Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



They are to receive the first share of the grain, wine, olive oil, and wool.

Do not delay the offering from your harvest and your vintage. Give the firstborn of your sons to me.


As soon as the order was given, the people of Israel brought gifts of their finest grain, wine, olive oil, honey, and other farm produce, and they also brought the tithes of everything they had.

That we would take the first of our rough meal, and our lifted offerings, and the fruit of every sort of tree, and wine and oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God. The tenth of the produce of our land to the Levites for the Levites, take a tenth in all the towns of our ploughed land.

Bring them to Jehovah as an offering of first fruits. Do not offer them on the altar as a soothing aroma. Season every grain offering with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering. All of your offerings must have salt. When you bring a grain offering of early-ripened things to Jehovah, you should bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, grits of new growth, for the grain offering of your early-ripened things. read more.
Put oil and incense on it. It is a grain offering. The priest will burn the flour, oil, and all the incense as a reminder. It is an offering by fire to Jehovah.

I also give you the first of the produce they give Jehovah. It is the best of all the olive oil and the best of the new wine and fresh grain.

To take the first fruits of our land, and the first fruits of every sort of tree, year by year, into the house of Jehovah.

The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

Israel was dedicated (consecrated) to Jehovah. It was the best part of the harvest. All who consumed it became guilty, and disaster struck them,' says Jehovah.


The people replied: We would never leave Jehovah to serve other gods!

They were united with their brothers, their rulers, and put themselves under a curse and an oath, to keep their steps in the way of God's law, which was given by Moses, the servant of God, and to keep and do all the orders of the Jehovah, our Lord, and his decisions and his rules. That way we would not give our daughters to the peoples of the lands, or take their daughters for our sons; If the peoples of the lands come to do trade in goods or food on the Sabbath day, that we would do no trade with them on the Sabbath or on a holy day. In the seventh year we would take no payment from any debtor. read more.
We made rules for ourselves, taxing ourselves a third of a shekel every year for the upkeep of the House of our God. For the holy bread, and for the regular meal offering and the regular burned offering on the Sabbaths and at the new moon and the fixed feasts, and for the sin-offerings to take away the sin of Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. And we, the priests and the Levites and the people, made selection, by the decision of Jehovah, of those who were to take the wood offering into the house of God, by families at the regular times, year by year, to be burned on the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is recorded in the law; To take the first fruits of our land, and the first fruits of every sort of tree, year by year, into the house of Jehovah. As well as the first of our sons and of our cattle, as it is recorded in the law. The first lambs of our herds and of our flocks, which are to be taken to the house of our God, to the priests who are servants in the house of our God: That we would take the first of our rough meal, and our lifted offerings, and the fruit of every sort of tree, and wine and oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God. The tenth of the produce of our land to the Levites for the Levites, take a tenth in all the towns of our ploughed land. The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.


The Levitical priests including the entire tribe of Levi will receive no land or property of their own like the rest of the Israelites. They will eat what has been sacrificed to Jehovah. These sacrifices will be what they receive. They are to own no land, as the other tribes do. Their inheritance is the privilege of being Jehovah's priests, as Jehovah told them. When cattle or sheep are sacrificed, the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jaw, and the stomach. read more.
They are to receive the first share of the grain, wine, olive oil, and wool. Jehovah chose from all your tribes the tribe of Levi to serve him and his sons as priests forever. Any Levite who wants to may come from any town in Israel to the one place of worship. He may serve there, as a priest of Jehovah his God, like the other Levites who are serving there. He is to receive the same amount of food as the other priests. He may keep everything his family sends him.

He gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi. The sacrifices of Jehovah God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said to them.

Men were stationed over the houses where the contributions and the first fruits and the tenths were stored. They were to take into them the amounts, from the fields of every town. The law fixed this for the priests and the Levites: Judah was glad on account of the priests and the Levites who were in their places.

Instead, I will give the Levites what the Israelites contribute to Jehovah, one-tenth of the Israelites' income. This is why I said about them: They will own no property as the other Israelites do.

Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'You will take one-tenth of the Israelites' income that I am giving you as your property. When you do, you must contribute one-tenth of that income as your contribution to Jehovah. Your contribution will be considered to be grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. You will also contribute one-tenth of your income to Jehovah out of all that you receive from the Israelites' income. You will give Jehovah's contribution to the priest Aaron. read more.
Out of all the gifts you receive, you must contribute the best and holiest parts to Jehovah.' Also tell them: 'When you contribute the best part, your contribution will be considered to be produce from the threshing floor or winepress. You and your households may eat it anywhere. This is because it is the wages you receive for your work at the tent of meeting. When you contribute the best part, you will not suffer the consequences of any sin. You will not be dishonoring the holy offerings given by the Israelites, and you will not die.'

You, the Levite and the alien among you will rejoice in all the good Jehovah your God has given you and your household. Finish paying all the tithe of your increase in the third year, the year of tithing. Then you shall give it to the Levite, the stranger, and the orphan and to the widow, that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. Say before Jehovah your God: 'I have removed the sacred portion from my house. I also have given it to the Levite and the alien, the orphan and the widow, according to all your commandments that you have commanded me. I have not transgressed or forgotten any of your commandments.

The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

All Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave what the music-makers and the gatekeepers deeded day by day. They made the offerings holy for the Levites; and the Levites did the same for the sons of Aaron.



Some of the heads of families gave money for the work. The Tirshatha gave to the store a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priests' robes. Some of the heads of families gave to the store for the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand, two hundred pounds of silver. That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and sixty-seven priests' robes.

And for the wood offering, at fixed times, and for the first fruits. Keep me in mind, O my God, for good.

Governor Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest and all the people who returned from the exile in Babylon did what Jehovah God told them to do. They were afraid and obeyed Jehovah's messenger, Haggai the prophet. Then Haggai gave Jehovah's message to the people: I am with you! Jehovah inspired everyone to work on the Temple. That included: Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah; Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people who had returned from the exile. They worked on the house of Jehovah of Hosts, their God.

The heads of the clans of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and Levites, and everyone else whose heart God had moved got ready to go and rebuild Jehovah's Temple in Jerusalem. Their neighbors helped by giving many things: silver utensils, gold, supplies, pack animals, other valuables, and offerings for the Temple.

And some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem, gave freely of their wealth for the building up of the house of God in its place: Every one, as he was able, gave for the work sixty-one thousand drachmas of gold, five thousand pounds of silver and a hundred priests' robes.

Then Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, with his brothers, got up and built the altar of the God of Israel for burned offerings. This was according to the Law of Moses, the man of God. The returning exiles were afraid of the people who were living in the land. Regardless of that, they rebuilt the altar where it had stood before. Then they began once again to burn on it the regular morning and evening sacrifices. They celebrated the Festival of Booths according to what is written. Each day they offered the sacrifices required for that day. read more.
They also offered the regular sacrifices to be burned whole and those to be offered at the New Moon Festival and at all the other Festivals of Jehovah, as well as all the offerings that were given to Jehovah voluntarily. The people had not yet started to rebuild the Temple. Yet they began on the first day of the seventh month to burn sacrifices to Jehovah. They gave money to the stoneworkers and woodworkers. Meat and drink and oil were given to the people of Zidon and of Tyre, for the transport of cedar-trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, as Cyrus, king of Persia, had given them authority to do. The second year and third month of their coming to the house of God in Jerusalem Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, took charge of the construction. Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come from the land where they were prisoners to Jerusalem: and the Levites, of twenty years or older, were responsible for overseeing the work of the house of Jehovah. Then Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel with his sons, the sons of Hodaviah, together took up the work of overseeing the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad with their sons and their brothers, the Levites.

