במדבר 18

1 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ וּבֵית־אָבִיךָ אִתָּךְ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֲוֺן הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ תִּשְׂאוּ אֶת־עֲוֺן כְּהֻנַּתְכֶֽם׃

Adonai said to Aaron [Light-bringer], “You and your sons and your fathers’ house with you shall bear the depravity (moral evil) of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the depravity (moral evil) of your priesthood.

2 וְגַם אֶת־אַחֶיךָ מַטֵּה לֵוִי שֵׁבֶט אָבִיךָ הַקְרֵב אִתָּךְ וְיִלָּווּ עָלֶיךָ וִישָֽׁרְתוּךָ וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ לִפְנֵי אֹהֶל הָעֵדֻֽת׃

Bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi [United with], the tribe of your father, near with you, that they may be joined to you, and minister to you; but you and your sons with you shall be before the Tent of the Testimony.

3 וְשָֽׁמְרוּ מִֽשְׁמַרְתְּךָ וּמִשְׁמֶרֶת כׇּל־הָאֹהֶל אַךְ אֶל־כְּלֵי הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ לֹא יִקְרָבוּ וְלֹֽא־יָמֻתוּ גַם־הֵם גַּם־אַתֶּֽם׃

They shall keep your orders, and the duty of the whole Tent; only they shall not come near to the utensils of the sanctuary and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you.

4 וְנִלְווּ עָלֶיךָ וְשָֽׁמְרוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לְכֹל עֲבֹדַת הָאֹהֶל וְזָר לֹא־יִקְרַב אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

They shall be joined to you, and keep the responsibility of the Tent of Meeting, for all the service of the Tent. A stranger shall not come near to you.

5 וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֵת מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֵת מִשְׁמֶרֶת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְלֹֽא־יִהְיֶה עוֹד קֶצֶף עַל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

“You shall perform the duty of the sanctuary and the duty of the altar, that there be no more wrath on the children of Israel [God prevails].

6 וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה לָקַחְתִּי אֶת־אֲחֵיכֶם הַלְוִיִּם מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָכֶם מַתָּנָה נְתֻנִים לַֽיהֹוָה לַעֲבֹד אֶת־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

Behold, I myself have taken your brothers the Levites [Descendants of United with] from among the children of Israel [God prevails]. They are a gift to you, dedicated to Adonai, to do the service of the Tent of Meeting.

7 וְאַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתְּךָ תִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת־כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם לְכׇל־דְּבַר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וּלְמִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת וַעֲבַדְתֶּם עֲבֹדַת מַתָּנָה אֶתֵּן אֶת־כְּהֻנַּתְכֶם וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָֽת׃

You and your sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil. You shall serve. I give you the service of the priesthood as a gift. The stranger who comes near shall be put to death.”

8 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן וַאֲנִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּֽי לְךָ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת תְּרוּמֹתָי לְכׇל־קׇדְשֵׁי בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ נְתַתִּים לְמׇשְׁחָה וּלְבָנֶיךָ לְחׇק־עוֹלָֽם׃

Adonai spoke to Aaron [Light-bringer], “Behold, I myself have given you the charge of my wave offerings, even all the holy things of the children of Israel [God prevails]. I have given them to you by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a chok ·portion· forever.

9 זֶֽה־יִהְיֶה לְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים מִן־הָאֵשׁ כׇּל־קׇרְבָּנָם לְֽכׇל־מִנְחָתָם וּלְכׇל־חַטָּאתָם וּלְכׇל־אֲשָׁמָם אֲשֶׁר יָשִׁיבוּ לִי קֹדֶשׁ קׇֽדָשִׁים לְךָ הוּא וּלְבָנֶֽיךָ׃

This shall be yours of the most holy things from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every meal offering of theirs, and every habitual sin ·miss the mark· offering of theirs, and every fault incurring guilt offering of theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons.

10 בְּקֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים תֹּאכְלֶנּוּ כׇּל־זָכָר יֹאכַל אֹתוֹ קֹדֶשׁ יִֽהְיֶה־לָּֽךְ׃

You shall eat of it like the most holy things. Every male shall eat of it. It shall be holy to you.

