Numbers 18:14-19 Meaning: What 'Devoted Thing' Meant for the Priests
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.”
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.
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.
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.'
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.
Meaning in one sentence
Numbers 18:14-19 explains what belonged to the priests: devoted things, firstborn animals, and redemption rules, sealed with a covenant of salt.
Context
Numbers 18 is part of God's instructions to Aaron and his sons about the responsibilities and rewards of the priesthood. After the rebellion of Korah, God reaffirms that the priests are to serve in the sanctuary, and in return, they receive specific portions from the offerings of Israel. Verses 14 through 19 list what is given to them: everything vowed as a 'devoted thing,' the firstborn of clean animals after the blood and fat have been sacrificed, and the redemption money for firstborn sons and unclean animals. This arrangement is sealed with a 'covenant of salt,' signifying an enduring, unbreakable promise from God. This provision is especially significant because the priests received no land inheritance; God Himself declared, 'I am your portion and your inheritance.'
Key Words
The word translated 'devoted' comes from the Hebrew cherem. It describes something set apart for the Lord, often through a vow. But not every devoted item went to the priests. As commentators note, only things that could be eaten or used up were given to them; gold and silver dedicated to the sanctuary stayed there for its upkeep.
The word 'redeem' is padah in Hebrew, which means to buy back or ransom. For firstborn sons and unclean animals, God required a redemption payment. Human blood could not be shed; instead, the family paid five shekels to the priest. This shows that human life is precious and belongs to God, but He provides a way to honor that claim.
Finally, the 'covenant of salt' (melach and berit) uses salt as a symbol of permanence. Just as salt preserves food from decay, this covenant would never spoil or end. It was God's pledge that the priests would always have their provision.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have drawn different lessons from this passage. Reformed commentators like Matthew Henry and John Calvin saw in the priests' portion a principle that those who serve in holy things should live from the offerings of the people. Wesleyan scholars like Adam Clarke noted the ongoing Jewish practice of redeeming the firstborn. In later Christian interpretation, the firstborn of clean animals was often seen as a type of Christ, the perfect sacrifice. The covenant of salt has been universally understood as a symbol of God's enduring faithfulness, a promise that does not deteriorate. Both Catholic and Protestant readers agree that while the specific laws of sacrifice no longer apply, the message of God's provision for His ministers remains relevant.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
This week, consider how your own community of faith supports those who serve it pastorally. The priests received no land because God was their portion. That may mean trusting God when your own security feels uncertain. Perhaps you can take a practical step: a gift for someone in ministry, a word of encouragement, or a prayer that acknowledges God as your ultimate provider. The covenant of salt is a reminder that God's promises do not fade.
Main takeaway: God gave the priests every devoted offering as a permanent provision, sealing it with a covenant of salt that would never spoil.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God told the priests that they could have the firstborn animals and other special gifts from the people. God took care of them because they worked for Him. He takes care of you too.
For ages 9, 12
The priests had a special job, but they didn't own land like the other tribes. So God gave them the firstborn animals and other offerings to eat and use. There was a rule: the firstborn of a son could not be sacrificed; the family paid five shekels to the priest instead. God called this arrangement a 'covenant of salt,' which meant it would last forever, just like salt keeps food from going bad.
Questions People Ask
What is a 'devoted thing' in Numbers 18:14?
A 'devoted thing' (cherem in Hebrew) is something promised to God through a vow. It became the property of the priests, but only if it was consumable, such as food or animals. Gold and silver dedicated for the sanctuary itself remained there.
Why were firstborn sons redeemed instead of sacrificed?
God forbade human sacrifice. Instead, the family paid a redemption price of five shekels to the priest. This showed that human life is precious and belongs to God, but He provides a way to honor that claim without bloodshed.
What does 'covenant of salt' mean in verse 19?
Salt was a symbol of preservation and permanence in the ancient world. A 'covenant of salt' was an unbreakable promise. God was telling the priests that their provision would last forever, just as salt keeps food from decaying.
Did the priests receive all firstborn animals?
Only the firstborn of clean animals like cows, sheep, and goats were given to them, and those had to be sacrificed first. The blood and fat were burned on the altar, and the meat went to the priests. Unclean animals like donkeys had to be redeemed or destroyed.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study