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Numbers 22 Part 2–Out of the Mouth of Donkey’s…

07 Friday Dec 2018

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Balaam was a prophet of God. God had made it clear that Balaam was not to curse what God had blessed.  The Moabite king was trying to enlist Balaam to destroy Israel.  God had already warned Balaam–yet, Balaam was drawn to go and meet the Moabite King.  An Angel of God stood, sword drawn ready to stop the prophet. Fortunately, Balaam’s donkey refused to put his master in danger, as a result, the prophet beat the donkey for not walking him to his death. God opened Balaam’s eyes and the mouth of the donkey; and made His point clear, God was large and in charge.  The prophet was so repentant–to God, and to his donkey.  He realized the foolishness of flirting with sin and with God’s enemies. He then followed God’s lead.
 
So often in life, we are faced with opportunities to flirt with the world. It always seems exciting and romantic–but, it never ends well. Interestingly God used a donkey to expose the truth.  It is a great irony, using the simplest creature to expose the truth.  The donkey saw the danger and avoided it despite 3 beatings.  We need to be as smart as a donkey and avoid the world’s inducements.  We need to listen to God’s lead, and submit to him humbly and completely.  In His time, God will reveal the traps, entanglements and dangers that stand in our way.  We simply need to trust the Lord.  Balaam was a prophet, but his pride kept him from seeing the truth.  Help me , Lord to have the sense of a donkey and turn away from the traps of this world.
 
God Bless You

 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.

24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat it with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.”

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.[a] 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared it.”

34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

Numbers 22 Part 1–Do Not Curse What God Has Blessed

06 Thursday Dec 2018

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The Israelites were on a roll.  Now as they approached Moab, Moab’s King and the Moabites were getting scared. They had already heard of the destruction Israel completed on the Amorites.  So Balak the king sent a message to Balaam a local prophet to come and curse the Israelites.  As Balaam prepared to answer the King, he sought God’s leading.  God was clear–DO NOT CURSE WHAT I HAVE BLESSED!  The message was in fact very clear.
 
Sometimes the right answer seems so simple.  I have a problem, let ME fix it.  So, Balak thought–I will get God to curse these people so I can defeat them.  The only problem was, Balak forgot to seek God First.  Fortunately, Balaam, the prophet did seek God first–God said DON’T  DO IT!
 
In our lives, often we do the same thing.  We have a problem and we seek to solve it in the best way we can.  Sadly, often the best way WE can flies in the face of God’s plan.  So we have to go back and follow Jesus own words, “Seek First the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  If we will focus on seeking God, and not try to take matters into our own hands, then we can walk in His blessing and allow Him to work.  God is flawless in His execution.  We must continue to follow and trust Him.
 
God Bless You

Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.

4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”

Numbers 21 Final–Amorites? What Amorites?

04 Tuesday Dec 2018

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While God Had not allowed Israel to take possession of the promised land, Make no mistake–He was still with them.  Israel, the nomadic people, were just minding their own business and kindly asked to walk through the Amorite lands.  They were respectful, promised not to steal or destroy anything as they passed.  But, Sihon the King, said no! Not only did he say no, but, he decided to attack the Israelites and give them a lesson…or so he thought.  Turns out, that was the last poor choice Sihon would make.
 
Israel routed the Amorites. They wiped them out, killed the King and took over the land. God delivered the enemies, their King and their lands over to His people.  God was not fooling around.  The people that lived in the land were going to know that Israel was a protected people. If they would simply follow God, they would be untouchable. Israel was always polite and unassuming–but, mess with them, and it would cost you everything.
 
That is how much God loves his own. He will discipline them for a lack of faith and trust–but, He will protect them from all enemies.  The enemies will soon realize they are not facing the people, they are facing the great I AM! Bible history makes it clear–that is a fight you do not want to start.  So, in our time and in this world–we need simply to trust God and follow Him closely.  As we do, the Lord will guide and protect us.  He will deliver into our hands more than we could have ever hoped for.  It is always better to allow God to be God–He does it so much better than we do–if you don’t believe me, just ask Sihon, former king of the Amorites!!!
 
God Bless You

Israel sent messengers to say to Sihon king of the Amorites:

22 “Let us pass through your country. We will not turn aside into any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.”

