity in the New Testament, where the apostles affirm that those who minister the spiritual blessings of the Gospel are entitled to receive material support from those they serve, upholding the sacred economy of the Lord's house.