11 וְזֶה־לְּךָ תְּרוּמַת מַתָּנָם לְכׇל־תְּנוּפֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ נְתַתִּים וּלְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֹתֶיךָ אִתְּךָ לְחׇק־עוֹלָם כׇּל־טָהוֹר בְּבֵיתְךָ יֹאכַל אֹתֽוֹ׃

“This is yours, too: the wave offering of their gift, even all the wave offerings of the children of Israel [God prevails]. I have given them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a chok ·portion· forever. Everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it.

12 כֹּל חֵלֶב יִצְהָר וְכׇל־חֵלֶב תִּירוֹשׁ וְדָגָן רֵאשִׁיתָם אֲשֶׁר־יִתְּנוּ לַֽיהֹוָה לְךָ נְתַתִּֽים׃

“I have given to you all the best of the oil, and all the best of the vintage, and of the grain, the first fruits of them which they give to Adonai.

13 בִּכּוּרֵי כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצָם אֲשֶׁר־יָבִיאוּ לַיהֹוָה לְךָ יִהְיֶה כׇּל־טָהוֹר בְּבֵיתְךָ יֹאכְלֶֽנּוּ׃

The first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to Adonai, shall be yours. Everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it.

14 כׇּל־חֵרֶם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ יִהְיֶֽה׃

“Everything devoted in Israel [God prevails] shall be yours.

15 כׇּל־פֶּטֶר רֶחֶם לְֽכׇל־בָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר־יַקְרִיבוּ לַֽיהֹוָה בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה יִֽהְיֶה־לָּךְ אַךְ ׀ פָּדֹה תִפְדֶּה אֵת בְּכוֹר הָֽאָדָם וְאֵת בְּכֽוֹר־הַבְּהֵמָה הַטְּמֵאָה תִּפְדֶּֽה׃

Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Adonai, both of man and animal shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals.

16 וּפְדוּיָו מִבֶּן־חֹדֶשׁ תִּפְדֶּה בְּעֶרְכְּךָ כֶּסֶף חֲמֵשֶׁת שְׁקָלִים בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ עֶשְׂרִים גֵּרָה הֽוּא׃

You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels [2 oz; 56.7 g] of money, after the shekel of the sanctuary, (the shekel is 0.4 oz; 11.34 g; or called twenty gerahs 20/50 of an oz)

17 אַךְ בְּֽכוֹר־שׁוֹר אֽוֹ־בְכוֹר כֶּשֶׂב אֽוֹ־בְכוֹר עֵז לֹא תִפְדֶּה קֹדֶשׁ הֵם אֶת־דָּמָם תִּזְרֹק עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְאֶת־חֶלְבָּם תַּקְטִיר אִשֶּׁה לְרֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ לַֽיהֹוָֽה׃

“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Adonai.

18 וּבְשָׂרָם יִהְיֶה־לָּךְ כַּחֲזֵה הַתְּנוּפָה וּכְשׁוֹק הַיָּמִין לְךָ יִהְיֶֽה׃

Their meat shall be yours, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours.

19 כֹּל ׀ תְּרוּמֹת הַקֳּדָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר יָרִימוּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לַֽיהֹוָה נָתַתִּֽי לְךָ וּלְבָנֶיךָ וְלִבְנֹתֶיךָ אִתְּךָ לְחׇק־עוֹלָם בְּרִית מֶלַח עוֹלָם הִוא לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אִתָּֽךְ׃

All the wave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel [God prevails] offer to Adonai, have I given you, and your sons and your daughters with you, as a chok ·portion· forever. It is a covenant of salt forever before Adonai to you and to your offspring with you.”

20 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן בְּאַרְצָם לֹא תִנְחָל וְחֵלֶק לֹא־יִהְיֶה לְךָ בְּתוֹכָם אֲנִי חֶלְקְךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Adonai said to Aaron [Light-bringer], “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel [God prevails].

21 וְלִבְנֵי לֵוִי הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי כׇּל־מַֽעֲשֵׂר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל לְנַחֲלָה חֵלֶף עֲבֹֽדָתָם אֲשֶׁר־הֵם עֹֽבְדִים אֶת־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

“To the children of Levi [United with], behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel [God prevails] for an inheritance, in teshuvah ·complete return· for their service which they serve, even the service of the Tent of Meeting.

