What were they used for?

[Dr. Shon]

What were all of the offerings brought to the temple used for? If I am not mistaken in what I have read, I know the following things: I know that animals were sacrificed and some of the meat fed the priests. I know that grains/breads were offered and some went to the priests. I know that money was offered. Where did it go and what was it used for? Did some go to the priests? If so, how much and what was done with the portion that didn't go to the priests?
Thanks for your answers. :)

[debi b]

This is a really important topic :D Because it is such a broad one - perhaps you could begin by starting us off with a scripture to get it started.

[Shimshon]

Dr. Shon, This post might give you some help

http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=13823634&postcount=6

I answered this just last week to beej7.

[debi b]

I appreciate the post you reference :) But it is a valid inquiry and there is much to learn.

[Shimshon]

I appreciate the post you reference :) But it is a valid inquiry and there is much to learn.I in no way was trying to stifle the thread before it started.:) I only wanted to throw out there information I just recently complied for another poster who asked basicaly the same question. By all means, lets discuss. :)

[Dr. Shon]

shimshon, Thanks for the link. I'll read it first. My niece and I are reading through the Bible together and we started in Genesis. We just read about cities being given to the tribe of Levi for their inheritance. And I got to trying to remember all that I had read before about them having those cities and - I believe - the fields around those cities. I guess one thing lead to another and I got to wondering about how they "made a living", etc. I know that different members performed different functions in the temple at different times. Was there a temple in each city for the people to worship at and offer sacrifices? There wasn't was there? I don't remember reading that anyway.

Well, I've gone to babbling for pity's sake!! Sorry about that. I will go read now. :)

[Echad]

I also would like to know what the tithe & offerings were used for?
Did the Levite live like kings and the people poor? I see this in churches and Synagogue. Leaders always preaching for money and live in very big homes with nice big cares and some people work hard live in a trailer and drive around in a broken down car. Is this how G-d planed it to be? I have struggled with this from the time I come to the L-rd.

[Dr. Shon]

shimshon, I read your other post and it helped quite a bit. Thank you. Could you give me even more information about the daily lives of the Levites? I would appreciate it. :)

[debi b]

Is your inquiry more about how the priests lived than about the sacrifices themselves? Don't want to ramble on about something other than what you are looking for.............I have been known to do that :eek:

[Dr. Shon]

debi b, I think I'm the one doing the rambling and wandering. I start at one point and then realize I also want to know about another point - and then another point - and then...well, you get the picture. ha ha
I am grateful for information on anything and everything that pertains to the sacrifices, offerings, and lives of the Levites.
Wow! I guess that leaves quite a wide range of possibilities. :)

[debi b]

It is a very broad topic and any feeble attempts I make to summarize will not be exhaustive ;)

There are a few basic types of animal offerings;

Sin offering (blood applied to ark inside the Temple)

Sin offering (blood applied to outside altar)

Burnt offering

Guilt offering

Peace offering

Within each one of these catagories there are many specific details. In each category some of the offerings are obligatory, some are voluntary. There are different animals used for different types issues. And there are many larger lessons one can glean from that. To do them justice one would really need to examine them individually. It is important to note that there is an order to these offerings. There are several Hebrew words used that are translated as offering. Notice how they do not all deal with sin.

[Dr. Shon]

debi b, The animal offerings is the one thing I think I have a handle on. But what about the other offerings? And what do the Levites who aren't "on duty" do? Did they farm the fields adjacent to the cities they were given? Did they run businesses? Were temple offerings of money used to help the poor and widows, etc., as well as provide for the priests and needs of the temple? There was only one temple, right? At Jerusalem? But were there synagogues for worship at the other cities and towns? If so, was it the Levites who fulfilled the role of rabbi at each of those?

Sorry. Got carried away I guess. Feel free to pick just one or two of my many questions. :)

[Echad]

I allso would like to know this. Thanks Dr. Shon. :thumbsup: :amen:

[Dr. Shon]

Echad, Good! We can learn together! :)

[visionary]

Hey, guys, I am all ears too... would love to understand how they lived.

[Dr. Shon]

Yeah! Pilgrams on a journey together. We can keep each other company! :wave:

[Wags]

From this text we can gather that they farmed when not serving...

Nehemiah 13:10 - I also learned that the portions for the L'vi'im had not been given to them, so that the L'vi'im and singers who were supposed to be doing the work had deserted, each one to his own farm.

This passage also indicates that they owned land....

Deuteronomy 18:1 The cohanim, who are L'vi'im, and indeed the whole tribe of Levi, is not to have a share or an inheritance with Isra'el. Instead, their support will come from the food offered by fire to ADONAI and from whatever else becomes his. 2 They will have no inheritance with their brothers, because ADONAI is their inheritance - as he has said to them. 3 "The cohanim will have the right to receive from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, the shoulder, the jowls and the stomach. 4 You will also give him the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep. 5 For ADONAI your God has chosen him from all your tribes to stand and serve in the name of ADONAI, him and his sons forever. 6 "If a Levi from one of your towns anywhere in Isra'el where he is living comes, highly motivated, to the place which ADONAI will choose, 7 then he will serve there in the name of ADONAI his God, just like his kinsmen the L'vi'im who stand and serve in the presence of ADONAI. 8 Such a Levi will receive the same share as they do, in addition to what he may receive from selling his inherited ancestral property.

Judges 17 & 18 seems to indicate that Levites were hired to be "father & preist" to single households or to groups/villages.

