14:1It
happened in the days of Amrafel, king of Shin`ar, Aryokh, king of Ellasar,
Kedorla`omer, king of `Elam, and Tid`al, king of Goyim, 14:2that they made war with Bera, king of
Sedom, and with Birsha, king of `Amorah, Shin'av, king of Admah, and Shem'ever,
king of Tzevoyim, and the king of Bela (the same is Tzo`ar). 14:3All these joined together in the vale of
Siddim (the same is the
14:13One
who had escaped came and told Avram, the Hebrew: now he lived by the oaks of
Mamre, the Amori, brother of Eshkol, and brother of `Aner; and these were
confederate with Avram. 14:14When
Avram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led forth his trained men,
born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. 14:15He divided himself against them by night,
he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hovah, which is on
the left hand of Dammesek. 14:16He
brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative,
14:17The
king of Sedom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of
Kedorla`omer and the kings who were with him, at the vale of Shaveh (the same
is the King's Vale). 14:18Malki-Tzedek
king of Shalem brought forth bread and wine: and he was Kohen of El `Elyon. 14:19He blessed him, and said, "Blessed be
Avram of El `Elyon, possessor of heaven and eretz: 14:20and blessed be El `Elyon, who has delivered your
enemies into your hand."
Avram gave him a tenth of all.
14:21The
king of Sedom said to Avram, "Give me the people, and take the goods to
yourself."
14:22Avram
said to the king of Sedom, "I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, El `Elyon,
possessor of heaven and eretz, 14:23that
I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor anything that is yours, lest
you should say, 'I have made Avram rich.' 14:24Except
only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went
with me, `Aner, Eshkol, and Mamre: let them take their portion."
Why did Avram give Malki-Tzedek, king of Shalem and Kohen (priest) of El Elyon (The Most High Mighty One), a tenth of all the spoils of his victory? Was it because Malki-Tzedek was not just a king but was also priest of El Elyon? Is it the case that El Elyon's Kohanim (priests) ought to receive a tenth of all battle spoils, seeing that what distinguished Malki-Tzedek from other kings in the region was that he was priest of El Elyon, while there is no mention of these other kings having been priests of El Elyon? And if so, why do El Elyon's priests receive a tenth of all battle spoils, while those who are not El Elyon's priests do not so receive this tenth?
Yaakov Promises To Tithe To Yahweh
28:1Yitzchak
called Ya`akov, blessed him, and commanded him, "You shall not take a wife
of the daughters of Kana`an. 28:2Arise,
go to Paddan-Aram, to the house of Betu'el your mother's father. Take a wife
from there from the daughters of Lavan, your mother's brother. 28:3May El Shaddai bless you, and make you
fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a company of peoples, 28:4and give you the blessing of Avraham, to
you, and to your seed with you, that you may inherit the land where you travel,
which the Mighty One gave to Avraham."
28:5Yitzchak
sent Ya`akov away. He went to Paddan-Aram to Lavan, son of Betu'el the
Arammian, Rivka's brother, Ya`akov's and Esav's mother.
28:6Now
Esav saw that Yitzchak had blessed Ya`akov and sent him away to Paddan-Aram, to
take him a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge,
saying, "You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Kana`an," 28:7and that Ya`akov obeyed his father and his
mother, and was gone to Paddan-Aram. 28:8Esav
saw that the daughters of Kana`an didn't please Yitzchak, his father. 28:9Esav went to Yishma'el, and took, besides
the wives that he had, Machalat the daughter of Yishma'el, Avraham's son, the
sister of Nevayot, to be his wife.
28:10Ya`akov
went out from Be'er-Sheva, and went toward Haran. 28:11He
came to a certain place, and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. He
took one of the stones of the place, and put it under his head, and lay down in
that place to sleep. 28:12He
dreamed. Behold, a stairway set up on the eretz, and the top of it reached to
heaven. Behold, the angels of the Mighty One ascending and descending on it. 28:13Behold, Yahweh stood above it, and said,
"I am Yahweh, the Mighty One of Avraham your father, and the Mighty One of
Yitzchak. The land whereon you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed. 28:14Your seed will be as the dust of the eretz,
and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and
to the south. In you and in your seed will all the families of the eretz be
blessed. 28:15Behold, I am with you,
and will keep you, wherever you go, and will bring you again into this land.