22 וְלֹא־יִקְרְבוּ עוֹד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לָשֵׂאת חֵטְא לָמֽוּת׃

Henceforth the children of Israel [God prevails] shall not come near the Tent of Meeting, lest they bear crime deserving peanlty, sin ·missing the goal·, and die.

23 וְעָבַד הַלֵּוִי הוּא אֶת־עֲבֹדַת אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהֵם יִשְׂאוּ עֲוֺנָם חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם וּבְתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יִנְחֲלוּ נַחֲלָֽה׃

But the Levites [Descendants of United with] shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting, and they shall bear their depravity (moral evil). It shall be a statute forever throughout all your generations. Among the children of Israel [God prevails], they shall have no inheritance.

24 כִּי אֶת־מַעְשַׂר בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָרִימוּ לַֽיהֹוָה תְּרוּמָה נָתַתִּי לַלְוִיִּם לְנַחֲלָה עַל־כֵּן אָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יִנְחֲלוּ נַחֲלָֽה׃

For the tithe of the children of Israel [God prevails], which they offer as a wave offering to Adonai, I have given to the Levites [Descendants of United with] for an inheritance. Therefore I have said to them, ‘Among the children of Israel [God prevails] they shall have no inheritance.’”

25 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹֽר׃

Adonai spoke to Moses [Drawn out], saying,

26 וְאֶל־הַלְוִיִּם תְּדַבֵּר וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם כִּֽי־תִקְחוּ מֵאֵת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂר אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם מֵאִתָּם בְּנַחֲלַתְכֶם וַהֲרֵמֹתֶם מִמֶּנּוּ תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה מַעֲשֵׂר מִן־הַֽמַּעֲשֵֽׂר׃

“Moreover you shall speak to the Levites [Descendants of United with], and tell them, ‘When you take of the children of Israel [God prevails] the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a wave offering of it for Adonai, a tithe of the tithe.

27 וְנֶחְשַׁב לָכֶם תְּרוּמַתְכֶם כַּדָּגָן מִן־הַגֹּרֶן וְכַֽמְלֵאָה מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב׃

Your wave offering shall be credited to you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of the wine press.

28 כֵּן תָּרִימוּ גַם־אַתֶּם תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה מִכֹּל מַעְשְׂרֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר תִּקְחוּ מֵאֵת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְתַתֶּם מִמֶּנּוּ אֶת־תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה לְאַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֵֽן׃

Thus you also shall offer a wave offering to Adonai of all your tithes, which you receive of the children of Israel [God prevails]; and of it you shall give Adonai’s wave offering to Aaron [Light-bringer] the priest.

29 מִכֹּל מַתְּנֹתֵיכֶם תָּרִימוּ אֵת כׇּל־תְּרוּמַת יְהֹוָה מִכׇּל־חֶלְבּוֹ אֶֽת־מִקְדְּשׁוֹ מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Out of all your gifts, you shall offer every wave offering of Adonai, of all its best, even the holy part of it out of it.’

30 וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶם אֶת־חֶלְבּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְנֶחְשַׁב לַלְוִיִּם כִּתְבוּאַת גֹּרֶן וְכִתְבוּאַת יָֽקֶב׃

“Therefore you shall tell them, ‘When you heave its best from it, then it shall be credited to the Levites [Descendants of United with] as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the wine press.

31 וַאֲכַלְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בְּכׇל־מָקוֹם אַתֶּם וּבֵֽיתְכֶם כִּֽי־שָׂכָר הוּא לָכֶם חֵלֶף עֲבֹֽדַתְכֶם בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד׃

You may eat it anywhere, you and your households, for it is your reward in return for your service in the Tent of Meeting.

32 וְלֹֽא־תִשְׂאוּ עָלָיו חֵטְא בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶם אֶת־חֶלְבּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְאֶת־קׇדְשֵׁי בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תְחַלְּלוּ וְלֹא תָמֽוּתוּ׃

You shall bear no crime deserving peanlty, sin ·missing the goal· by reason of it, when you have heaved from it its best. You shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel [God prevails], that you not die.’”