Numbers 18:19
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you and your offspring.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
"All the holy heave-offerings" are not the thank-offerings (Knobel), but, as in Num 18:8, all the holy gifts enumerated in Num 18:9-18. Jehovah gives these to the priests as an eternal claim. "An eternal covenant of salt is this before Jehovah," for Aaron and his descendants. A "covenant of salt;" equivalent to an indissoluble covenant, or inviolable contract (see at Lev 2:13).
Open source ↗Aaron being now fully established in the priesthood abundantly to his own satisfaction, and to the satisfaction of the people (which was the good that God brought out of the evil opposition made to him), in this chapter God gives him full instructions concerning his office or rather repeats those which he had before given him. He tells him, I. What must be his work and the care and charge committed to him, and what assistance he should have the Levites in that work (Num 18:1-7). II. What should be his and the Levites' wages for this work. 1. The perquisites or fees peculiar to the priests (Num 18:8-19). 2. The settled maintenance of the Levites (Num 18:20-24). III. The portion which must be paid to the priests out of the Levites' maintenance (Num 18:25-32). Thus every one knew what he had to do, and what he had to live upon.
Open source ↗18:19 These arrangements were part of an eternal and unbreakable covenant (literally a covenant of salt; cp. 2 Chr 13:5). The covenant was apparently meant to be permanent, since salt (a preservative) was a symbol of permanence (Lev 2:13).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to each of your offerings.
And this is yours as well: the offering of their gifts, along with all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I have given this to you and your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. Every ceremonially clean person in your household may eat it.
Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD.
From the cakes he must present one portion of each offering as a contribution to the LORD. It belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offering.
To that place you are to bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and heave offerings, your vow offerings and freewill offerings, as well as the firstborn of your herds and flocks.
Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.
Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as an offering for the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.