For I will not leave you, until I have done that which I have spoken of to
you."
28:16Ya`akov
awakened out of his sleep, and he said, "Surely Yahweh is in this place,
and I didn't know it." 28:17He
was afraid, and said, "How dreadful is this place! This is none other than
the Mighty One's house, and this is the gate of heaven."
28:18Ya`akov
rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put under his
head, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil on the top of it. 28:19He called the name of that place Beit-El,
but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 28:20Ya`akov
vowed a vow, saying, "If the Mighty One will be with me, and will keep me
in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and clothing to put on, 28:21so that I come again to my father's house
in shalom, and Yahweh will be my Mighty One, 28:22then
this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, will be the Mighty One's house. Of
all that you will give me I will surely give the tenth to you."
When Yaakov undertook to have Yahweh as his Mighty One, upon Yahweh fulfilling to him what Yahweh had revealed he would fulfil, he also undertook to give back to Yahweh a tenth of all that Yahweh gave to him.
Why did Yaakov undertake to give back to Yahweh all that Yahweh would give to him? Was it Yahweh's law that he be given back a tenth of all that he gives to one? Was this the reason why Avraham gave Malki-Tzedek, Yahweh's priest, a tenth of all his battle spoils, a tenth of all that Yahweh gave him in battle? Also, noting Avraham's conduct, is the manner one gives back to Yahweh a tenth of all that Yahweh gives one the giving of this tenth to Yahweh's priest?
And who is Yahweh's priest?
Seeing that Malki-Tzedek is mentioned as Yahweh's priest, is he still alive to receive Yahweh's tenth? Is Malki-Tzedek the only one that Yahweh has authorised to receive his tenth, seeing that Yahweh's priest receives the tenth on Yahweh's behalf, and not on his own account? Has Yahweh authorised others to receive his tenth?
Tithing After Yaakov's Example
It should be noted that Yaakov undertook to tithe to Yahweh of all that Yahweh gave him. It is not specified how Yahweh would give it to him. It simply states that whatever Yahweh would give Yaakov the latter would tithe of that. It therefore appears that one tithing after Yaakov's example tithes of all that Yahweh's gives that one, irrespective of the manner that Yahweh gives to that one.
27:30All
the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the
tree, is Yahweh's: it is holy to Yahweh. 27:31If
a man will redeem anything of his tithe, he shall add to it the fifth part of
it. 27:32All the tithe of the herd
or the flock, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to Yahweh.
27:33He shall not search whether it
be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then
both it and that for which it is changed shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
27:34These are the commandments,
which Yahweh commanded Moshe for the children of Yisra'el in mount Sinai.
It is evident that among the commandments that Yahweh commanded Moshe for the children of Yisrael was the command to tithe of the land, the herd and the flock. For the tithe of all these agricultural and livestock produce belonged to Yahweh.
In other words, what is witnessed here is that the practices of both Avraham and Yaakov had foundation, with respect to both Avraham and Yaakov returning to Yahweh what belonged to Yahweh.
Tithing In Yisrael More Restrictive Than In Avraham
And Yaakov's Day
It should also be noted that in the case of Avraham and Yaakov the various things on which they gave to Yahweh a tenth of were not restricted to agricultural and livestock produce. For Avraham gave a tenth of all his battle spoils, which included non-agricultural and non-livestock goods. And Yaakov undertook to give Yahweh a tenth of all that Yahweh gave him, encompassing more than just agricultural and livestock produce. It therefore appears that the tithing commandment given to Yisrael through Moshe was more RESTRICTIVE than tithing as practised by both Avraham and Yaakov.
Where Was Malki-Tzedek When The Children Of Yisrael
Were Commanded To Tithe?
Seeing that Avraham gave the tenth of his battle spoils to Yahweh's priest, Malki-Tzedek, to whom were the children of Yisrael to give their agricultural and livestock produce tithes? Were they to give it to Yahweh's priest? And who stood as Yahweh's priest for the children of Yisrael? And where was Malki-Tzedek during the time of the children of Yisrael in Moshe's day?
Leviticus 27:16-21 shows that what has been sanctified to Yahweh and therefore belongs to Yahweh is given to Yahweh's priest. In other words, the manner one gives a thing to Yahweh is by giving that thing to Yahweh's priest. Therefore, just as it was in the days of Avraham, so it was in the days of the children of Yisrael. The only difference was that Yahweh's priest in the days of Avraham was Malki-Tzedek, while in the days of the children of Yisrael Yahweh's priests were the household of Aharon.
Institution Of The Aharonic Priesthood
18:1Yahweh
said to Aharon, You and your sons and your fathers' house with you shall bear
the iniquity of the sanctuary; and you and your sons with you shall bear the
iniquity of your priesthood.
18:2Your
brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, bring you 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. 18:3They shall keep your charge, and the charge
of all the Tent: only they shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary
and to the altar, that they not die, neither they, nor you. 18:4They shall be joined to you, and keep the
charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger
shall not come near to you.
18:5You
shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there
be wrath no more on the children of Yisra'el. 18:6I,
behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the children of
Yisra'el: to you they are a gift, given to Yahweh, to do the service of the
tent of meeting. 18:7You and your
sons with you shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for
that within the veil; and you shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a
service of gift: and the stranger who comes near shall be put to death.
18:8Yahweh
spoke to Aharon, I, behold, I have given you the charge of my heave-offerings,
even all the holy things of the children of Yisra'el; to you have I given them
by reason of the anointing, and to your sons, as a portion forever. 18:9This shall be your of the most holy things,
reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs, even every meal-offering of
theirs, and every sin-offering of theirs, and every trespass-offering of
theirs, which they shall render to me, shall be most holy for you and for your
sons. 18:10As the most holy things
shall you eat of it; every male shall eat of it: it shall be holy to you. 18:11This is yours: the heave-offering of their
gift, even all the wave-offerings of the children of Yisra'el; I have given
them to you, and to your sons and to your daughters with you, as a portion
forever; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it. 18:12All 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
Yahweh, to you have I given them. 18:13The
first-ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to Yahweh,
shall be your; everyone who is clean in your house shall eat of it.
18:14Everything
devoted in Yisra'el shall be yours. 18:15Everything
that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and
animal shall be yours: nevertheless the firstborn of man shall you surely
redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals shall you redeem. 18:16Those who are to be redeemed of them from
a month old shall you redeem, according to your estimation, for the money of
five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs). 18:17But the firstborn of a cow, or the
firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they
are holy: you shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat
for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savor to Yahweh. 18:18The flesh of them shall be yours, as the
wave-breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours. 18:19All the heave-offerings of the holy
things, which the children of Yisra'el offer to Yahweh, have I given you, and
your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever: it is a covenant
of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to your seed with you.
18:20Yahweh
said to Aharon, 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 Yisra'el. 18:21To the
children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Yisra'el for an
inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of
the tent of meeting. 18:22Henceforth
the children of Yisra'el shall not come near the tent of meeting, lest they
bear sin, and die. 18:23But the
Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their
iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations; and among
the children of Yisra'el they shall have no inheritance. 18:24For the tithe of the children of Yisra'el,
which they offer as a heave-offering to Yahweh, I have given to the Levites for
an inheritance: therefore I have said to them, Among the children of Yisra'el
they shall have no inheritance.
18:25Yahweh
spoke to Moshe, saying, 18:26Moreover
you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, When you take of the children of
Yisra'el the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then
you shall offer up a heave-offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe. 18:27Your heave-offering shall be reckoned to
you, as though it were the grain of the threshing floor, and as the fullness of
the winepress. 18:28Thus you also
shall offer a heave-offering to Yahweh of all your tithes, which you receive of
the children of Yisra'el; and of it you shall give Yahweh's heave-offering to
Aharon the Kohen. 18:29Out of all
your gifts you shall offer every heave-offering of Yahweh, of all the best of
it, even the holy part of it out of it. 18:30Therefore
you shall tell them, When you heave the best of it from it, then it shall be
reckoned to the Levites as the increase of the threshing floor, and as the
increase of the wine-press. 18:31You
shall eat it in every place, you and your households: for it is your reward in
return for your service in the tent of meeting. 18:32You
shall bear no sin by reason of it, when you have heaved from it the best of it:
and you shall not profane the holy things of the children of Yisra'el, that you
not die.
