Numbers 18:12–28

12 “I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and graina they give the Lordb as the firstfruits of their harvest.c 13 All the land’s firstfruits that they bring to the Lord will be yours.d Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.e

14 “Everything in Israel that is devotedb to the Lordf is yours. 15 The first offspring of every womb, both human and animal, that is offered to the Lord is yours.g But you must redeemh every firstborni son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.j 16 When they are a month old,k you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekelsc l of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel,m which weighs twenty gerahs.n

17 “But you must not redeem the firstborn of a cow, a sheep or a goat; they are holy.o Splash their bloodp against the altar and burn their fatq as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.r 18 Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offerings and the right thigh are yours.t 19 Whatever is set aside from the holyu offerings the Israelites present to the Lord I give to you and your sons and daughters as your perpetual share. It is an everlasting covenant of saltv before the Lord for both you and your offspring.”

20 The Lord said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them;w I am your share and your inheritancex among the Israelites.

21 “I give to the Levites all the tithesy in Israel as their inheritancez in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.a 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the tent of meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die.b 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the tent of meeting and bear the responsibility for any offenses they commit against it. This is a lasting ordinancec for the generations to come.d They will receive no inheritancee among the Israelites.f 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord.g That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’ ”

25 The Lord said to Moses, 26 “Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give youh as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.i 27 Your offering will be reckonedj to you as grain from the threshing floork or juice from the winepress.l 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithesm you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest.