Numbers 18:10

Num 18:10 In the most holy [place] shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.

Ver. 10. In the most holy place,] i.e., In the priest s’ court.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Num 18:10. In the most holy place shalt thou eat it — In the court of the priests, where there were places for this use, which is called the most holy place, not simply and absolutely, but in respect of the thing he speaks of, because this was the most holy of all the places appointed for eating holy things, whereof some might be eaten in any clean place in the camp, or in their own houses.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That is, in the Sanctuary, between the court and the Holiest of all.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(10) In the most holy place . . . —These gifts were to be eaten, as most holy, in the court of the Tabernacle (see Lev_6:16; Lev_6:26; Lev_7:6), and only by the priests and the male members of their families.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

10. As the most holy things] An improbable rendering, since the sacrifices in question have just been described (Num_18:9) by the term ‘the most holy things.’ Render: in a most holy place. This evidently denotes the court of the tabernacle (cf. Lev_6:16; Lev_6:26; Lev_7:6), though it usually stands for the innermost shrine.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the most holy place shalt thou eat it,.... Not in the holy of holies, eminently so called, nor in the holy place, for they were neither of them places to eat in; but in the tent of the congregation, as Aben Ezra, or court, as Jarchi; called most holy, in distinction from and in comparison of the camp of Israel, and their tents, as afterwards of Jerusalem, and their houses there, where they might not eat the most holy things:

every male shall eat it; the sons of priests, and they only, not their wives, nor their daughters, and therefore not to be eaten at home, or in their own houses:

it shall be holy unto thee; separated only for the use of him and his sons.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In the most holy place - Rather, “among the most holy things;” as in Num 4:4 : i. e. “As the most holy of things shalt thou eat it.” Accordingly, only the males of the priestly families could eat of the things here specified.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In the most holy place, to wit, in the court of the priests, where there were places for this use; see Lev 6:16,17,26; 7:6; 8:31; 14:13; Neh 13:5,9; Eze 42:13; which is called the most holy place, not simply and absolutely, as the place within the veil was, but in respect of the thing he speaks of, because this was the most holy of all the places appointed for caring of holy things, whereof some might be catch in any clean place in the camp, Lev 10:14, or in their own houses. And as the most holy place is sometimes called simply holy, so it is not strange if a holy place be called most holy, especially this place which was near to the altar of burnt-offerings, which is called most holy, and made all that touched it holy, Exo 29:37. And God would have these things eaten by them in a holy place, as in God’s presence, that they might be obliged to the greater caution, and not to abuse God’s good creatures, and especially holy things, to intemperance; and that they might learn to eat this and their other food with thankfulness to God the giver of it, and with respect to his service and glory, which was afterward prescribed to Christians, 1Co 10:31; 1Ti 4:3.

Every male, and they only; whereas of peace-offerings the females might eat their share, Deu 12:18.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. In the most holy place — Hebrews, in a most holy place, not in the holy of holies, within the second vail, but in the court of the tabernacle, (Lev_7:6,) here called most holy to emphasize the statute. R.V., “As the most holy things.”

Every male shall eat — For the right of the priests to eat those sacrifices pronounced most holy see Leviticus vi, concluding note, and Lev_22:11, note.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the most holy place thou shalt eat it. vdqoB. Septuagint, en tw agiw twn agiwn . This expression is somewhat perplexing, because it stands commonly for the holy of holies. (Exo_26:33) As it cannot possibly have that meaning here, two interpretations have been proposed.

1. That it means the court of the tabernacle, called "the holy place" inLev 6:16, 26; 7:6, and there specified as the only place in which the meat offerings, the sin offerings, and trespass offerings might be eaten. There is no reason why this court should not be called "must holy," as well as "holy;" if it was "holy" with respect to the camp, or the holy city, it was "most holy" with respect to all without the camp, or without the gate.

2. That the expression does not mean "in the most holy place," but "amongst the most holy things," as it does in Num_4:4, and above in verse 9. A distinction is clearly intended between the "most holy things," which only the priests and their sons might eat, and the "holy things," of which the rest of their families might partake also. It is difficult to decide between these renderings, although there can be no doubt that the "most holy" things were actually to be consumed within the tabernacle precincts.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the most holy place - In the court of the priests, where there were places for this use, which is called the most holy place, not simply and absolutely, but in respect of the thing he speaks of because this was the most holy of all the places appointed for eating holy things, whereof some might be eaten in any clean place in the camp, or in their own house.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

God continues speaking to Aaron.

translationWords

set apart

people group

Israel

clean

family

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

בקדש הקדשים תאכלנו וגו׳ IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE THOU SHALT EAT IT etc. — This teaches with reference to the sacrifices holy in the highest degree that they must be eaten only in the fore-court and only by male priests (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 117:2).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

B’KODESH HAKODASHIM’ (IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE) SHALT THOU EAT IT. “This teaches us that the most holy offerings may only be eaten in the Sanctuary Court, and only by male priests.” But I have not understood this, because the Kodesh Hakodashim (Holy of Holies) is not the right place for eating the offerings; for Scripture states, in a holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the Tent of Meeting, whereas the Kodesh Hakodashim is the place where the ark is, within the Veil, as it is written, and the Veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy. It is furthermore written, and thou shalt put the ark-cover upon the ark of the covenant in the most holy place, Verse 34. and there can be no eating and drinking there, since no one may enter it except for the High Priest on the Day of Atonement!Now I have seen the following text in the Sifre: 117. “Rabbi Yehudah the son of B’theira says: Whence do we know that if the Sanctuary Court is surrounded by gentiles [besieging it], the holy offerings may be eaten even in the Sanctuary proper? From the verse, In the most holy place thou shalt eat it.” Thus Rabbi Yehudah the son of B’theirah noted [the implication of] this verse, and explained it as applying to a time of emergency, and [therefore] he mentioned it in trepidation, by saying: “may be eaten in the Sanctuary,” when he ought to have said: “may be eaten even in ‘the innermost part’” [of the Sanctuary, i.e., the Holy of Holies], if the enemy besieged the Sanctuary.According to the plain meaning of Scripture, we must explain the verse ‘b’kodesh hakodashim’ thou shalt eat it as meaning: “you shall eat it in a manner befitting the sanctity of the most holy offerings.” For at first He had said, they are most holy for thee and for thy sons, meaning that you should not treat them as you treat the lesser holy offerings, but should regard them as most holy. He then continued and explained: in a most holy [manner] thou shalt eat it, meaning that your eating thereof should be in a manner befitting the strictest degree of sanctity. And since He had already explained [in the Book of Leviticus] with reference to the meal-offering and the sin-offering what are the stricter rules concerning eating them, over and above those applying to the lesser holy offerings, in respect of place and of time, He did not have to treat this subject here at length, but only said that they must all be eaten as most holy offerings, meaning that the eating thereof must be with the stricter degree of holiness, not that of the lesser holy offerings. The [examples of] usage of the letter beth [as in the word b’kodesh] are many, for the prepositional beth, in addition to denoting place and time, can also signify manner [thus meaning here: “in a most holy manner thou shalt eat it”]. Similarly, ‘b’itzavon’ shalt thou eat it [means: “in a manner of toil shalt thou eat it”].

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.