Numbers 18:14-19 · Bible study
Numbers 18:14-19 Commentary: Priests' Portion
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Numbers 18:14-19 explains what belongs to priests: devoted things, firstborn with redemption rules, and the permanent covenant of salt.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God assigns the firstborn and devoted offerings as provision for the priests, secured by a permanent covenant of salt.
- Key words: cherem (devoted thing), pehter (firstborn of the womb), berith melach (covenant of salt).
- Main debate: Whether all dedicated items go to priests or only consumable ones, most commentators argue the latter.
- Theological theme: God sustains those who serve Him in His house, and His provision is trustworthy forever.
- Best use: Sermon on ministerial support; teaching on God’s ownership of the first and best; connecting to Christ as the firstborn who redeems.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14Every devoted thing in Israel belongs to you.
15The firstborn of every womb, whether man or beast, that is offered to the LORD belongs to you. But you must surely redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals.
16You are to pay the redemption price for a month-old male according to your valuation: five shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which is twenty gerahs.
17But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
18And their meat belongs to you, just as the breast and right thigh of the wave offering belong to you.
19All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt before the LORD for you and your offspring.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
14“Everything devoted in Israel shall be yours.
15Everything that opens the womb, of all flesh which they offer to Yahweh, both of man and animal, shall be yours. Nevertheless, you shall surely redeem the firstborn of man, and you shall redeem the firstborn of unclean animals.
16You shall redeem those who are to be redeemed of them from a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of money, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which weighs twenty gerahs.
17“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.
18Their meat shall be yours, as the wave offering breast and as the right thigh, it shall be yours.
19All the wave offerings of the holy things which the children of Israel offer to Yahweh, I have given you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a portion forever. It is a covenant of salt forever before Yahweh to you and to your offspring with you.”
KJV King James Version 1769
14Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.
15Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the Lord, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
16And 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.
17But 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.
18And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.
19All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14Everything devoted in Israel shall be thine.
15Everything that openeth the womb, of all flesh which they offer unto Jehovah, both of man and beast shall be thine: nevertheless the first-born of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
16And those that are to be redeemed of them from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary (the same is twenty gerahs).
17But 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 savor unto Jehovah.
18And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave-breast and as the right thigh, it shall be thine.
19All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto Jehovah, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, as a portion for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before Jehovah unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14every devoted thing in Israel is thine,
15every one opening a womb of all flesh which they bring near to Jehovah, among man and among beast, is thine; only, thou dost certainly ransom the first-born of man, and the firstling of the unclean beast thou dost ransom.
16`And their ransomed ones from a son of a month, thou dost ransom with thy valuation, of silver, five shekels, by the shekel of the sanctuary, twenty gerahs it is .
17`Only, the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou dost not ransom, holy they are : their blood thou dost sprinkle on the altar, and of their fat thou makest perfume, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah,
18and their flesh is thine, as the breast of the wave-offering, and as the right leg, it is thine;
19all the heave-offerings of the holy things which the sons of Israel lift up to Jehovah I have given to thee and to thy sons, and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute age-during, a covenant of salt, age-during it is before Jehovah, to thee and to thy seed with thee.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14Every devoted thing in Israel shall be thine.
15Everything that breaketh open the womb of all flesh, which they present to Jehovah, of men or of beasts, shall be thine; nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou in any case ransom, and the firstborn of unclean beasts shalt thou ransom.
16And those that are to be ransomed from a month old shalt thou ransom, according to thy valuation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
17But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, thou shalt not ransom: they are holy. Thou shalt sprinkle their blood on the altar, and their fat shalt thou burn as an offering by fire for a sweet odour to Jehovah.
18And their flesh shall be thine; as the wave-breast and as the right shoulder shall it be thine.
19All the heave-offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to Jehovah, have I given thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by an everlasting statute: it shall be an everlasting covenant of salt before Jehovah unto thee and thy seed with thee.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14Every thing that the children of Israel shall give by vow, shall be thine.
