Bible/Numbers/18

Numbers 18:17

18:16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

KJV

Save image

“But you shall not redeem the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat. They are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and shall burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling 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 smell to the LORD.

18:18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.

What does Numbers 18:17 mean?

Numbers 18:17 is a verse in the book of Numbers, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include בְּכוֹר (bᵉkôwr), שׁוֹר (shôwr), כֶּשֶׂב (keseb). It connects to 18 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

Full chapter interlinear →
But
the
firstlingבְּכוֹרbᵉkôwr/bek-ore'/H1060firstborn; hence, chief
of
a
cow,שׁוֹרshôwr/shore/H7794a bullock (as a traveller)
or
the
firstlingבְּכוֹרbᵉkôwr/bek-ore'/H1060firstborn; hence, chief
of
a
sheep,כֶּשֶׂבkeseb/keh'-seb/H3775a young sheep
or
the
firstlingבְּכוֹרbᵉkôwr/bek-ore'/H1060firstborn; hence, chief
of
a
goat,עֵזʻêz/aze/H5795a she-goat (as strong), but masculine in plural (which also is used elliptically for goat's hair)
thou
shalt
not
redeem;פָּדָהpâdâh/paw-daw'/H6299to sever, i.e. ransom; gener. to release, preserve
they
are
holy:קֹדֶשׁqôdesh/ko'-desh/H6944a sacred place or thing; rarely abstract, sanctity
thou
shalt
sprinkleזָרַקzâraq/zaw-rak'/H2236to sprinkle (fluid or solid particles)
their
bloodדָּםdâm/dawm/H1818blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood)
upon
the
altar,מִזְבֵּחַmizbêach/miz-bay'-akh/H4196an altar
and
shalt
burnקָטַרqâṭar/kaw-tar'/H6999to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship)
their
fatחֶלֶבcheleb/kheh'-leb/H2459fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part
for
an
offering
made
by
fire,אִשָּׁהʼishshâh/ish-shaw'/H801properly, a burnt-offering; but occasionally of any sacrifice
for
a
sweetנִיחוֹחַnîychôwach/nee-kho'-akh/H5207properly, restful, i.e. pleasant; abstractly, delight
savourרֵיחַrêyach/ray'-akh/H7381odor (as if blown)
unto
the
LORD.יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

Commentary on Numbers 18:17

HENRY_FULL · Numbers 18:13–17
21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath. 22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. 24 The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. 25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. We have here a short account of the survey which the spies made of the promised land. 1. They went quite through it, from Zin in the south, to Rehob, near Hamath, in the north, v. 21 . See ch. xxxiv. 3 , 8 . It is probable that they did not go altogether in a body, lest they should be suspected and taken up, which there would be the more danger of if the Canaanites knew (and one would think they could not but know) how near the Israelites were to them; but they divided themselves into several companies, and so passed unsuspected, as way-faring men. 2. They took particular notice of Hebron ( v. 22 ), probably because near there was the field of Machpelah, where the patriarchs were buried ( Gen. xxiii. 2 ), whose dead bodies did, as it were, keep possession of that land for their posterity. To this sepulchre they made a particular visit, and found the adjoining city in the possession of the sons of Anak, who are here named. In that place where they expected the greatest encouragements they met with the greatest discouragements. Where the bodies of their ancestors kept possession for them the giants kept possession against them. They ascended by the south, and came to Hebron, that is, "Caleb," say the Jews, "in particular," for to his being there we find express reference, Josh. xiv. 9 , 12 , 13 . But that others of the spies were there too appears by their description of the Anakim, v. 33 . 3. They brought a bunch of grapes with them, and some other of the fruits of the land, as a proof of the extraordinary goodness of the country. Probably they furnished themselves with these fruits when they were leaving the country and returning. The cluster of grapes was so large and so heavy that they hung it upon a bar, and carried it between two of them, v. 23, 24 . The place whence they took it was, from this circumstance, called the valley of the cluster, that famous cluster which was to Israel both the earnest and the specimen of all the fruits of Canaan. Such are the present comforts which we have in communion with God, foretastes of the fulness of joy we expect in the heavenly Canaan. We may see by them what heaven is.

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Exodus 3:8

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Exodus 3:17

And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

Exodus 13:5

And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.

Exodus 33:3

Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.

Leviticus 20:24

But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

Numbers 14:8

If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 1:25

And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.

Deuteronomy 6:3

Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 11:9

And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 26:9

And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 26:11

And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.

Deuteronomy 27:3

And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

Deuteronomy 31:20

For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.

Joshua 5:6

For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

Jeremiah 11:5

That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD. So: Heb. Amen

Jeremiah 32:22

And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;

Ezekiel 20:6

In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

Ezekiel 20:15

Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

Topics

Consecrated ThingsFirstbornOx, thePriestsSheep

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Numbers 18:17.

Leviticus 17:3

What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,

Leviticus 22:27

When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Leviticus 7:23

Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.

Exodus 13:13

And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem. lamb: or, kid

Exodus 13:15

And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.

Exodus 24:6

And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

Exodus 24:8

And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

Exodus 29:16

And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

Frequently asked questions

What does Numbers 18:17 say?

Numbers 18:17 (King James Version) reads: "But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD."

Is Numbers 18:17 in the Old or New Testament?

Numbers 18:17 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Numbers.

Reflect

As you read Numbers 18:17, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

Plan a sermon or study on Numbers 18:17
18:16Read all of Numbers 1818:18