Domain Of The Aharonic Priesthood
18:1 shows that the service of the priesthood, given to Aharon and his sons and his father's house, was the service of the sanctuary. In other words, the priests served in the sanctuary.
18:2 defines Aharon's father's house as comprising of his brothers, those of the tribe of Levi. Therefore it is the tribe of Levi that Yahweh gave the service of the priesthood, the service in the sanctuary.
It should also be noted that within the tribe of Levi Yahweh gave Aharon's house pre-eminence with respect to service in the sanctuary. For only Aharon's house was to serve in the tent of the testimony, and their brothers were to minister to them. The non-Aharonic Levites ministered to the Aharonic Levites in the latter's service within the tent of the testimony.
18:3 shows that service pertaining to the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar was reserved for Aharonic Levites. Non-Aharonic Levites were charged with the responsibility of the entire Tent, and of listening to Aharonic Levites' charge, except what was reserved exclusively for Aharonic Levites.
Non-Levites Excluded From The Priesthood Within
Yisrael
18:4 shows that non-Levites were not to serve at all in the Tent.
Giving To Yahweh's Priest Is Giving To Yahweh
18:6 shows that the manner the Levites were given to Yahweh was in their being given to Aharon's house as a gift, to do the service of the tent of meeting. It should therefore be clear that whatever is given to Yahweh is so given by it being given to Yahweh's Kohen or priest. And seeing that Yahweh's priest within Yisrael was Aharon and his house, whatever was given to Aharon's house was deemed given to Yahweh. In like manner it was seen earlier on that when Avraham gave a tenth of all the battle spoils to Yahweh's priest, it was deemed that he had indeed given them to Yahweh. Therefore whatever is given to Yahweh's priest is indeed given to Yahweh. This is the manner that Yahweh has set in place for various gifts to him.
Yahweh Has Given The Holy Things Of Yisrael To
Aharon's House
18:7 reiterates that Aharon's house was exclusively given the priesthood as a service of gift.
18:8 notes that Yahweh has given all of the holy things of the children of Yisrael to Aharon's house. In other words, the various holy things that the children of Yisrael give to Yahweh, he in turn gives them to Aharon's house.
It should be noted that those of Aharon's house are Yahweh's priests to the children of Yisrael. It should also be noted that it is the holy things of the children of Yisrael that Yahweh has given to Aharon's house.
What Is The Priestly And Associated Status Outside
Yisrael?
What is the status of those who are not children of Yisrael? Who is/are Yahweh's priest/s for those who are not children of Yisrael? And has Yahweh, in like manner, given these priests of his the various holy things that these non-Yisraelites give to Yahweh?
Who are the priests serving Yahweh by serving non-Yisraelites? And are non-Yisraelites to follow Avraham's and Yaakov's example of giving to Yahweh a tenth of all that Yahweh gives to them, giving this tithe to Yahweh's priests for non-Yisraelites?
It should also be noted that all the holy things of Yisrael Yahweh gave to Aharon's house FOREVER! Implying that as long as Aharon's house remains in existence, it is they who are entitled to all the holy things of the children of Yisrael.
But WHO is entitled to the holy things of non-Yisraelites? Has Yahweh raised up priests who serve him by serving non-Yisraelites? Are these priests, in the manner after both Malki-Tzedek and Aharon, entitled to Yahweh's holy things that non-Yisraelites give to Yahweh?
It should also be noted that both Avraham and Yaakov preceded the children of Yisrael. Within the children of Yisrael the priesthood is in the tribe of Levi, and in the family of Aharon. But during Avraham's day the priesthood was firmly in Malki-Tzedek. Was the priesthood ever removed from Malki-Tzedek? And who is Malki-Tzedek? Did he have an ancestry and progeny, in the manner that Aharon had? If he did, were his brothers given to assist him in his priestly duties, in the manner that Aharon's brothers were given to assist Aharon in Aharon's priestly duties? And if he had no ancestry or progeny, has his priesthood remained to this very day, and to continue forever? Such that if his priesthood continues forever, those following after Avraham's example still need to tithe to him (Malki-Tzedek), thereby effectively tithing to Yahweh? And where are people to find him in order to give him Yahweh's tithes?
Yahweh's Tithe Is Not Restricted To Yahweh's
Priests
18:21 shows that Yahweh gave the entire tithe in Yisrael to the Levites, in return for their service to Yahweh in the tent of meeting. It should also be noted that the Levites are NOT priests. They are assistants to Aharonic priests, and work under the direction of Aharonic priests. Nevertheless, despite not being priests, Yahweh indeed gave them his tithe in Yisrael. It therefore appears that Yahweh's tithe is not restricted to those who are priests. Even those who are not priests, but assist the priests in their priestly duties, receive of Yahweh's tithes in Yisrael. It therefore appears that Yahweh indeed gives his tithes to whoever he has inducted into his service, whether such a one is a priest or not.
Assistants To Yahweh's Priests Tithe To Yahweh's
Priests
18:26 shows that Yahweh required the Levites to tithe of all that he had given them. Seeing that he gave them the tithe of the children of Yisrael, he required the Levites to tithe of this tithe that they had received. This tithe of a tithe they give to Yahweh by giving it to the priests whom they assist in their priestly duties, Aharon's house.
It should also be noted that the priest is at the apex of this tithing system. For the priest is answerable only to Yahweh. And seeing that the tithes he receives he so receives in Yahweh's stead, in return for his priestly duties in serving Yahweh, he does not need to tithe on what he receives.
Tithing Statutes And Ordinances Within The Land Of
Yisrael
12:1These
are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land
which Yahweh, the Mighty One of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all
the days that you live on the earth.
12:2You
shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall
dispossess served their mighty ones, on the high mountains, and on the hills,
and under every green tree: 12:3and
you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn
their Asherim with fire; and you shall cut down the engraved images of their
mighty ones; and you shall destroy their name out of that place. 12:4You shall not do so to Yahweh your Mighty
One. 12:5But to the place which
Yahweh your Mighty One shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name
there, even to his habitation shall you seek, and there you shall come; 12:6and there you shall bring your burnt
offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the heave-offering of your
hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstborn of your
herd and of your flock: 12:7and
there you shall eat before Yahweh your Mighty One, and you shall rejoice in all
that you put your hand to, you and your households, in which Yahweh your Mighty
One has blessed you.
12:8You
shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatever
is right in his own eyes; 12:9for
you haven't yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which Yahweh your
Mighty One gives you. 12:10But when
you go over the Yarden, and dwell in the land which Yahweh your Mighty One
causes you to inherit, and he gives you rest from all your enemies round about,
so that you dwell in safety; 12:11then
it shall happen that to the place which Yahweh your Mighty One shall choose, to
cause his name to dwell there, there shall you bring all that I command you:
your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave-offering
of your hand, and all your choice vows which you vow to Yahweh. 12:12You shall rejoice before Yahweh your
Mighty One, you, and your sons, and your daughters, and your men-servants, and
your maid-servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, because he has no
portion nor inheritance with you. 12:13Take
heed to yourself that you don't offer your burnt offerings in every place that
you see; 12:14but in the place which
Yahweh shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt
offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
12:15Notwithstanding,
you may kill and eat flesh within all your gates, after all the desire of your
soul, according to the blessing of Yahweh your Mighty One which he has given
you: the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle, and as of the
hart. 12:16Only you shall not eat the
blood; you shall pour it out on the earth as water.
