Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In tithes and offerings.
Parallel translations
- KJV Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
- BSB Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you ask, ‘How do we rob You?’ In tithes and offerings.
- NKJV “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
- NASB “Would anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.
- NLT “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God charges the people with robbing Him by withholding their tithes and offerings.
Overview
Failing to bring the tithes and offerings God commanded is portrayed as robbing God Himself, a striking measure of their unfaithfulness. Their self-justifying question again reveals blindness to their sin. While the specific tithe laws belong to the Mosaic covenant, the principle endures that all we have is God's and is to be returned to Him with grateful, generous hearts (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 3:9–10Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:
- Matt 22:21They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- Mark 12:17Jesus answered them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” They marveled greatly at him.
- Ps 29:2Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Worship Yahweh in holy array.
- Num 18:21–32“To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the Tent of Meeting.
- Mal 1:13You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.
- Luke 20:25He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- Rom 13:7Therefore give everyone what you owe: if you owe taxes, pay taxes; if customs, then customs; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
- Rom 2:22You who say a man shouldn’t commit adultery. Do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
- Lev 27:2–34“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘When a man consecrates a person to Yahweh in a vow, according to your valuation,
- Josh 7:11Israel has sinned. Yes, they have even transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. Yes, they have even taken some of the devoted things, and have also stolen, and also deceived. They have even put it among their own stuff.
- Neh 13:4–14Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,
- Mal 1:8When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says Yahweh of Armies.
- Lev 5:15–16“If anyone commits a trespass, and sins unwittingly, in the holy things of Yahweh; then he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation in silver by shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
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Original language
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