The Meaning of Numbers 18:32 Explained

Numbers 18:32

KJV: And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

YLT: and ye bear no sin for it, in your lifting up its fat out of it, and the holy things of the sons of Israel ye do not pollute, and ye die not.'

Darby: And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, if ye heave from it the best of it; and ye shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

ASV: And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best thereof: and ye shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, that ye die not.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ye shall bear  no sin  by reason of it, when ye have heaved  from it the best  of it: neither shall ye pollute  the holy things  of the children  of Israel,  lest ye die. 

What does Numbers 18:32 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 18:32 mean?

And no you shall bear because of it sin when you have lifted up - the best part of it but the holy gifts of the sons of Israel not you shall profane and lest you die -
וְלֹֽא־ תִשְׂא֤וּ עָלָיו֙ חֵ֔טְא בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶ֥ם אֶת־ חֶלְבּ֖וֹ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ וְאֶת־ קָדְשֵׁ֧י בְנֵי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל לֹ֥א תְחַלְּל֖וּ וְלֹ֥א תָמֽוּתוּ פ

וְלֹֽא־  And  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִשְׂא֤וּ  you  shall  bear 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עָלָיו֙  because  of  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
חֵ֔טְא  sin 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵטְא  
Sense: sin.
בַּהֲרִֽימְכֶ֥ם  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.
חֶלְבּ֖וֹ  the  best  part 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶב  
Sense: fat.
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ  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.
קָדְשֵׁ֧י  the  holy  gifts 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: קָדֹושׁ  
Sense: sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart.
בְנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
תְחַלְּל֖וּ  you  shall  profane 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָלַל 
Sense: to profane, defile, pollute, desecrate, begin.
וְלֹ֥א  and  lest 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תָמֽוּתוּ  you  die 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation