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22 The Israelites[a] will not come near again to the tent of assembly, or they will bear sin[b] and die. 23 The Levites[c] will perform the service of the tent of assembly, and they will bear their guilt, an eternal decree for all your generations. But they will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the Israelites[d] 24 because the tithes[e] of the Israelites[f] that are offered[g] to Yahweh as a contribution, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I said to them, ‘They will not receive an inheritance in the midst of the Israelites.’”[h]

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 18:22 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  2. Numbers 18:22 The NRSV translates “they will incur guilt”
  3. Numbers 18:23 Hebrew “Levite”
  4. Numbers 18:23 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  5. Numbers 18:24 Hebrew “tithe”
  6. Numbers 18:24 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  7. Numbers 18:24 Hebrew “raised up”
  8. Numbers 18:24 Literally “sons/children of Israel”

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.(A) 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 ordinance(B) for the generations to come.(C) They will receive no inheritance(D) among the Israelites.(E) 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord.(F) That is why I said concerning them: ‘They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.’”

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