Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.

12. the best ] lit. ‘the fat’ (as marg.). Cf. Deu 32:14, Psa 81:16. This vague expression is explained by the more technical term the firstfruits, or the first (Heb. rshth); cf. Deu 18:4. The amount which the priest is to receive is not stated; but in later times fixed proportions were laid down by the chiefs of the Rabbinic schools.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The best, Heb. the fat for the best: the fat of wheat is the best of it, Deu 32:14; Psa 81:16; 147:14.

The first-fruits of them; as well those which were offered in the name and behalf of the body of the people at the solemn feasts, Lev 23:10,17, as those which were required of particular persons, Exo 22:29; 23:19; whereof the precise quantity is not determined, but left free to the giver, as an exercise for his piety and charity, only they are enjoined to give the first and the best of them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat,…. Or the “fat” i of them; the fat of anything being the best, see De 32:14;

the firstfruits of them: the oil, and wine, and wheat:

which they shall offer unto the Lord, them have I given thee; this Jarchi calls the great heave offering, the firstfruits of their harvest and vintage, which being offered to the Lord, was given to the priests: the quantity is not fixed, but left to the generosity of the people, and was a free gift; liberal men would give a fortieth part, those of a meaner spirit a fiftieth, and niggardly ones a sixtieth, and less than that was not given [See comments on Ex 22:29]; compare with this

Eze 45:13.

i “pinguedinem”, Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(12) All the best . . . Hebrew, all the fat, as in Gen. 45:18.

The firstfruits of them . . . The quantity is not defined. St. Jerome, in his Commentary on Ezekiel 45, mentions the fortieth part as a liberal contribution, and the sixtieth as a scanty one, according to Jewish tradition.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

12. Firstfruits See Gen 4:3; Lev 2:12; Lev 23:10, notes.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Num 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.

Ver. 12. All the best of the oil. ] Heb., The fat. God can afford the ministers the best of the best, though the most now-a-days think the worst too good for them.

Which they shall offer. ] Not appointing them how much, but leaving that to the people’s liberality. And what that was, let Philo a the Jew speak, who well knew the customs of his own nation, and tells us, that all things due to the priests were paid very freely, and most cheerfully. At haec gens debitam pecuniam lubens gaudensque depromit, saith he; This people willingly, and with rejoicing, draw out their money for the priests, not as if they gave, but received rather, adding happy forebodings and gratulations.

a Philo, De Sacerdot. Honor.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)