23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. He mustered his entire army and marched out into the wilderness against Israel. When he reached Jahaz, he fought with Israel.24 Israel, however, put him to the sword and took over his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok,but only as far as the Ammonites, because their border was fortified. 25 Israel captured all the cities of the Amorites and occupied them, including Heshbon and all its surrounding settlements. 26 Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and had taken from him all his land as far as the Arnon…

So Israel settled in the land of the Amorites.

32 After Moses had sent spies to Jazer, the Israelites captured its surrounding settlements and drove out the Amorites who were there. 33 Then they turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan and his whole army marched out to meet them in battle at Edrei.

34 The Lord said to Moses, “Do not be afraid of him, for I have delivered him into your hands, along with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.”

35 So they struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land

Numbers 21 Part 2–The Bronze Snake

03 Monday Dec 2018

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It is almost laughable.  God had literally just delivered the Israelites from the hands of the Canaanites.  The people were successful in the battle and a message to those who would consider attacking Israel sent.  It should have been a time of peace and celebration.  Instead, Israel began complaining about God’s protection and provision.  “No bread, No water, the food stinks…” God had dealt with the lack of gratefulness in several ways, up to then, this time, He released snakes among those complaining.  If bit, the people would die.

Moses, great leader that he was, again interceded on behalf of Israelites.  I am sure he and God had quite a talk.  In the end, however, God allowed Moses to construct a cure, a snake on a pole. No matter how sick the Israelites were, if they would simply look at the pole, they would be cured.  It was clear, God had little tolerance for the ungrateful hearts of His people. Still even in God’s fury, He was willing to forgive and restore His people.

In our lives, we often find ourselves forgetting the great things God has done on our behalf.  Our very salvation comes from the greatest sacrifice of God. Still, we soon forget the provision, the protection and the preparation God has provided us.  Instead, we tend to complain about the circumstances, the trials and the opportunities God gives us to trust and let Him lead.  In the midst of the complaining, God loses patience…really, after all He has done, and we are still not satisfied? The message was clear–be grateful for what you have, not ungrateful for what you think you lack.  God knows what we need and provides it. It is rarely timed or packaged in the form we would like, but it is always the right thing, at the right time.

Focus on Him, not on your circumstance–if you will, no matter how far gone you think you are, God can and will forgive and restore you!

God Bless You

They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[c] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

Numbers 21 Part 1–Don’t Mess With God’s Chosen!

30 Friday Nov 2018

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Never mistake discipline for disinterest.  Israel had ticked God off, no doubt. Their unbelief caused them to miss entering the promised land and drove them to march in the desert.  God was truly angry with their choice.  That was, in no way a decision to quit loving or to quit protecting them.  He still led them each day, fed them each day and protected them each day.  So when the Cnaanite King, Arad, decided to attack and vanquish Israel, he made a deadly assumption–he assumed they were an abandoned group of nomadic wanderers.  That mistake would cost him and his people everything.
 
God allowed Arad to become an example to all the nations. God helped Israel to completely wipe them out in payment for their attack on the nation.  All people and livestock dead; all cities burned, and nothing left to remember of Arad or his people.  They changed the name of the land to “Destruction”.  It must have been an invigorating experience to Israel.  The people that were captured were now free. The Armies of Israel, under God’s protection wiped out the enemy, and the world once again learned that these were God’s folk–under His Hand and protected from all enemies foreign or domestic.
 
Like Israel, we can get cross-ways with God. When we do, the enemy likes to lie to us and tell us God has abandoned us.  Nothing could be less true.  God disciplines those He loves, but, he will never leave or forsake them.  If someone thinks God has abandoned us, they are going to be sorely surprised as He protects and fulfills us.  We have to continue to trust and follow The Lord–allowing Him to continue to protect, prepare and provide for us.  As we do, God will then send the message to the enemy–“Redeemed! Bought with a price!” and we can rest safely and confidently in God’s arms!
 
God Bless You
When the Canaanite king of Arad, who lived in the Negev, heard that Israel was coming along the road to Atharim, he attacked the Israelites and captured some of them. 2 Then Israel made this vow to the Lord: “If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy[a] their cities.” 3 The Lord listened to Israel’s plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns; so the place was named Hormah.[b

Numbers 20 Final–Aaron’s Death…

29 Thursday Nov 2018

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It must have been difficult to see Aaron die.  Moses had relied upon his brother as he carried out the leadership of Israel. From the beginning of the Exodus adventure, Aaron had acted as Moses right hand. He carried the staff Moses used to convince the Pharaoh to release Israel. He moved with Moses, he helped to build the alignment of the nation and acted as the chief among the Levitical order. So on this day, as God called Aaron home, it must have been a heavy blow to Moses.

