Has anyone compiled a list of how much the Israelites were to give: tithes, offerings, firstlings, sacrifices, etc.?<\/p>\n\t
I assume from the way this question is worded that the desire is for a compilation of all the sacrifices and offerings that an Israelite would give under the law of Moses.\u00a0 I am also assuming that the obvious reply of “sure, the book of Leviticus” is not what was wanted. \u00a0 I have not found anyone with a quick reference chart if that was the intent.<\/p>\n
I had heard of someone several years ago who had chosen to compile such a list, but I have not been able to locate it.\u00a0 If I remember correctly, the purpose of compiling the list was to show that the Israelites were told to start giving at 10% and then to show that the sum total of what they gave to God far exceeded that. If the purpose of such a list is to combine the numbers to use as a starting “percentage” for comparison purposes, it is likely to be flawed or chock full of simplifying assumptions.\u00a0 For example,\u00a0 while an Israelite might bring a fellowship offering to the Lord, both the family of the one offering the sacrifice and the priest and his family shared in the sacrifice (Leviticus 7:11-18).\u00a0 So, while it was still considered a sacrifice to God, it was also an opportunity to eat rather well for the day.\u00a0 The problem then comes in trying to estimate how often the average Israelite would offer a fellowship offering to God, which of the differing types of animals he would dedicate, and how much such a sacrifice was in proportion to his wealth.<\/p>\n
Running a couple of scenarios:\u00a0 A poor man makes $100.\u00a0 He gives $10 to God and also buys two doves for $2 and offers a fellowship offering.\u00a0 He gets to eat for the day, so that is worth $0.20 to him.\u00a0 We, therefore, give him “credit” for $11.80 (which because I used easy numbers comes out to 11.8%).\u00a0 A rich man makes $100,000, gives $10,000 as a tithe and sacrifices 20 oxen (at $100 each) at various times of the year as fellowship offerings.\u00a0 He happens to have a family of 10, so the oxen provide a pretty good meal — say $40 worth each time.\u00a0 His total is $11,200 or 11.2%.<\/p>\n
All you have to do is look at all of the assumptions that I made in my two scenarios to realize that the whole equation is highly dependent on the numbers that I chose.\u00a0 This is one of those times where it is impractical to draw any meaningful conclusions about the total percentage given.<\/p>\n
Darrell Hamilton<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Has anyone compiled a list of how much the Israelites were to give: tithes, offerings, firstlings, sacrifices, etc.? Answer: I assume from the way this question is worded that the desire is for a compilation of all the sacrifices and offerings that an Israelite would give under the law of Moses.\u00a0 I am also…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[159,115,272],"class_list":["post-8751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-giving","tag-old-law","tag-sacrifices"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":70847,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-werent-the-israelites-allowed-to-eat-fat\/","url_meta":{"origin":8751,"position":0},"title":"Why weren’t the Israelites allowed to eat fat?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 3, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: First, I wanted to say thank you for all that you do! Your articles are very helpful in learning the truth of God's word. I am contacting you today because I saw a discussion for which I did not have an answer. It concerns Leviticus 3:17, \"It shall be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":53299,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/may-i-or-must-i\/","url_meta":{"origin":8751,"position":1},"title":"“May I?” or “Must I?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Genesis 4:1-12 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Romans 15:4 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As we read through our Bibles, it doesn\u2019t take long notice how differently the Old Law is presented in comparison to the New Law. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Old Law contains many regulations that spell out, some times in detail, what a person could\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45180,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-can-we-not-be-saved-by-works-of-righteousness-but-are-saved-by-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":8751,"position":2},"title":"How can we not be saved by works of righteousness but are saved by baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I know that our faith is justified by works and that the faith of the Bible is obedient faith. Therefore, faith encompasses baptism and it isn't a meritorious work. However, if we are obedient in our faith wouldn't it be counted to us as righteousness as it was Abraham?\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1911,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-christians-to-tithe\/","url_meta":{"origin":8751,"position":3},"title":"Are Christians to tithe?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 4, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is tithing a New Testament standard? In other words, is it our responsibility to tithe or just to give what God purposes in our hearts? Answer: The concept of tithing is giving ten percent of your profits to God. It was a requirement for the Israelites living under the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25174,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-happens-to-burnt-offerings\/","url_meta":{"origin":8751,"position":4},"title":"What happens to burnt offerings?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: During the dedication of the temple, offerings were brought. What happens to burnt offerings? Are they consumed by the fire, does the high priest eat a portion, is any eaten, or is it all consumed by fire? Answer: The Mosaical Law contained a variety of offerings (Leviticus 7:37). 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