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Bible Encyclopedias
Heave-Offering
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (תְּרוּמָה, terumiah', from רוּם, to be high; Sept. usually ἀφαίρεμα), a term including all that the Israelites voluntarily (Exodus 25:2 sq.; Exodus 35:24; Exodus 36:3) or according to' a precept (Exodus 30:15; Leviticus 7:14; Numbers 15:19 sq.; Numbers 18:27 sq.; Numbers 21:29 sq.; comp. Ezekiel 45:13) contributed of their own property to Jehovah (not as an offering in the usual sense, but) as a present (Isaiah 40:20), to be applied to the regular cultus, i.e. for the establishment and maintenance of the sanctuary and its accessories (Exodus 25:2 sq.; Exodus 30:13 sq.; Exodus 25:5 sq., Exodus 25:21; Exodus 25:24; Exodus 26:3; Exodus 26:6; Ezra 8:25, etc.), or for the support of the priests (Exodus 29:28; Numbers 18:8 sq. Numbers 18:5; Numbers 18:9). Prescribed contributions were, in addition to the annual temple-tax (See TEMPLE), chiefly that share of the booty taken in war which be' longed to the priests (Numbers 21:29 sq.), the yearly first-fruits (Numbers 15:19 sq.; comp. 2 Samuel 1:21), and the tenths which the Levites were required to make over to the priests out of the natural tithes paid to them (Numbers 18:25 sq.; what the Levites retained for their own use not being thus styled). The term תְּרוּמָה seems to stand in a narrower sense in Nehemiah 10:37; Nehemiah 12:44; Nehemiah 13:3, (See FIRSTLING), and the Talmudists so call only the agricultural first-fruits appropriate to human use, together with the Levitical tenths (see the tract Terumoth in the Mishna, 1, 6). Heave-offerings are coupled with first fruits in Ezekiel 20:40, and with tithes in Malachi 3:8. In Ezekiel 45:1; Ezekiel 48:8; Ezekiel cf., Ezekiel 12:20 sq., the same word is applied to that portion of the Holy Land which is represented as set apart for the maintenance of the sanctuary and the priests. For the care of all such contributions, as well as for voluntary offerings and tithes in general, a special class of officers was (from the time of king Hezekiah) detailed, of whom a higher priest had the superintendence (2 Chronicles 21:11-12; 2 Chronicles 21:14; Nehemiah 12:44; Nehemiah 13:5). Heave-offerings could be used or consumed only by the priests and their children (Numbers 18:19; Leviticus 22:10). Latei regulations are detailed in the Talmudical tract Terumolth. (See WAVE-OFFERING).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Heave-Offering'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/h/heave-offering.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