15Whatsoever is firstborn of all flesh, which they offer to the Lord, whether it be of men, or of beasts, shall belong to thee: only for the firstborn of man thou shalt take a price, and every beast that is unclean thou shalt cause to be redeemed,
16And the redemption of it shall be after one month, for five sicles of silver, by the weight of the sanctuary. A sicle hath twenty obols.
17But the firstling of a cow, and of a sheep and of a goat thou shalt not cause to be redeemed, because they are sanctified to the Lord. Their blood only thou shalt pour upon the altar, and their fat thou shalt burn for a most sweet odour to the Lord.
18But the flesh shall fall to thy use, as the consecrated breast, and the right shoulder shall be thine.
19All the firstfruits of the sanctuary which the children of Israel offer to the Lord, I have given to thee and to thy sons and daughters, by a perpetual ordinance. It is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord, to thee and to thy sons.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Numbers 18:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Numbers 18:14-19 closes a longer catalogue of priestly dues (Num 18:8-19). The passage assigns two streams of income: every “devoted thing” (חֵרֶם, cherem) in Israel, and the firstborn of men and animals, with specific handling. On cherem, Wesley and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown specify that the items must be consumable, food or cattle that can be eaten or used. Gold, silver, and other durable votive gifts went to the sanctuary treasury, not to the priests. This distinction prevents confusion with Leviticus 27:28, where everything devoted is “most holy to Yahweh” and cannot be sold. The firstborn rules clarify that sons and unclean animals are redeemed (sons at five shekels per the sanctuary weight, unclean animals by substitution, Exodus 13:13, 34:20). Clean firstborn animals, ox, sheep, goat, are not redeemed but sacrificed; their blood and fat go to Yahweh, their flesh to the priests, paralleling the wave-offering breast and right thigh (v.18). The whole arrangement is sealed with a “covenant of salt” (v.19). Calvin, Clarke, and Barnes agree the phrase signals an imperishable, permanent bond that cannot be broken.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The passage definitively assigns the firstborn of clean animals and the redemption money for firstborn sons and unclean animals to the priests, and seals the arrangement as a permanent covenant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Devoted things (cherem) | All traditions agree that 'devoted things' go to the priests as part of their income. | Some interpreters (Wesley, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) limit this to consumable items; others hold that all devoted items, including gold and silver vessels, belong to the priests. |
| Firstborn redemption | Firstborn sons must be redeemed (not sacrificed) at the fixed price of five shekels; firstborn of clean animals are sacrificed, not redeemed. | Debate exists about firstborn of unclean animals: some say the owner may kill it if unwilling to redeem (Barnes); others say redemption is always required (Gill). |
| Covenant of salt | All commentators interpret 'covenant of salt' as a sign of permanence and inviolability. | The precise cultural background is debated: whether it refers to salt in sacrifices (Lev 2:13), eating salt as a covenant meal, or salt as a preservative, but the meaning of permanence is universal. |
| Role of priests vs. Levites | Both receive income from the people; this passage focuses on priestly dues. | Some traditions emphasise that this structure supports a professional clergy; others see the provisions as archetypal, not directly prescriptive for today. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Numbers 18 follows the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16), after which God reasserts Aaron’s priesthood. The priests receive no tribal land inheritance (v.20), so this chapter itemises the provisions that sustain them: tithes, offerings, and the items listed here. The “devoted thing” (cherem) appears in other Old Testament passages with a different sense. In Joshua 6, 7, cherem describes things utterly destroyed or banned. Here it means items irrevocably dedicated to God for sacred use, the owner surrenders them to the priest rather than destroying them. The limitation to consumable goods (noted by Wesley and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) tells us that priests could not claim the gold and silver vessels dedicated by Joshua or David; those furnished the sanctuary itself.
The firstborn laws trace back to Exodus 13: the Passover night spared Israel’s firstborn, so every firstborn son and beast belongs to Yahweh. Sons are redeemed with a set payment, five shekels (about 55 grams of silver) after one month, rather than offered in sacrifice. Jews still practice this redemption (Pidyon HaBen). Adam Clarke recounts the ceremony as described by Leo of Modena: a priest takes the child, questions the mother and father, then formally accepts the redemption money. Unclean animals (like donkeys) could be redeemed with a lamb or, if not redeemed, their necks broken (Exodus 13:13); clean animals (cattle, sheep, goats) go straight to the altar.
