3. The Heave-Offering of the Nazarite's ram, [Lev 6:17-20].
4. The Firstling of the clean beast, [Num 18:15]; [Deu 15:19], [Deu 15:20].
5. The First-Fruits, [Num 18:13].
Five gifts were not due unto them by the law, but in the land of Israel only: -
1. The heave-offering or First-Fruits, [Num 18:12].
2. The heave-offering of the Tithe, [Num 18:28].
3. The Cake, [Num 15:20].
These three were holy.
4. The first-fruits of the Fleece, [Deu 18:4].
5. The Field of Possession, Numbers 35.
These two were common.
Five gifts were due unto them both within and without the land: -
1. The gifts of the Beasts Slain, [Deu 18:3].
2. The redemption of the First-Born Son, [Num 18:15].
3. The Lamb for the firstling of an ass, [Exo 4:20]; Numbers 18.
4. The restitution of that taken by violence from a stranger, [Num 5:8].
5. All Devoted things, [Num 18:14].
One gift was due unto them from the sanctuary: -
1. The skins of the burnt-offering, and all the skins of the other most holy things, [Lev 7:8].
In all 24. See Ainsworth.
The gifts which the females of the priests' families had a part in were these: -
1. The heave-offering, or first-fruits.
2. The heave-offering of the tithe.
3. The cake.
4. The gifts of the beast, [Deu 18:3].
5. The first of the fleece. - See Mishna, Tract. Biccurim, and Ainsworth on the Pentateuch.
Besides all this the priests had the tribute money mentioned [Num 31:28], [Num 31:29].
Verse 21
Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth -
1. The Levites had the tenth of all the productions of the land.
2. They had forty-eight cities, each forming a square of 4,000 cubits.
3. They had 2,000 cubits of ground round each city. Total of the land they possessed, 53,000 acres.
4. They had the first-fruits and certain parts of all the animals killed in the land.
Canaan contained about 11,264,000 acres; therefore the portion possessed by the Levites was rather less than as one to two hundred and twelve; for 11,264,000 divided by 53,000, quotes only 212 28/53 - See Lowman, Dodd, etc. But though this was a very small proportion for a whole tribe that had consented to annihilate its political existence, that it might wait upon the service of God, and labor for the people's souls; yet let it be considered that what they possessed was the best of the land: and while it was a slender remuneration for their services, yet their portion was such as rendered them independent, and kept them comfortable; so that they could wait on the Lord's work without distraction. This is a proper pattern for the maintenance of the ministers of God: let them have a sufficiency for themselves and families, that there may be no distracting cares; and let them not be encumbered with riches or worldly possessions, that they may not be prevented from taking care of souls.
Verse 28
Thus ye also shall offer a heave-offering - As the Levites had the tithe of the whole land, they themselves were obliged to give the tithe of this tithe to the priests, so that this considerably lessened their revenue. And this tithe or tenth they were obliged to select from the best part of the substance they had received, [Num 18:29], etc. A portion of all must be given to God, as an evidence of his goodness, and their dependence on him. See the end at [Num 20:28].
Introduction
The ordinance of the red heifer, [Num 19:1], [Num 19:2]. She shall be slain by Eleazar without the camp, and her blood sprinkled before the tabernacle, [Num 19:3], [Num 19:4]. Her whole body and appurtenance shall be reduced to ashes, and while burning, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop, shall be thrown into the fire, [Num 19:5], [Num 19:6]. The priest, and he that burns her, to bathe themselves, and be reputed unclean till the evening, [Num 19:7], [Num 19:8]. Her ashes to be laid up for a water of purification, [Num 19:9]. How, and in what cases it is to be applied, [Num 19:10-13]. The law concerning him who dies in a tent, or who is killed in the open field, [Num 19:14-16]. How the persons, tent, and vessels are to be purified by the application of these ashes, [Num 19:17-19]. The unclean person who does not apply them, to be cut off from the congregation, [Num 19:20]. This is to be a perpetual statute, [Num 19:21], [Num 19:22].
Verse 2
Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee, etc. - The ordinance of the red heifer was a sacrifice of general application. All the people were to have an interest in it, and therefore the people at large are to provide the sacrifice. This Jewish rite certainly had a reference to things done under the Gospel, as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews has remarked: "For if," says he, "the blood of bulls and of goats," alluding, probably, to the sin-offerings and the scape-goat, "and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God!" [Heb 9:13], [Heb 9:14]. As the principal stress of the allusion here is to the ordinance of the red heifer, we may certainly conclude that it was designed to typify the sacrifice of our blessed Lord.
We may remark several curious particulars in this ordinance.
1. A heifer was appointed for a sacrifice, probably, in opposition to the Egyptian superstition which held these sacred, and actually worshipped their great goddess Isis under this form; and this appears the more likely because males in general were preferred for sacrifice, yet here the female is chosen.
2. It was to be a red heifer, because red bulls were sacrificed to appease the evil demon Typhon, worshipped among the Egyptians. See Spencer.
3. The heifer was to be without spot - having no mixture of any other color. Plutarch remarks, De Iside et de Osiride, that if there was a single hair in the animal either white or black, it marred the sacrifice. See Calmet, and see the note on [Num 8:7].
4. Without blemish - having no kind of imperfection in her body; the other, probably, applying to the hair or color.