Numbers 18 in the early church
62 passages quote, allude to, or echo Numbers 18, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 12 · 15 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 26 · 27
Numbers 18:1
So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:1 | Homilies on Numbers 10.1 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:1 | Homilies on Numbers 10.3 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:1 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.18.6 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:1 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.25.9 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:1–7 | Apostolic Constitutions 8.46.6 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:1–7 | Letter 1 to Himerius of Tarragona, chapter 7 · Siricius, bishop of Rome | allusion, medium confidence | 385 |
Numbers 18:2
But bring with you also your brothers from the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and assist you and your sons before the Tent of the Testimony.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:2 | Homilies on Numbers 10.3 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Numbers 18:3
And they shall attend to your duties and to all the duties of the Tent; but they must not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:3 | Homilies on Numbers 10.3 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Numbers 18:5
And you shall attend to the duties of the sanctuary and of the altar, so that wrath may not fall on the Israelites again.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:5 | Homilies on Numbers 10.3 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Numbers 18:7
But only you and your sons shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and what is inside the veil, and you are to perform that service. I am giving you the work of the priesthood as a gift, but any outsider who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:7 | Homilies on Numbers 10.3 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:7 | Question 46, section 2 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Num 18:7 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.27.1 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:7 | Letter 2, chapter 9 · Innocent I, bishop of Rome | allusion, medium confidence | 401–417 |
Numbers 18:8
Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:8 | Homilies on Numbers 11.6 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:8 | Homilies on Numbers 11.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:8 | Letter 78.17 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Num 18:8–10 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.25.9 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
Numbers 18:9
A portion of the most holy offerings reserved from the fire will be yours. From all the offerings they render to Me as most holy offerings, whether grain offerings or sin offerings or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:9 | Homilies on Numbers 11.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:9 | Homilies on Numbers 11.8 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:9 | Homilies on Numbers 11.9 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Numbers 18:12
I give you all the freshest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain that the Israelites give to the LORD as their firstfruits.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:12 | Didache 13.3 · Anonymous | echo, medium confidence | ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) |
| Num 18:12 | Homilies on Numbers 11.1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:12 | Homilies on Numbers 11.3 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:12–13 | Letter 64.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Num 18:12–15 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.25.9 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:12 | Life of Macrina, part 5 · Gregory of Nyssa | echo, low confidence | ca. 380 |
Numbers 18:15
The 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.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:15–16 | Letter 64.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Num 18:15–17 | Against Helvidius 12 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 383 |
Numbers 18:20
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.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:20 | Homilies on Joshua 9.5 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:20 | Homilies on Joshua 17.2 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:20 | Homilies on Leviticus 7.1 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:20 | Homilies on Numbers 21.1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:20 | Homilies on Numbers 27.4 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:20 | Tractates on the Psalms 118.8.3 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| Num 18:20–21 | Letter 52.5 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Num 18:20 | Letter 64.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Num 18:20 | Letter 118.4 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Num 18:20 | On Cain and Abel 2.7 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Num 18:20–24 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.25.6 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:20 | On the Duties of the Clergy 1.50 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386–390 |
| Num 18:20 | Exposition of Psalm 118 3.26.3 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Num 18:20 | Exposition of Psalm 118 8.4.4 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Num 18:20 | On Fleeing the World 7 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 387-391 |
| Num 18:20 | Against Jovinianus 2.34 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | 393 |
| Num 18:20 | Letters 11.14 · Paulinus of Nola | echo, low confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Num 18:20 | To the Church 2.38 · Salvian of Marseilles | allusion, high confidence | ca. 435-440 |
Numbers 18:21
Behold, 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.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:21 | Eclogae on Exodus-Judges, column 575 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Num 18:21–28 | Commentary on John 1.9 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 230–248 |
| Num 18:21 | Homilies on Joshua 25.1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:21 | Homilies on Leviticus 16.2 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:21 | Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 16 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century) |
| Num 18:21–24 | Letter 1.1 · Cyprian of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | 249/250–258 |
| Num 18:21–24 | Question 46, section 12 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Num 18:21 | Apostolic Constitutions 2.25.5 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 380 |
| Num 18:21 | On the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins 2.40 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | 411–412 |
| Num 18:21 | The Conferences 21.3 · John Cassian | allusion, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
Numbers 18:22
No longer may the Israelites come near to the Tent of Meeting, or they will incur guilt and die.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:22 | Commentary on Matthew 13.30 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 246–248 |
Numbers 18:26
“Speak to the Levites and tell them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe that I have given you as your inheritance, you must present part of it as an offering to the LORD—a tithe of the tithe.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:26 | Eclogae on Exodus-Judges, column 575 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Num 18:26 | Homilies on Joshua 25.1 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Num 18:26 | Letter 64.2 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
Numbers 18:27
Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Num 18:27 | 1 Clement 29.3 · Clement of Rome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) |
| Num 18:27 | Commentary on Romans 7.5 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |