Numbers 18:20
New International Version
The LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

New Living Translation
And the LORD said to Aaron, “You priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel. I am your share and your allotment.

English Standard Version
And the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

King James Bible
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

New American Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

NASB 1995
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

NASB 1977
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Yahweh said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

Amplified Bible
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in the land [of the Israelites], nor have any portion [of land] among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

Christian Standard Bible
The LORD told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The LORD told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.”

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them: I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

Contemporary English Version
You will not receive any land in Israel as your own. I am the LORD, and I will give you whatever you need.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them: I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no land or property of your own as the other Israelites will have. I am your possession and your property among the Israelites.

Good News Translation
The LORD said to Aaron, "You will not receive any property that can be inherited, and no part of the land of Israel will be assigned to you. I, the LORD, am all you need."

International Standard Version
Then the LORD instructed Aaron, "You are not to have any inheritance in the land, nor are you to have any portion among the people. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelis.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

NET Bible
The LORD spoke to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion of property among them--I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD said to Aaron, "You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD spoke to Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thy inheritance among the children of Israel.

World English Bible
Yahweh said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And YHWH says to Aaron, “You do not inherit in their land, and you do not have a portion in their midst: I [am] your portion and your inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel;

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto Aaron, 'In their land thou dost not inherit, and a portion thou hast not in their midst: I am thy portion, and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah will say to Aaron, In their land thou shalt not inherit, and a portion shall not be to thee in the midst of them. I am thy portion and thine inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord said to Aaron: “In their land, you shall possess nothing; neither shall you have a portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance in the midst of the sons of Israel.

New American Bible
Then the LORD said to Aaron: You shall not have any heritage in their land nor hold any portion among them; I will be your portion and your heritage among the Israelites.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the LORD said to Aaron: You shall have no allotment in their land, nor shall you have any share among them; I am your share and your possession among the Israelites.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD said to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them; but your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel shall be the gift offerings and the holy things of the LORD.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH said to Ahron: “You will not inherit in their land and you will not have a division among them, but your division and your inheritance is the gifts of LORD JEHOVAH and his holy things among the children of Israel.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD said unto Aaron: 'Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them; I am thy portion and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord said to Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any portion among them; for I am thy portion and thine inheritance in the midst of the children of Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Offerings for Priests and Levites
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.” 20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites. 21Behold, I have given to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the service of the Tent of Meeting.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 10:9
That is why Levi has no portion or inheritance among his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.

Joshua 13:14
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The food offerings to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

Joshua 13:33
To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

Ezekiel 44:28
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.

Deuteronomy 18:1-2
The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance. / Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

Psalm 16:5
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.

Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Lamentations 3:24
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”

Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

1 Corinthians 9:13-14
Do you not know that those who work in the temple eat of its food, and those who serve at the altar partake of its offerings? / In the same way, the Lord has prescribed that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23
Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours, / whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you, / and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. / But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. / For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 19:29
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for the sake of My name will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Luke 18:29-30
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God / will fail to receive many times more in this age—and in the age to come, eternal life.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD spoke to Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any part among them: I am your part and your inheritance among the children of Israel.

thou shalt have.

Numbers 18:24
But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.

Numbers 18:23,24
But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance…

Numbers 26:62
And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 10:9
Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.

I am thy part

Deuteronomy 18:1,2
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance…

Joshua 13:14,33
Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them…

Joshua 14:3
For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.

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Numbers 18
1. The charge of the priests and Levites
8. The priests, portion
21. The Levites,
25. The heave offering to the priests out of the Levites' portion














The LORD said to Aaron
This phrase establishes the divine authority and direct communication from God to Aaron, the first high priest of Israel. The Hebrew name for "LORD" here is "YHWH," the sacred and personal name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. Aaron, as the high priest, represents the priestly line chosen by God, highlighting the special role and responsibilities bestowed upon him and his descendants.

You will have no inheritance in their land
The term "inheritance" in Hebrew is "nachalah," which refers to a possession or property passed down through generations. In the context of ancient Israel, land was a crucial aspect of identity and sustenance. By stating that Aaron and his descendants would have no land inheritance, God sets the Levites apart from the other tribes, who each received a portion of the Promised Land. This separation underscores the unique calling of the Levites to serve God directly, rather than being tied to earthly possessions.

nor will you have any portion among them
The word "portion" in Hebrew is "cheleq," meaning a share or allotment. This reiterates the idea that the Levites, unlike the other tribes, would not receive a territorial share. Historically, this meant that the Levites were to rely on the tithes and offerings of the people for their sustenance, reinforcing their dependence on God and their role as spiritual leaders and mediators between God and Israel.

I am your portion and your inheritance
Here, God Himself declares to be the "portion" and "inheritance" for Aaron and the Levites. This profound statement elevates their calling, as their reward and sustenance come directly from God, not from material possessions. The Hebrew word "ani" (I) emphasizes the personal nature of this promise. This divine provision signifies a deeper spiritual truth: the ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction for God's people are found in Him alone, not in worldly wealth or land.

among the Israelites
This phrase situates the Levites within the broader community of Israel. Although they do not share in the land inheritance, they hold a vital role "among" the people as spiritual leaders and servants of the tabernacle. This positioning highlights the interconnectedness of the tribes and the essential function of the Levites in maintaining the spiritual health and covenant relationship of the nation with God.

(20) Thou shalt have no inheritance . . . --Aaron is addressed in this verse as the representative of the priesthood. He himself did not enter into the land of Canaan.

I am thy part and thine inheritance . . . --All that are admitted into the number of Christ's royal priesthood have God for their portion and inheritance--in life, in death, and throughout eternity. (Comp. Psalm 73:26; Psalm 142:5.)

Verse 20. - Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land. The priests had of necessity homes wherein to live when not on duty, but they had no territory of their own in the same sense as Jews of other tribes. I am thy part and thine inheritance. Septuagint, ἐγὼ μερίς σου καὶ κληρονομία σου. This is not to be explained away, as if it meant only that they were to live "of the altar." Just as the priests (and in a lesser sense all the Levites) were the special possession of the Lord, so the Lord was the special possession of the priests; and inasmuch as all the whole earth belonged to him, the portion of the priests was, potentially in all cases, actually for those who were capable of realizing it, infinitely more desirable than any other portion. The spiritual meaning of the promise was so clearly felt that it was constantly claimed by the devout in Israel, irrespective of their ecclesiastical status (cf. Psalm 16:5; Lamentations 3:24, etc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָ֜ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to Aaron,
אַהֲרֹ֗ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

“You will have no
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

inheritance
תִנְחָ֔ל (ṯin·ḥāl)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5157: To inherit, to occupy, to bequeath, distribute, instate

in their land,
בְּאַרְצָם֙ (bə·’ar·ṣām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 776: Earth, land

nor
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

will you have
יִהְיֶ֥ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

any portion
וְחֵ֕לֶק (wə·ḥê·leq)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2506: Portion, tract, territory

among them.
בְּתוֹכָ֑ם (bə·ṯō·w·ḵām)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

I
אֲנִ֤י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am your portion
חֶלְקְךָ֙ (ḥel·qə·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2506: Portion, tract, territory

and your inheritance
וְנַחֲלָ֣תְךָ֔ (wə·na·ḥă·lā·ṯə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5159: Something inherited, occupancy, an heirloom, an estate, patrimony, portion

among
בְּת֖וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the Israelites.
בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son


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OT Law: Numbers 18:20 Yahweh said to Aaron You shall have (Nu Num.)
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