Numbers 18:12
All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Firstfruits offerings occurred at harvest festivals—Pentecost (wheat), and autumn ingathering (oil and wine from late summer harvest). Deuteronomy 18:4 reiterates this provision. Ancient Israelite agriculture centered on these three products: grain for bread, grapes for wine, olives for oil. Together they represented complete sustenance—carbohydrates, drink, and fat for cooking and lighting. Archaeological discoveries show olive presses and wine vats throughout ancient Israel, confirming these crops' centrality. The custom of bringing firstfruits continued in Second Temple Judaism and influenced Christian harvest thanksgiving traditions.
Questions for Reflection
- Do you give God and His work your firstfruits—the best of your time, talent, and treasure—or leftovers?
- How does the principle of giving God the 'best' challenge cultural tendencies toward minimalism in supporting ministry?
- What does it mean to treat your life as 'firstfruits' consecrated to God in excellence rather than mediocrity?
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Analysis & Commentary
All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. God allocated agricultural firstfruits to priestly support—chelev (חֵלֶב, "the best," literally "fat") indicating premium quality. The three products—oil, wine, and wheat—represented the land's primary agricultural produce in ancient Israel, symbolizing comprehensive provision from God's bounty.
Reishit (רֵאשִׁית, "firstfruits") means the initial, choicest portion of harvest. Israel was to bring the best of the firstfruits—double emphasis on quality and priority. God deserved first and finest, not leftovers. The phrase "I have given thee" (lekha netattim, לְךָ נְתַתִּים) stresses divine bestowal—priests didn't earn these gifts but received them by God's gracious appointment.
This principle established that God's servants deserve excellent provision, not minimal sustenance. Churches that give God and His ministers leftovers violate this principle. The firstfruits concept also appears in New Testament ecclesiology—Christ is the firstfruits of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20), and believers are firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:18), consecrated to God in excellence.