The “covenant of salt” uses language common across the ancient Near East. Salt preserves food from decay, so sharing salt became a pledge of enduring friendship. Calvin notes that the double terminology, “statute” (חֹק, choq) and “covenant” (בְּרִית, berith), strengthens the decree’s sacredness. Nothing could be more indecent, Calvin argues, than priests disputing their rights; God Himself treats any violation as an outrage.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant variants for Numbers 18:14-19. The text is well preserved across the major manuscripts (LXX, Masoretic Text, Samaritan Pentateuch). The only minor difference is the spelling of key terms, such as the presence of a copulative on certain words, which does not affect meaning.
Reception History
Jewish tradition has maintained the practice of redeeming the firstborn son (Pidyon HaBen) continuously since the biblical period, following the details of vv.15-16. Early Christian writers saw a typological fulfilment: Christ as the firstborn of all creation (Col 1:15) who was not redeemed but given up. The “covenant of salt” has appeared in hymns and prayers as an image of God’s steadfast covenant. Reformation-era commentators (Calvin, Geneva Bible) emphasised that God’s provision for ministers is permanent and that disturbing it is a form of sacrilege. Modern readers use the passage to ground the principle that the congregation supports its spiritual leaders materially.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God provides for those who serve Him. The priests receive devoted offerings, firstborn redemption money, and sacrificial meat. This material support frees them to concentrate on worship and instruction.
- Redemption acknowledges God’s ownership. Every firstborn belongs to God. By redeeming sons and unclean animals, the worshipper confesses that life itself is a gift, not an automatic possession.
- The covenant of salt seals a permanent arrangement. God does not change His mind about sustaining His ministers. The “covenant of salt” guarantees stability both for the priests and for the nation that relies on them.
Five-point outline
- Devoted things: Tangible offerings that support ministry. Consumable items go to the priests; permanent treasures go to the sanctuary.
- Firstborn of clean animals: Offered to God on the altar. Blood and fat belong to Him; flesh becomes food for the priestly household.
- Firstborn of man: Never sacrificed, but redeemed with a fixed payment at one month old. This underscores the sacredness of human life.
- Firstborn of unclean animals: Redeemed by substitution or, if not redeemed, destroyed. The priest still receives the redemption price.
- A permanent statute: The “covenant of salt” guarantees that this provision will last as long as the priesthood itself.
Illustration hooks
- The local church budget. Just as priests depended on offerings, ministers today depend on the congregation’s giving. This passage can spark a conversation about cheerful, regular support.
- Breaking bread as a promise. When two people share a meal in many cultures, the shared salt seals a relationship. The “covenant of salt” is God’s way of saying, “I will never renege on My promise to provide.”
- Reserving the best. The firstborn of the flock was often the best livestock. Giving the best to God remains a principle for discipleship.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really want my first and best, or can I give whatever is left?
- How does the Old Testament system of priests and offerings relate to how I support my church today?
- What does it mean that God calls His promise a “covenant of salt”? Is my commitment to Him that durable?
Leading a Discussion
This passage sits in the middle of a section that details how the priests and Levites were supported. The priests owned no land (Num 18:20), so God arranged for them to receive portions of nearly every sacrifice and offering. Numbers 18:14-19 focuses on two special categories: everything devoted (cherem) and every firstborn. The rules distinguish between clean and unclean animals, and between humans and animals. Notice the emphatic language, “you shall surely redeem”, and the phrase “covenant of salt.” Together they show that God takes this arrangement seriously. Think together about how these ancient provisions connect to the way ministry is supported among God’s people today.
Discussion questions
- What does the word “devoted” (cherem) mean in this context? Why does it matter that the devoted items given to priests were consumable?
- Why do you think the firstborn of clean animals were not redeemed but sacrificed? What does that say about God’s claim on the first and best?
