Israel's Covenant with God

     Read Nehemiah 10:1-39.  The people of Israel made a covenant with God. They pledged to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord their God, and his judgments and statutes.

     They would not let their sons or daughters wed someone outside their bloodline or faith. No buying or selling on the sabbath day or on a holy day. Observe faithfully the seventh year of Jubilee. Pay a third part of a shekel once a year for the upkeep of the temple. Cast lots yearly to supply the wood for the altar of the Lord.

      They were to tithe on their harvests by bringing the first fruits of the ground and the first fruits of their fruit trees each year to the house of the Lord. And by taking the first-born of their sons, their cattle, herds, and flocks unto the priests of the house of God. And they took the first fruits of their dough, wine and oil to the priests of the house of God.  

     The priest shall be with the Levites when they take tithes. The levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the storehouse of the house of God. They declared they would not forsake the house of God.  

Read Numbers 18:26-32 It explains a portion of the tithe offering was given for the workers of the temple.