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Numbers 18
Numbers 18:1
all sins committed against the sanctuary
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "all sins that anyone commits against the sanctuary" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
all sins committed by anyone in the priesthood
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "all sins that anyone in the priesthood commits" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
anyone in the priesthood
"any priest"
Numbers 18:2
General Information:
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Numbers 18:3
Connecting Statement:
Yahweh continues speaking to Aaron.
They must serve you
"They" refers to members of the tribe of Levi; the word "you" is singular and refers to Aaron. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-you)
or they and also you will die
Here "they" refers to any member of the tribe of Levi who comes "near to anything in the sanctuary;" the word "you" is plural and refers to both Aaron and the rest of the Levites who are serving in approved roles. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-pronouns)
Numbers 18:4
They must join you
"They" refers to members of the tribe of Levi; the word "you" is singular and refers to Aaron. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-you)
not come near you
Here "you" is plural and refers to both Aaron and the rest of the Levites. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-you)
Numbers 18:5
You must take responsibility
Here "you" is plural and refers to both Aaron and the rest of the Levites. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-you)
so that my anger does not come on the people of Israel again
Possible meanings are 1) this represents God being extremely angry with his people. Alternate translation: "so that I do not become very angry with the people of Israel again" or 2) this represents God punishing them because of his anger. Alternate translation: "so that I do not punish the people of Israel again" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Numbers 18:6
Connecting Statement:
Yahweh continues speaking to Aaron.
They are a gift to you
Yahweh appointing the Levites to help Aaron is spoken of as if they were a gift that Yahweh were giving to Aaron. Alternate translation: "They are like a gift to you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
given to me
Here "given" to God represents being set apart to serve God. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "which I have set apart for myself" or "and I have set them apart for myself" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 18:7
only you and your sons
Here "you" and "your" are singular and refer to Aaron. Other occurrences of "you" and "your" are plural and refer to Aaron and his sons. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-you)
exercise the priesthood
"do the work of priests"
everything inside the curtain
Being inside the curtain represents being inside the room behind the curtain. Alternate translation: "everything in the room behind the curtain" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Any foreigner who approaches must be put to death
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "Any foreigner who approaches must die" or "You must put to death any foreigner who approaches" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
who approaches
What they should not approach can be stated clearly. Alternate translation: "who approaches the sacred things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
Numbers 18:8
the offerings raised up to me
Here "raised up to me" represents giving or offering something to God. This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "the offerings that people give to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom and rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
I have given these offerings to you
God speaks as if he had already done this because it is a decision that he had already made. Alternate translation: "I give these offerings to you"
as your ongoing share
A share is a portion of something that someone receives. Alternate translation: "as the portion that you will continually receive"
Numbers 18:9
kept from the fire
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "that you do not completely burn on the altar" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 18:10
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
Numbers 18:11
General Information:
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Numbers 18:12
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
the firstfruits
This refers to the first of the best oil, wine, and grain that they harvest.
Numbers 18:13
Everyone who is clean in your family
Being acceptable to God is spoken of as if they were clean. Alternate translation: "Everyone in your family who is acceptable to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:14
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
Numbers 18:15
Everything that opens the womb, all the firstborn
These two phrases mean basically the same thing. Alternate translation: "Every firstborn male" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
Everything that opens the womb
The idiom "opens the womb" means to be the first male that a mother gives birth to. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
the people must certainly redeem every firstborn son
Instead of sacrificing their firstborn sons, people had to redeem, or pay, the priests for their sons.
Numbers 18:16
Those that are to be bought back by the people must be bought back after becoming one month old
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "The people must buy them back when they become one month old" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Those that are to be bought back
Most likely this refers only to firstborn humans that must be bought back and not to firstborn unclean animals.
five shekels ... which equals twenty gerahs
If it is necessary to use modern weight units, here are two ways of doing it. Alternate translation: "five pieces of silver ... each of which equals ten grams" or "fifty grams of silver, using the standard weights that are used in the sanctuary" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-bweight)
five shekels
A shekel is a unit of weight. What was weighed can be stated clearly. Alternate translation: "five shekels of silver" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
sanctuary shekel
There were shekels of different weights. This is the one that people had to use in the sanctuary of the sacred tent. It weighed twenty gerahs, which was about 11 grams. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-bweight)
Numbers 18:17
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
You must sprinkle their blood
That he must kill the animals first can be stated clearly. Alternate translation: "You must kill them and sprinkle their blood" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-explicit)
made by fire
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "that you make by fire" or "that you burn with fire on the altar" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
an aroma pleasing to Yahweh
The Lord's pleasure with the aroma represents his pleasure with the person who burns the offering. Alternate translation: "and Yahweh will be pleased with you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:18
the raised breast and the right thigh
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "the breast and the right thigh that you lift up as a gift to me" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 18:19
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
I have given to you
God speaks as if he had already done this because it is a decision that he had already made. Alternate translation: "I give to you"
as a continual share
A share is a portion of something that someone receives. Alternate translation: "as the portion that you will continually receive"
an everlasting covenant of salt ... a binding covenant forever
The two phrases refer to the same thing. Together they emphasize that the covenant will endure forever. Alternate translation: "an agreement forever" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism)
an everlasting covenant of salt
"a covenant made with salt." Salt represented permanence and was used in offerings and covenant meals. Alternate translation: "a permanent covenant" or "an everlasting covenant" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-symaction)
Numbers 18:20
You will have no inheritance in the people's land
God speaks of the land that the other people will possess as if they will inherit it. Alternate translation: "You will not possess any of the people's land" or "You will not receive any of the land that the Israelites will possess" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
I am your share and inheritance
God speaks of the great honor that Aaron and his descendants will have by serving him as priests as if God were something that they will inherit. Alternate translation: "Instead, I am what you will have" or "Instead, I will allow you to serve me and I will provide for you through that service" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:21
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
look, I have given
The word "look" here adds emphasis to what follows. Alternate translation: "indeed, I have given"
as their inheritance
God speaks of what Aaron and his descendants will receive as if they will inherit it. Alternate translation: "as their portion of what I give to all Israel" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:22
General Information:
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Numbers 18:23
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Aaron.
Among the people of Israel they must have no inheritance
God speaks of the land that the other people of Israel will possess as if they will inherit it. The Levites would not receive any of the land. Alternate translation: "they must not have any of the land that the other people of Israel receive" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:24
as their inheritance
God speaks of what Aaron and his descendants will receive as if they will inherit it. Alternate translation: "as their portion of what I give to all Israel" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:25
General Information:
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Numbers 18:26
When you receive from the people of Israel the tenth that I have given to you from them
The people of Israel would offer Yahweh a tenth of their crops and animals, and Yahweh would give that to the Levites.
for your inheritance
God speaks of what Aaron and his descendants will receive as if they will inherit it. Alternate translation: "as your portion of what I give to all Israel" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Numbers 18:27
Your contribution must be considered by you
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "You must consider your contribution" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 18:28
Connecting Statement:
God continues tell Moses what he must tell the Levites.
you must give his contribution to Aaron the priest
Here "his" refers to Yahweh. It was Yahweh's contribution in the sense that they had to give it to Yahweh. Alternate translation: "you must give Aaron the priest the contribution that you owe Yahweh"
Numbers 18:29
that have been given to you
This can be stated in active form. Alternate translation: "that the people of Israel give to you" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Numbers 18:30
Connecting Statement:
God continues speaking to Moses.
the best of it
"the best of what you have received from the people of Israel"
Numbers 18:31
the rest of your gifts
The "gifts" are the offerings that the Israelites give to God and that the Levites receive from them.
Numbers 18:32
You will not incur any guilt by eating and drinking it
"You will not be guilty when you eat and drink it"