Numbers 31:28

26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

27 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation:

And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:

29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.

30 And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Set aside a tribute for the LORD from what belongs to the soldiers who went into battle: one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, or sheep.
KJV
And levy a tribute unto the LORD of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep:
WEB
Levy a tribute to the LORD of the men of war who went out to battle: one soul of five hundred; of the persons, of the cattle, of the donkeys, and of the flocks.
ASV
And levy a tribute unto Jehovah of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, [both] of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the flocks:
DARBY
And thou shalt levy a tribute for Jehovah of the men of war who went out to the army, one soul of five hundred of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the small cattle.
BLB
And raise a tribute for YHWH from the men of war who went out to battle: One soul of every five hundred, of the persons, and the cattle, and the donkeys, and the sheep.
ÅB
Og du skal ta en avgift til Herren av krigsfolket som dro ut i striden, ett liv av hvert fem hundre, både av mennesker og av storfeet og eslene og småfeet.
OTB
Ta en tributt for Herren fra krigsmennene som gikk til krig, en av fem hundre av personene, buskapen, eslene og sauene;
B1930
Og du skal ta en avgift til Herren av krigsfolket som drog ut i striden, ett liv av hvert fem hundre, både av mennesker og av storfeet og asenene og småfeet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 18:26

    Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 31:47

    Even of the children of Israel’s half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 31:30

    And of the children of Israel’s half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

    Read in context
  • Proverbs 3:9–10

    Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

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  • Genesis 14:20

    And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

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  • 1 Chronicles 18:11

    Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.

    Read in context
  • 1 Chronicles 26:26–27

    Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host, had dedicated.

    Read in context
  • Joshua 6:19

    But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

    Read in context