12:17You
may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain, or of your new wine, or
of your oil, or the firstborn of your herd or of your flock, nor any of your
vows which you vow, nor your freewill-offerings, nor the heave-offering of your
hand; 12:18but you shall eat them
before Yahweh your Mighty One in the place which Yahweh your Mighty One shall
choose, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your man-servant, and your
maid-servant, and the Levite who is within your gates: and you shall rejoice
before Yahweh your Mighty One in all that you put your hand to. 12:19Take heed to yourself that you don't
forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land. 12:20When Yahweh your Mighty One shall enlarge
your border, as he has promised you, and you shall say, I will eat flesh,
because your soul desires to eat flesh; you may eat flesh, after all the desire
of your soul.
12:21If
the place which Yahweh your Mighty One shall choose, to put his name there, be
too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which
Yahweh has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your
gates, after all the desire of your soul. 12:22Even
as the gazelle and as the hart is eaten, so you shall eat of it: the unclean
and the clean may eat of it alike. 12:23Only
be sure that you don't eat the blood: for the blood is the life; and you shall
not eat the life with the flesh. 12:24You
shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the earth as water. 12:25You shall not eat it; that it may go well
with you, and with your children after you, when you shall do that which is
right in the eyes of Yahweh. 12:26Only
your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take, and go to the
place which Yahweh shall choose: 12:27and
you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of
Yahweh your Mighty One; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on
the altar of Yahweh your Mighty One; and you shall eat the flesh.
12:28Observe
and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and
with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right
in the eyes of Yahweh your Mighty One. 12:29When
Yahweh your Mighty One shall cut off the nations from before you, where you go
in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them, and dwell in their land; 12:30take heed to yourself that you not be
ensnared to follow them, after that they are destroyed from before you; and
that you not inquire after their mighty ones, saying, How do these nations
serve their mighty ones? Even so will I do likewise. 12:31You shall not do so to Yahweh your Mighty
One: for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hates, have they done to their
mighty ones; for even their sons and their daughters do they burn in the fire
to their mighty ones. 12:32Whatever
thing I command you, that shall you observe to do: you shall not add thereto,
nor diminish from it.
Tithes Eaten By The Children Of Yisrael
12:5-7 talks of tithes that the children of Yisrael are to take to the place Yahweh has chosen to put his name there, and to eat these tithes there.
It should be evident that these tithes are DIFFERENT from the tithes spoken of in Numbers 18. For in Numbers 18 the tithes of the children of Yisrael are given to the Levites, who in turn take a tithe of these tithes and give the same to Aharon's house. The tithe spoken of in Numbers 18 is NOT eaten by the children of Yisrael, but is indeed given to the Levites. Therefore these tithes spoken of in Deuteronomy 12 are indeed different from those spoken of in Numbers 18.
Children Of Yisrael Reminded To Share Their Tithes
With The Levites
12:10-12 also shows Yahweh reminding the children of Yisrael to take heed that they remember the Levites in these ADDITIONAL tithes that they take to the place Yahweh has chosen to put his name. For these tithes were for the children of Yisrael to consume at the place Yahweh has put his name, not for giving to the Levites. The children of Yisrael were therefore reminded that they needed to remember the Levites in the consumption of these tithes, seeing that the Levites did not have their own land from which to derive produce that they could carry with them for this purpose.
It should therefore be evident that this additional tithe was not for Yahweh, but was for the children of Yisrael to consume at the place that Yahweh chose to put his name. The Levites therefore only shared in the consumption of these additional tithes as the rest of the children of Yisrael willingly shared with them.
Adequate Provisions During Intensive Learning To
Fear Yahweh Always
14:22You
shall surely tithe all the increase of your seed, that which comes forth from
the field year by year. 14:23You
shall eat before Yahweh your Mighty One, in the place which he shall choose, to
cause his name to dwell there, the tithe of your grain, of your new wine, and
of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock; that you may
learn to fear Yahweh your Mighty One always. 14:24If
the way be too long for you, so that you are not able to carry it, because the
place is too far from you, which Yahweh your Mighty One shall choose, to set
his name there, when Yahweh your Mighty One shall bless you; 14:25then shall you turn it into money, and
bind up the money in your hand, and shall go to the place which Yahweh your
Mighty One shall choose: 14:26and
you shall bestow the money for whatever your soul desires, for oxen, or for
sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatever your soul asks of you;
and you shall eat there before Yahweh your Mighty One, and you shall rejoice,
you and your household. 14:27The
Levite who is within your gates, you shall not forsake him; for he has no
portion nor inheritance with you.