Then Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, went to work building the house of God at Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, helping them. At the same time, Tattenai, ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai, and their men, came to them and said, Who gave you orders to go on building this house and this wall? Then they said these words to them: What are the names of the men who are at work on this building? read more.
The eye of their God was on the chiefs of the Jews, and they did not make them give up working till the question had been put before Darius and an answer came by letter about it. This is a copy of the letter Tattenai, the ruler of the land across the river, and Shethar-bozenai and his friends the Apharsachites, from across the river, sent to Darius the king.

The responsible men of the Jews went on with their building and progressed rapidly. The teaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, helped them. They went on building till it was complete. They kept the word of the God of Israel, and the orders of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia. The construction of this house was complete on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the rule of Darius the king. The children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of those who had come back, kept the feast of the opening of this house of God with joy. read more.
They gave a hundred oxen, two hundred sheep and four hundred lambs as offerings at the opening of this house of God. They gave twelve he goats as a sin offering for all of Israel. Twelve is the number of the tribes of Israel. They put the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their order, for the worship of God at Jerusalem. This is recorded in the book of Moses. And the children of Israel who came back kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. the priests and the Levites made themselves clean together. They were all clean when they put the Passover lamb to death for all those who had come back, and for their brothers the priests and for themselves. The children of Israel, who had come back, and all those who were joined to them, after separating themselves from the evil ways of the people of the land to become the servants of Jehovah, the God of Israel, ate together. They joyfully kept the feast of unleavened bread for seven days. Jehovah filled them with joy by turning the heart of the king of Assyria to them to give them help in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

I gave to them by weight the silver and the gold and the vessels, all the offering for the house of our God that the king and his wise men and his captains and all Israel there present had given: Measuring into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels, a hundred talents' weight, and a hundred talents of gold, And twenty gold basins, of a thousand darics, and two vessels of the best bright brass, equal in value to gold. read more.
I said to them: You are holy to Jehovah and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are an offering freely given to Jehovah, the God of your fathers. Take care of them and keep them, till you put them on the scales before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites and the chiefs of the families of Israel, in Jerusalem, in the rooms of the house of Jehovah. So the priests and the Levites took the weight of silver and gold and the vessels, to take them to Jerusalem into the house of our God. Then we went away from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem. The hand of our God was on us. He gave us salvation from our enemies and those who were waiting to attack us on the way. We went to Jerusalem and were there for three days. On the fourth day, the silver and the gold and the vessels were measured out by weight in the house of our God into the hands of Meremoth, the son of Uriah, the priest; and with him was Eleazar, the son of Phinehas; and with them were Jozabad, the son of Jeshua, and Obadiah, the son of Binnui, the Levites. All was handed over by number and by weight: and the weight was put on record at that time. Those who had been prisoners, who had come back from a strange land, made burned offerings to the God of Israel, twelve oxen for all Israel, ninety-six male sheep, seventy-seven lambs, twelve he-goats for a sin-offering: all this was a burned offering to Jehovah.

I sent men to them saying: I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come. Should the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come to you?

We made rules for ourselves, taxing ourselves a third of a shekel every year for the upkeep of the House of our God. For the holy bread, and for the regular meal offering and the regular burned offering on the Sabbaths and at the new moon and the fixed feasts, and for the sin-offerings to take away the sin of Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. And we, the priests and the Levites and the people, made selection, by the decision of Jehovah, of those who were to take the wood offering into the house of God, by families at the regular times, year by year, to be burned on the altar of Jehovah our God, as it is recorded in the law; read more.
To take the first fruits of our land, and the first fruits of every sort of tree, year by year, into the house of Jehovah. As well as the first of our sons and of our cattle, as it is recorded in the law. The first lambs of our herds and of our flocks, which are to be taken to the house of our God, to the priests who are servants in the house of our God: That we would take the first of our rough meal, and our lifted offerings, and the fruit of every sort of tree, and wine and oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God. The tenth of the produce of our land to the Levites for the Levites, take a tenth in all the towns of our ploughed land. The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

All Judah came with the tenth part of the grain and wine and oil and put it into the storehouses.

Today is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day that the foundation of the Temple of Jehovah was completed. See what is going to happen from now on. There is no grain left. The grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced. However from now on I will bless you.




How blessed is the one you choose to bring near to you, to dwell in your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy Temple.

Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for God's Temple.

O Jehovah, I love the place where you live, the home (spiritual retreat) (heart and mind) where your glory dwells.

How I want to be there! I long to be in Jehovah's temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God.

One day in your courtyards is better than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

([Psalm of David]) I was glad when they said to me: Let us go to the house of Jehovah.


The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

The man said: The northern and southern side rooms that face the open area are holy rooms. These rooms are where the priests who come near Jehovah eat the holiest offerings. Because these rooms are holy, the priests keep the holiest offerings there: the grain offerings, the offerings for sin, and the guilt offerings.



Neither do men put new wine in old wineskins. The skins burst and the wine is lost. They put new wine in fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

No man puts new wine into old wineskins. The skins will burst and the wine and the skins will be wasted. New wine has to be put into new wine skins.

Prostitution, wine and new wine take away the understanding.

The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

I tell you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.


That we would take the first of our rough meal, and our lifted offerings, and the fruit of every sort of tree, and wine and oil, to the priests, to the rooms of the house of our God. The tenth of the produce of our land to the Levites for the Levites, take a tenth in all the towns of our ploughed land. The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.



On the king's orders they prepared storerooms in the Temple area and put all the gifts and tithes in them for safekeeping. They placed a Levite named Conaniah in charge and made his brother Shimei his assistant.

Men were stationed over the houses where the contributions and the first fruits and the tenths were stored. They were to take into them the amounts, from the fields of every town. The law fixed this for the priests and the Levites: Judah was glad on account of the priests and the Levites who were in their places.

The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

All Judah came with the tenth part of the grain and wine and oil and put it into the storehouses.

Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.


Then I gave orders, and they made the rooms clean. I put the vessels of the House of God, along with the meal offerings and the perfume, back in the rooms.


The priest, the son of Aaron, is to be with the Levites, when the Levites take the tenths. The Levites are to take a tenth of the tenths into the house of our God, to the rooms, into the storehouse. The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

All Judah came with the tenth part of the grain and wine and oil and put it into the storehouses.

Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.



Neither do men put new wine in old wineskins. The skins burst and the wine is lost. They put new wine in fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

No man puts new wine into old wineskins. The skins will burst and the wine and the skins will be wasted. New wine has to be put into new wine skins.

I brought drought on the land and its hills, grain fields, vineyards, and olive orchards. Yes drought on every crop the ground produces, on people and animals, on everything you try to grow.

Prostitution, wine and new wine take away the understanding.

The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

Had made a great room ready for him. This is where they once kept the meal offerings, the perfume, the vessels and the tenths of the grain and wine and oil. They were given by order to the Levites and the music-makers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

I tell you, I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.




How blessed is the one you choose to bring near to you, to dwell in your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy Temple.

Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for God's Temple.

O Jehovah, I love the place where you live, the home (spiritual retreat) (heart and mind) where your glory dwells.

How I want to be there! I long to be in Jehovah's temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God.

One day in your courtyards is better than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

([Psalm of David]) I was glad when they said to me: Let us go to the house of Jehovah.




How blessed is the one you choose to bring near to you, to dwell in your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy Temple.

Over and above all this that I have provided, I have given silver and gold from my personal property because of my love for God's Temple.

O Jehovah, I love the place where you live, the home (spiritual retreat) (heart and mind) where your glory dwells.

How I want to be there! I long to be in Jehovah's temple. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God.

One day in your courtyards is better than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

The children of Israel and the children of Levi are to take the lifted offering of the grain and wine and oil into the rooms where the vessels of the holy place are. This is together with the priests and the gatekeepers and the makers of music. We will not give up caring for the House of our God.

([Psalm of David]) I was glad when they said to me: Let us go to the house of Jehovah.