Ezekiel 44:30 - Exposition

A further portion of the priests' emoluments is stated as the first of all the firstfruits of all things—or, of everything (Revised Version), as e.g. of corn, oil, must, and wool— and every oblation ( תְּרוּמָה )—or, heave offering— of all —or , of everything— with the first of the people's dough ; or, coarse meal ; which again re-echoes the provisions of the Law, the first of the firstfruits being specified in Exodus 23:19 ; Exodus 34:26 ; Numbers 18:13 ; Deuteronomy 18:4 ; the oblation, or terumah (Hebrew), in Numbers 15:19 ; Numbers 18:19 ; and the dough, or coarse meal, or groats, in Numbers 15:20 , Numbers 15:21 . Ezekiel's supposed (Wellhausen, Smend) silence as regards the firstlings of cattle, which in the book of the covenant ( Exodus 22:29 ) and in the Deuteronomist ( Deuteronomy 15:19 ) are to be eaten by the offerer, but in the priest-code ( Numbers 18:21 ) belong to the priests, is imaginary. The first of all the firstfruits of everything cannot surely mean of everything except cattle. If Ezekiel does not give the tenths of the tithes to the priests, he still assigns them to the sanctuary (see Ezekiel 45:14 ).