The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

I was reading an article on another subject, and found a remark about tithing that sparked an interest. So I began searching, and found another article on the subject of tithing. Essentially, the article asserted there are three tithes:

1. Numbers 18:25-28, which was a tithe to the Levites. Out of this tithe, the Levites gave a tithe to the priests (so the priests got 1% of a person's increase, with the Levites keeping 9%).

2. Deuteronomy 14:22-27, which was a tithe for family feasting together with the Levite.

3. Deuteronomy 14:28-29, which was the 'poor tithe', shared with the local Levite, stranger, fatherless, widow, 'the needy', etc.

These three tithes were paid during the six years prior to the sabbatical year. Not sure but the author I believe was saying the poor tithe was paid in the third and sixth years, implying the family/Levite tithe was paid in the second and fifth years, and the Levite tithe was paid in the first and third years.

Alms were private donations to the poor above and beyond, and at other times than, the poor tithe.

Offerings, vows, freewill gifts etc were often donations to Levites and priests (though obviously some of the offerings were eaten by the giver along with the priest/Levite) and were separate from the tithe.

My question is this: Does the Scripture really indicate three distinct tithes, paid twice each in every six year period? If so, how can this be established by the word of God alone (rather than by looking up references in the Talmud)? If not, then what do these (and any other relevant) passages teach?

I am not at this point interested in modern applications of tithing, or questions of should you or how much should you give to your local church, your pastor, any other preacher, etc. I would like to try to avoid having this thread degenerate into a 'tithing is evil vs non tithe payers are going to hell' type of 'debate' if possible. :heeheehee

I just want to look closely at the Biblical data on tithing, as it is, in the scripture.

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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. And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD'S heave offering to Aaron the priest. Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress. And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation. And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.
(Numbers 18:24-32)

In looking at this, it does not seem to specify when these tithes were to be paid. It simply states the tithes (which are offered as heave - ie wave or elevation - offerings, belong to the Levites, and that out of them shall the Levites give a tenth part to the priests as their tithe, and this tithe of Israel to the Levites will be counted as the Levites' crops/flocks/herds. Since the Levites were not given a land inheritance, they would not have much opportunity to raise crops or herds, so would have no 'increase' to speak of, therefore the peoples' tithe to the Levites would be reckoned in place of the Levites' non-existent crops/herds.

On the face of it, it seems that this tithe would be paid whenever there was an increase? Thus, depending on what you were raising/growing, whenever there was an increase a tithe would be paid.

Question: While 'yearly' seems like a great time measure to use for agricultural tithes, it also seems arbitrary and not stated in the text. If you have a summer harvest (Pentecost) and a fall harvest (Tabernacles), would you not then have TWO 'increases' in one year, and thus pay twice in the year? I mean, based on the Bible alone, when would you settle up? Once a year? Twice a year? Three times a year? Whenever convenient? Local custom? To be determined by the judges?

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

The next two are back to back passages, so I include them all here as one block:

Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee. At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
(Deuteronomy 14:22-29)

First of all, I do not see where there is necessarily a distinction between verses 27 and 28, as if Moses is now speaking about a different tithe. Can it be shown that this passage does indeed speak about two different, distinct tithes, paid at different times?

Secondly, does verse 28 "at the end of three years shalt thou bring all the tithe of thine increase the same year" indicate that ALL the tithe - the one mentioned in Numbers, as well as the one (or two) mentioned in Deuteronomy - is only paid every three years? That is, you store up the tithe from one year to the next, for three years, then pay the tithe? That seems like what a straightforward, 'Bible only' reading of the text indicates, yet it would seem to be rather hard on the Levites and the poor etc, as they could only expect to get anything once every three years!

Thirdly, the text does not specify when in the year the tithe is to be paid. Did everybody pay it on the same day? Did everyone pick their own day for tithe paying? Is there any scripture to indicate WHEN in the year this was to be paid? Or at least when in the year it was in fact normally or customarily paid?

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

Here's another relevant passage, which seems to state that no tithe was to be eaten locally, but had to be brought to the Tabernacle/Temple:

Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto. Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
(Deuteronomy 12:17-19)

Does this apply to all 'three' tithes previously mentioned? Or does it apply to the Levite tithe? Or what?

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

Nehemiah chapter 10 details the national Covenant (actually, a covenant to renew and keep the Covenant), and it includes a mention of tithing, among other things (like paying the firstfruits, etc):

And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law: And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD: Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God: And that we should bring the firstfruits of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees, of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage. And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house. For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake the house of our God.
(Nehemiah 10:34-39)

Here there seems to have been a yearly payment of firstfruits, it may be extrapolated that the tithe was paid yearly as well. 'As it is written in the law' may refer to the timing of the payments, or it may refer to the obligation of making the payments, it is not exactly clear to me which it would refer to. Perhaps there was simply a divine ordinance to pay yearly, and the people by mutual consent agreed on a set, agreeable time of the year to do so?

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

Interesting article presenting an alternative understanding of the tithing system in ancient Israel:

http://www.tithing.com/blog/how-many...-in-the-bible/

There are a few comments on the article, the first one being very interesting as it presents yet another alternative understanding. Be sure to read that first comment on the blog article.

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

It is my understanding that in ancient Israel the tithe was essentially an agrarian land tax that helped to sustain the Levites, the Temple, and to fill the storehouse with grain and produce to serve the needy classes of Israel (widows, orphans, strangers, etc.).

In essence, it was a land tax that provided for the priesthood and the agrarian welfare system over which they presided.

Prior to this, a "tithe" was a tribute given to a ruler to gain favor and to form alliance. For example, Abraham's tithe of war spoils to the King of Salem.

The tithe could also be a part of a vow. For example we see this with Jacob's tithe.

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

Does anyone have any input on this subject, as to when exactly they paid tithes, and whether or not there was one tithe, paid in the third year (that is, the second year after the sabbath year), or whether there were three tithes, each paid once a year, in a 3-year cycle? Or...?

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

Esaias,

Thank you for starting this thread...I hope to see some responses, and appreciate the fact that it is being brought up in a form of study rather than bashing for a change. I personally am obedient to tithing, but will confess that it is a subject that I have heard "told" more than actually "taught".

I see so much blessing and direction related to giving, and how freely we should do such, and truthfully believe the motivation has more to do with how God views the giver then does a "formula". In fact it seems to me that NT Christians should give so much more than a set 10% - and certainly more than just money...our time, our talents, our very lives as well as our resources (finances).

It would be awesome to see some folks weigh in on this that can rightly divide the Word on such a subject (instead of tradition or opinion - regardless of which side of the fence they are on)

Re: The Biblical tithe, re-examined
 

I too hope some folks can weigh in on this, I am having a hard time figuring some things out, especially about how often tithes were 'paid' and whether there was only one, two, or three distinct tithes.

Haven't even got into the subject of offerings and alms, yet, lol.