Numbers:18

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* And the Lord said to Aaron : Thou , and thy sons , and thy father 's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary : and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood . * And take with thee thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi , and the sceptre of thy father , and let them be ready in hand , and minister to thee : but thou and thy sons shall minister in the tabernacle of the testimony . * And the Levites shall watch to do thy commands , and about all the works of the tabernacle : only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary nor the altar , lest both they die , and you also perish with them . * But let them be with thee , and watch in the charge of the tabernacle , and in all the ceremonies thereof . A stranger shall not join himself with you . * Watch ye in the charge of the sanctuary , and in the ministry of the altar : lest indignation rise upon the children of Israel . * I have given you your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel , and have delivered them for a gift to the Lord , to serve in the ministries of the tabernacle . * But thou and thy sons look ye to the priesthood : and all things that pertain to the service of the altar , and that are within the veil , shall be executed by the priests . If any stranger shall approach , he shall be slain . * And the Lord said to Aaron : Behold I have given thee the charge of my firstfruits . All things that are sanctified by the children of Israel , I have delivered to thee and to thy sons for the priestly office , by everlasting ordinances . * These therefore shalt thou take of the things that are sanctified , and are offered to the Lord . Every offering , and sacrifice , and whatsoever is rendered to me for sin and for trespass , and becometh holy of holies , shall be for thee and thy sons . * Thou shalt eat it in the sanctuary : the males only shall eat thereof , because it is a consecrated thing to thee . * But the firstfruits , which the children of Israel shall vow and offer , I have given to thee , and to thy sons , and to thy daughters , by a perpetual law . He that is clean in thy house , shall eat them . * All the best of the oil , and of the wine , and of the corn , whatsoever firstfruits they offer to the Lord , I have given them to thee . * All the firstripe of the fruits , that the ground bringeth forth , and which are brought to the Lord , shall be for thy use : he that is clean in thy house , shall eat them . * Every thing that the children of Israel shall give by vow , shall be thine . * Whatsoever 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 , * And 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 . * But 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 . * But the flesh shall fall to thy use , as the consecrated breast , and the right shoulder shall be thine . * All 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 . * And the Lord said to Aaron : You shall possess nothing in their land , neither shall you have a portion among them : I am thy portion and inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel . * And I have given to the sons of Levi all the tithes of Israel for a possession for the ministry wherewith they serve me in the tabernacle of the covenant : * That the children of Israel may not approach any more to the tabernacle , nor commit deadly sin , * But only the sons of Levi may serve me in the tabernacle , and bear the sins of the people . It shall be an everlasting ordinance in your generations . They shall not possess any other thing , * But be content with the oblation or tithes , which I have separated for their uses and necessities . * And the Lord spoke to Moses , saying : * Command the Levites , and declare unto them : When you shall receive of the children of Israel the tithes , which I have given you , offer the firstfruits of them to the Lord , that is to say , the tenth part of the tenth : * That it may be reckoned to you as an oblation of firstfruits , as well of the barnfloors as of the winepresses : * And of all the things of which you receive tithes , offer the firstfruits to the Lord , and give them to Aaron the priest . * All the things that you shall offer of the tithes , and shall separate for the gifts of the Lord , shall be the best and choicest things . * And thou shalt say to them : If you offer all the goodly and the better things of the tithes , it shall be reckoned to you as if you had given the firstfruits of the barnfloor and the winepress : * And you shall eat them in all your places , both you and your families : because it is your reward for the ministry , wherewith you serve in the tabernacle of the testimony . * And you shall not sin in this point , by reserving the choicest and fat things to yourselves , lest you profane the oblations of the children of Israel , and die .

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