It should be noted that the PURPOSE for the children of Yisrael observing the commandment of the additional category of tithes was that they may have adequate provisions at the place Yahweh has chosen to put his name, when they are learning to fear Yahweh their Mighty One always. In other words, Yahweh intended that the children of Yisrael have sufficient provisions at the time they were intensively learning how to fear him always.
14:28At
the end of every three years you shall bring forth all the tithe of your
increase in the same year, and shall lay it up within your gates: 14:29and the Levite, because he has no portion
nor inheritance with you, and the sojourner, and the fatherless, and the widow,
who are within your gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that
Yahweh your Mighty One may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.
It should be noted that these verses here are talking about an additional tithe observed once every three years. The beneficiaries of this tithe include Levites, sojourners, the fatherless and widows.
The first mentioned tithe is for the Levites, in exchange for their service in the tent of meeting. The second mentioned tithe is for the children of Yisrael to consume at the place Yahweh has chosen to put his name, when they are learning how to fear Yahweh always. The third mentioned tithe is for those who are needy, being observed once every three years. The first two mentioned tithes are to be observed continually, all throughout the year, and every year. The last mentioned tithe is to be observed only once every three years, that is in one year out of every three years. Only the first tithe, that given to the Levites in exchange for their service to Yahweh in the tent of meeting, is deemed given to Yahweh.
26:12When
you have made an end of tithing all the tithe of your increase in the third
year, which is the year of tithing, then you shall give it to the Levite, to
the sojourner, to the fatherless, and to the widow, that they may eat within
your gates, and be filled. 26:13You
shall say before Yahweh your Mighty One, I have put away the holy things out of
my house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the sojourner, to the
fatherless, and to the widow, according to all your commandment which you have
commanded me: I have not transgressed any of your commandments, neither have I
forgotten them: 26:14I have not
eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I put away of it, being unclean, nor
given of it for the dead: I have listened to the voice of Yahweh my Mighty One;
I have done according to all that you have commanded me. 26:15Look down from your holy habitation, from
Heaven, and bless your people Yisra'el, and the ground which you have given us,
as you swore to our fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Why has the third year been called the year of tithing? Was it that the Yisraelites tithed only once every three years? Or was this year so called because a special tithe for the needy was collected, a tithe in addition to other tithes that Yahweh commanded the children of Yisrael to observe?
In Deuteronomy 12 and 14 it is noted that the children of Yisrael were to tithe the increase of their agricultural and livestock produce in order to have sufficient provisions when they were at the place Yahweh chose to put his name, being there to learn how to fear Yahweh always. Leviticus 23 notes that the children of Yisrael were required to go to the place Yahweh had chosen to put his name three times a year. Implying that the children of Yisrael needed to have been tithing of their agricultural and livestock increase on a continual basis in order to have sufficient provisions when they went to the place Yahweh had chosen to place his name. It should therefore be evident that the children of Yisrael tithed the second category of tithes on a continual basis, seeing that they needed provisions each time they went to Yahweh's chosen place three times a year.
In the same vein it should be understood that the first category of mentioned tithes, that given by the children of Yisrael to the Levites, in exchange for the Levites' service to Yahweh in their tent of meeting service, was observed continually. For the Levites continually served in the tent of meeting, and needed continual provisions for their sustenance.
It therefore appears that the third category of mentioned tithes, that given to the needy, including Levites, sojourners, the fatherless and widows, was observed only once every three years. And it is this third category of tithes that gave the third year its descriptive name "the year of tithing", for it was observed only once every three years. The other two tithes were continual occurrences.
Pray For Yahweh's Blessing When You Provide For The
Needy
26:15 shows that those who provide for the needy should pray that Yahweh bless them that they may have sufficient for their sustenance.
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