Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Numbers Ch.18 / 36 Ch.s
NU:18
* The charge of the priests and Levites. (1-7) The priests'
portion. (8-19) The Levites' portion. (20-32)
#1-7 The people complained of their difficulty and peril in
drawing near to God. God here gives them to understand, that the
priests should come near for them. Aaron would see reason not to
be proud of his preferment, when he considered the great care
and charge upon him. Be not high-minded, but fear. The greater
the trust of work and power that is committed to us, the greater
danger there is of betraying that trust. This is a good reason
why we should neither envy others' honours, nor desire high
places.
#8-19 All believers are spiritual priests, and God has promised
to take care of them. Godliness has the promise of the life that
now is. And from the provision here made for the priests, the
apostle shows that it is the duty of christian churches to
maintain their ministers. Scandalous maintenance makes
scandalous ministers. The priests were to be wholly devoted to
their ministry, not diverted from it, or disturbed in it, by
worldly care or business. Also, that they might be examples of
living by faith, not only in God's providence, but in his
ordinances. The best should be offered for the first-fruits unto
the Lord. Those who think to save, by putting God off with the
refuse, deceive themselves, for God is not mocked.
#20-32 As Israel was a people not to be numbered among the
nations, so Levi was a tribe to be distinguished from the rest.
Those who have God for their Inheritance and their Portion for
ever, ought to look with holy contempt and indifference upon the
possessions of this world. The Levites were to give God his dues
out of their tithes, as well as the Israelites out of their
increase. See, in ver. #31|, the way to have comfort in all our
worldly possessions, so as to bear no sin by reason of them. 1.
We must be sure that what we have is got honestly and in the
service of God. That meat is best eaten which is first earned;
but if any will not work, neither shall he eat, #2Th 3:10|. 2.
We must be sure that God has his dues out of it. We have the
comfort of our substance, when we have honoured the Lord with
it. Ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved
the best from it. We should give alms of such things as we have,
that all may be holy and comfortable to us.