What Does the Bible Say About Tithing One-Tenth?
The concept of tithing—giving one-tenth of your income—comes from biblical teachings. A key verse is found in Leviticus 27:30:
“‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”
The term "tithe" specifically translates from the Hebrew word עשר ("eser"), which means "ten." This establishes the foundational principle of giving 10%.
Other scriptures also emphasize the importance of tithing, including:
Numbers 18:26:
“Speak to the Levites and say to them: ‘When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord’s offering.”
Deuteronomy 14:22:
“Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.”
2 Chronicles 31:5:
“As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the first fruits of their grain, new wine, olive oil and honey, and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of everything.”
Was the 10% Tithe a Requirement?
Yes, the Bible does instruct giving 10%. Even before the Mosaic Law formalized tithing, Abraham tithed a tenth of his spoils (Genesis 14:20), and Jacob vowed to tithe all that he had (Genesis 28:22).
Under the Mosaic Law, tithing became more structured and included:
Tithes for the Levites – Support for the priestly tribe.
Tithes for temple operations and feasts – Maintaining worship practices.
Tithes for the poor and unfortunate – Ensuring care for the needy.
In total, these tithes accounted for 20-30% of a person's income, excluding additional voluntary offerings such as first-fruits and freewill offerings, which we’ll explore further in the next section.
