The Meaning of Numbers 18:30 Explained

Numbers 18:30

KJV: Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.

YLT: 'And thou hast said unto them, In your lifting up its fat out of it, then it hath been reckoned to the Levites, as increase of a threshing-floor, and as increase of a wine-vat;

Darby: And thou shalt say unto them, When ye heave the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as produce of the threshing-floor, and as produce of the winepress.

ASV: Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye heave the best thereof from it, then it shall be reckoned unto the Levites as the increase of the threshing-floor, and as the increase of the wine-press.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore thou shalt say  unto them, When ye have heaved  the best  thereof from it, then it shall be counted  unto the Levites  as the increase  of the threshingfloor,  and as the increase  of the winepress. 

What does Numbers 18:30 Mean?

Context Summary

Numbers 18:21-32 - Give God The Best
The inner service of the Tabernacle was assigned to the priests, who must be of the house of Aaron. The Levites were joined to the house of Aaron for the more menial service. In the earlier portion of this chapter, Numbers 18:5-20, the maintenance of the priests is provided for; and in this part, Numbers 18:21-32, the maintenance of the Levites. A tithe of the heave-offerings of Israel was assigned to them. It had been Levi's doom to be scattered in Israel, Genesis 49:7. But the curse was transmuted to blessing. They were summoned to perform the priestly office of the first-born, and God was not unmindful to reward them for their arduous labors. He Himself became their inheritance.
But though the Levite's sustenance was assured from the gifts of Israel, he was not absolved from the privilege and duty of contributing to the service of God. He, too, must offer a tithe for the support of the priests. "We are members one of another." [source]

Chapter Summary: Numbers 18

1  The charge of the priests and Levites
8  The priests, portion
21  The Levites,
25  The heave offering to the priests out of the Levites' portion

What do the individual words in Numbers 18:30 mean?

Therefore you shall say to them when you have lifted up - the best of it then [the rest] shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress
וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֲלֵהֶ֑ם בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶ֤ם אֶת־ חֶלְבּוֹ֙ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וְנֶחְשַׁב֙ לַלְוִיִּ֔ם כִּתְבוּאַ֥ת גֹּ֖רֶן וְכִתְבוּאַ֥ת יָֽקֶב

וְאָמַרְתָּ֖  Therefore  you  shall  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶ֑ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶ֤ם  when  you  have  lifted  up 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: יָרוּם 
Sense: to rise, rise up, be high, be lofty, be exalted.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֶלְבּוֹ֙  the  best 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶב  
Sense: fat.
מִמֶּ֔נּוּ  of  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
וְנֶחְשַׁב֙  then  [the  rest]  shall  be  accounted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָשַׁב 
Sense: to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count.
לַלְוִיִּ֔ם  to  the  Levites 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: לֵוִי  
Sense: the descendants of Levi, the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah.
כִּתְבוּאַ֥ת  as  the  produce 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּבוּאָה  
Sense: produce, product, revenue.
גֹּ֖רֶן  of  the  threshing  floor 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֹּרֶן  
Sense: threshing-floor.
וְכִתְבוּאַ֥ת  and  as  the  produce 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּבוּאָה  
Sense: produce, product, revenue.
יָֽקֶב  of  the  winepress 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶקֶב  
Sense: wine vat, wine-press.