Still, God had warned both Moses and Aaron that because of their disregard for His authority at Meribah; they would not enter Canaan. So Moses and Aaron did all God said to do. Aaron’s authority was passed to His son Eleazar and God literally took him home.  It was a sad moment for Israel, and for Moses. It was also a reminder to Moses that sin does, in fact, have a cost.  Moses had now lost both his sister and his brother. He must have felt quite alone in the world.  But, truth was, he still had God. It would be God that continued to guide him and meet his needs.  By this time, Moses had truly learned that God was all he needed to live. Moses had seen that apart from God, he was nothing and could do nothing.  So, Moses soldiered on through the grief and continued to humbly lead Israel.

In our lives, we also experience great loss. That loss often leaves us feeling alone and to some extent helpless to proceed. In the midst of that, we have to recognize God’s authority in our lives.  He will continue to walk with us, protect us and fulfill our needs–we simply need to accept his leadership and provision.  Like Moses, we are never truly alone as long as we trust and follow God. We may have to deal with grievous situations, we may lose all we think we have. Truth is–its all God’s; and, no matter our depth of loss, God will be there for us; until he calls us home.

God Bless You 

The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 24 “Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. 26 Remove Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there.”

27 Moses did as the Lord commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. 28 Moses removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,29 and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, all the Israelites mourned for him thirty days.

Numbers 20 Part 2–The Edomites

28 Wednesday Nov 2018

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Israel had enough issues. So as they approached Edom, they just wanted a nice quiet journey through. They would be respectful, stay on the road and simply move on to the next spot.  Sadly, however, The King of Edom was not having any of it.  Not only did he refuse Israel’s kind request, but he gathered up his army and was ready to attack.  It was quite a shock to Moses and the Israelite people.  But, What that selfish refusal would cause in later years would be the end of the Edomites.
 
God looks at His people and does keep track of how they are treated. When a nation opposes Israel, they oppose God.  It is critical to note, No one has opposed God and won.  NOBODY! God would long remember the acts of the Edomite king.  Through the ages, many have opposed Israel and all have eventually regretted it. We have to trust and honor God.  We also must recognize He cares for His own.  That being the case, we can rest assured he also cares for us. We can trust him to guide us, provide for us, and protect us; no matter the enemy or circumstance.  We may not always see the immediate affect of God’s hand; but, we can rest assured He will prevail.
 
God Bless You

Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying:

“This is what your brother Israel says: You know about all the hardships that have come on us. 15 Our ancestors went down into Egypt, and we lived there many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our ancestors, 16 but when we cried out to the Lord, he heard our cry and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt.

“Now we are here at Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. 17 Please let us pass through your country. We will not go through any field or vineyard, or drink water from any well. We will travel along the King’s Highway and not turn to the right or to the left until we have passed through your territory.”

18 But Edom answered:

“You may not pass through here; if you try, we will march out and attack you with the sword.”

19 The Israelites replied:

“We will go along the main road, and if we or our livestock drink any of your water, we will pay for it. We only want to pass through on foot—nothing else.”

20 Again they answered:

“You may not pass through.”

Then Edom came out against them with a large and powerful army. 21 Since Edom refused to let them go through their territory, Israel turned away from them.

Numbers 20–Hitting a Rock!!??

27 Tuesday Nov 2018

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No matter how close one’s relationship with God is, on any given day–people forget to let God be God.  Moses was leading the people to the desert landmark. Since it was a desert–water was scarce.  The people, as usual, were complaining about thirst. Moses was grieving the death of his sister.  Still he came before God, and once again, sought God’s lead regarding water.  God told Moses and Aaron go speak to the rock and it would gush water.
 
Moses and Aaron went to the rock and said, “Listen you rebels, must WE bring you water out of this rock?” Moses then struck the rock, and water poured out.  Sadly, God then pulled the brothers aside and said–because you did not honor me in front of the people, you will not lead them into the promised land.  What a heartbreak.  I must be honest, this passage always bugged me. The amount of trouble that Moses accepted as he led the people was staggering. So on a bad day; after his sister died, for God to disqualifying him for hitting instead of talking to the rock seems harsh.  Truth is, though, It was Moses’ heart at issue.  Ok, must WE bring water from this rock–-speaks to Moses’ perception of power; not a simple misunderstanding.
 