Tithing was all in produce and as indicated here, was to be given to the Levite as well as others in need.

Deuteronomy 26:12 "After you have separated a tenth of the crops yielded in the third year, the year of separating a tenth, and have given it to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, so that they can have enough food to satisfy them while staying with you; 13 you are to say, in the presence of ADONAI your God, 'I have rid my house of the things set aside for God and given them to the Levi, the foreigner, the orphan and the widow, in keeping with every one of the mitzvot you gave me. I haven't disobeyed any of your mitzvot or forgotten them. 14 I haven't eaten any of this food when mourning, I haven't put any of it aside when unclean, nor have I given any of it for the dead. I have listened to what ADONAI my God has said, and I have done everything you ordered me to do. 15 Look out from your holy dwelling-place, from heaven; and bless your people Isra'el and the land you gave us, as you swore to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.'

[Wags]

Leviticus 25:32-34


32 " 'The Levites always have the right to redeem their houses in the Levitical towns, which they possess. 33 So the property of the Levites is redeemable-that is, a house sold in any town they hold-and is to be returned in the Jubilee, because the houses in the towns of the Levites are their property among the Israelites. 34 But the pastureland belonging to their towns must not be sold; it is their permanent possession.

[Dr. Shon]

Wags, Good information. Thank you. :)
Am I understanding your post correctly? Members of the tribe of Levi were not ALL called to serve in the temple or local synagogue? Which brings up another question. Are all rabbis of the tribe of Levi? Or is that not the same as the Levitical priesthood?
I appreciate the patience and effort of those of you who are laboring to teach me and my fellow pilgrims! :thumbsup:

[Wags]

Wags, Good information. Thank you. :)
Am I understanding your post correctly? Members of the tribe of Levi were not ALL called to serve in the temple or local synagogue? Which brings up another question. Are all rabbis of the tribe of Levi? Or is that not the same as the Levitical priesthood?
I appreciate the patience and effort of those of you who are laboring to teach me and my fellow pilgrims! :thumbsup:

Well not all were called to serve in Jerusalem - scripture says that those positions were to be filled by Levites with a particular passion for serving there. The others served throughout the land - but they also farmed to support themselves. In Yeshua's time the local town carpenter was often the most learned man (in Torah) in the village. They had to have a way to support themselves. Just like Paul was a tent maker by trade.

As for the Rabbi question - have to do a little more research on that as Rabbi's were a more "modern" invention...

[Dr. Shon]

Wags said, "They had to have a way to support themselves. Just like Paul was a tent maker by trade."

Thank you. That was one of the things I was wondering about. And thank you for the research you are doing. It is truly appreciated. :)

[Wags]

I must have been tired.... It completely slipped my mind that Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin so a Rabbi (teacher) or in his case Pharisee did not have to be of the tribe of Levi.

Philippians 3:5 circumcised the eighth day; of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;

[Henaynei]

it was asked if there were Temples and sacrifices in various villages - the answer: no - only in Jerusalem.

Now, othere than the High Priest and the Sanhedrin levites did not ordinarily serve all year round in the Temple - they served by courses or families, on emonth at a time - tjhis is one reason we can date the birth of Yeshua because Zachariah was serving in the Temple during his course :) So, while a family of Levites may live in another town than Jerusalem - they still served a month a year in Jerusalem and in the temple. Some of the money - indeed much of it - would have gone to pay for the daily keep of these priests and their families - and for the new clothes each course of priests needed for their service - during their time of sevice - as well as money to pay for the upkeep of the articles and items of the Temple - repair of normal wear and tear - the cost of new knives, rope - for slaughtering - the cost of olive oil for the lamps - the cost of the holy anointing oil and the holy incense - the costs of keeping theTemple functioning must have been enormous

[Sephania]

And don't forget the biggest expense, the wood for the continually burning fire on the altar of sacrifice. If you just add up the daily sacrifices not on a Holy Day you will see that that was a whole lot a cookin' going on! Some sacrifices had to be completely burnt up, reduced to ashes.

If you want to read up on the courses that Henaynei spoke of go to 1 Chronicles 28. There you will see how HaShem himself gave the plans to King David for the temple and ordered the Levites to serve by certain divisions. They were divided up into 24 courses so that they each took turns serving the L-RD in the holy Temple. There were also several "classes" of priests, such as Singers, Musicians, Gatekeepers, treasure keepers and Assistants to the other Priests. Each course served twice a year plus 3 weeks.
The priests and the Levites were divided into 24 courses within their assigned class. The length of each course was 7 days . The week of service began and ended on the Sabbath . In addition, all the priests served for 3 extra weeks during the year .

Each course of priests and Levites came on duty for a week, from one Sabbath to another. It should be made clear that not every priest and Levite in a course served every day. The service was subdivided among the various families, which constituted a course. The number of families in a course varied. The singers had only one family in each course whereas the other classes had up to 9 families in a course.

It also must be remembered that another "duty" of the Levitical tribe was the "keeper of the law". They were to be the teachers to the people of HaShems law handed down to Moshe. In the "New Testament" they are referred to as the "Priest and lawyers" for they were the ones who interpreted the law.

You will find today many a Cohanim that are attorney- of secular law. ;)

Here is a link that might help you. http://www3.telus.net/public/kstam/en/temple/details/priest_service.htm

[Dr. Shon]

Thanks Wags, Zayit and Henaynei! Great info. And I'll check out that link! :)