- How did the redemption of firstborn sons acknowledge God’s ownership of life? Read Exodus 13:2 and 13:13 together. What do you notice?
- The redemption price for a son was five shekels, roughly equivalent to five months’ wages for a labourer. What does this specific value suggest about how God values human life?
- What is a “covenant of salt” (v.19)? How does that image help you understand the permanence of God’s provision?
- In what ways does your congregation support its pastoral leadership? How does this passage inform that practice?
- If the firstborn belonged to God, what does that imply about everything else we own? How can that truth shape your giving this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 27:28 | “‘Notwithstanding, no devoted thing that a man devotes to Yahweh of all that he has, whether of man or animal, or of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed. Everything that is permanently devoted is most holy to Yahweh. |
| Ezekiel 44:29 | They shall eat the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. |
| Exodus 13:2 | “Sanctify to me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.” |
| Exodus 13:12 | that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have. The males shall be Yahweh’s. |
| Exodus 13:13 | Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons. |
| Exodus 22:29 | “You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. “You shall give the firstborn of your sons to me. |
| Exodus 34:20 | You shall redeem the firstborn of a donkey with a lamb. If you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. You shall redeem all the firstborn of your sons. No one shall appear before me empty. |
| Leviticus 27:26 | “‘However the firstborn among animals, which belongs to Yahweh as a firstborn, no man may dedicate, whether an ox or a sheep. It is Yahweh’s. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke stresses the humbling parallel Scripture draws between sinful humanity and unclean animals, noting that both the firstborn of man and the firstling of unclean beasts require redemption. He then explains the actual Jewish ceremony for redeeming a firstborn son, quoting the priest's dialogue and the payment of five shekels. Finally, he identifies a covenant of salt as a permanent, incorruptible bond, likely rooted in shared salt at sacrificial meals.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes points out that the Bible uses deliberately stronger language for redeeming firstborn sons than for unclean animals, because human redemption allowed no exception while an owner could destroy an unredeemed beast. He explains "covenant of salt" as an Eastern hospitality token symbolizing permanence, since salt is used in every meal.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that the redemption price for firstborn sons was set by God himself, not left to the priests' discretion. He also emphasizes that God calls the priests' portion a permanent covenant of salt, so any attempt to take it away is an affront to God, not merely a dispute among men.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary explains that the priests receive specific portions of offerings, including meal offerings, peace offerings, first fruits, and redemption money, precisely because they own no land in Canaan. The portions themselves are their inheritance. Different categories of offerings come with different rules about who may eat them and where.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes explain that clean firstborn animals are never redeemed but sacrificed, with their flesh given to the priest. Firstborn of man and unclean beasts must be redeemed instead. All these offerings are a perpetual covenant of salt, establishing a lasting duty for the priest and his descendants.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill defines the priest's claim: every devoted thing and every firstborn clean animal is offered on the altar, its flesh becoming the priest's food. Human firstborn and unclean firstlings are redeemed at set rates. This divine provision is a covenant of salt, permanent and unbreakable before God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB clarifies that the dedication of items to priests applied only to things usable for food, not to gold and silver vessels meant for the temple. He explains the covenant of salt as an enduring ordinance, drawing on salt's preservative properties and its cultural role as a pledge of fidelity.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight that the phrase heave-offerings here is used in the broadest sense, covering all holy gifts the Israelites set apart for the Lord. They stress that God gives these gifts to the priests as an eternal statute, described as an indissoluble covenant of salt.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the priesthood as resting on a double gift of God's free grace: the Levites are given to Aaron, and the priesthood is given to Aaron. No one holds it by original right. The priests' renunciation of land inheritance is not a hardship but the condition for receiving the Lord Himself as their portion.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley distinguishes between dedicated items: vessels and treasures went to the temple, but edible offerings were the priests' portion. He notes the redemption price and time apply only to men, not unclean beasts, establishing a unique rule. The covenant of salt means a perpetual, incorruptible obligation tied to the priests' service.