So often, we feel like life simply is not fair. Consequences are too harsh; or circumstances are not kind to a good person. We do not understand the apparent imbalance between actions and outcomes. Take heart, we are not alone. From the beginning, we have tried to understand God size issues with a man size understanding. It is simply impossible. That is why prophets, priests and kings have simply trusted God–not second guessed him.  Paul, the most prolific New Testament author,  reminded us several times, that our Job was to trust God, follow Him, and seek His eternal perspective. Otherwise, our hearts grow weary and our faith grows thin. Then, on any given day, we could decide we know better; and feel empowered to take charge and help God out. That never ends well.  Like Moses, we cut ourselves out of God’s blessing for our lives. Let’s follow the direction of Solomon, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding. Acknowledge Him in all your ways…And HE will make your path straight!” Proverbs 3:5-6
God Bless You

In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord! 4 Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell face down, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. 7 The Lord said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

13 These were the waters of Meribah,[a] where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among them.

Numbers 19 The Water of Cleansing

26 Monday Nov 2018

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 There simply is no cleansing without sacrifice. Even as early as the journey through the desert, the Israelites had to deal with sin.  God Gave Moses and Aaron a method for cleansing.  The method was elaborate, and those that prepared for it paid a price of being ceremonially unclean. Still, God made provision for the people to be able to be cleansed for their sin. 

​The ashes for purification would be a way to continue to be in community; even when there was sin. God never wanted to be separated from his chosen people. Still, God hated sin. He never wanted it in his presence. So, to deal with sin, He made a way for cleansing. The reality is that the people’s sins were not truly wiped away by spreading ashes in water, but, there would, one day, be a sacrifice that would actually and completely cleanse sin.  The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

​We are blessed to walk in the forgiveness of sin. Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross made a full and final payment for that sin. We no longer need to kill heifers, spread ashes, or wash our clothes to be cleansed. Instead, we simply need to confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord; and, believe that God truly raised Him from the dead–and we will be saved. Romans 10:9.  We can never underestimate the depth and breadth of God’s Love for us. Instead, we can only thank and praise the Lord for what He has done.  He has made provision for our sin and given us the opportunity to experience full, meaningful and eternal life. 

God Bless You  

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 2 “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. 3 Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. 4 Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. 5 While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines. 6 The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. 7 After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. 8 The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.

9 “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin. 10 The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.

Numbers 18–Giving and the Levites

23 Friday Nov 2018

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The Levites had a unique role among the Israelites. They were to be the ones that served as the priests and caretakers of God’s tent of meeting and God’s stuff.  In that role, they had no assigned lands, nor any fields from which to build an inheritance for their families.  they lived among the rest of the tribes, and carried out the spiritual functions.  In that role, God allowed them to take the tithe for Him from the people of Israel.  God made it clear, the people were to give back to him.  They were to give a tenth of what they brought in, and it was to be the  “best” and not the rest.
 
The Levites were to receive the tithe; and, they were to give a tithe of that to Aaron and his family. That 10th was also to be the “best” and not the rest. Aaron and his family were to sacrifice as well–you got it…”Best” and not the rest. The purpose was to remember that God provided it all. It was also a reminder that as a community, God’s people were to do their part to support the ministry. The priests and Levites were God’s Liaisons. As such, they were given special responsibilities. They were not given typical lives to grow and build an inheritance. Everyone had to give; and as everyone gave, God blessed it, and allowed the nation to grow and thrive.  
 
God still calls us to give-we need to give our best and we need to do so knowing that it supports the ministry and allows God to bless us.  In 2nd Corinthians 9:7 Paul says, “As each man purposes in his heart, so let him give. Not grudgingly or out of necessity–for God loves a cheerful giver.”  God never strong arms us. He simply reminds us that our gifts are from His wealth and as we trust him, God will provide for our needs.  It is a difficult part of faith to release our treasure.  God understands. But, as we continue to give; rest assured, that the Lord will make sure our needs are met!  Thanks Lord, for sharing your stuff with us!

“I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting. 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. 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 for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the Lord. 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 you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the wine-press. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’

30 “Say to the Levites: ‘When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the wine-press. 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the tent of meeting. 32 By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.’”