Part One – Old Testament Tithing in the Bible: 46 Scriptures about Giving

The next two posts will be a collection of instructions for tithing

Tithing in the Bible refers to giving 10 percent of your annual earnings, productions, or possessions. In the Old Testament, we observe Abraham and Jacob offering a tithe to God in Genesis 14 and 28. The Israelites were also commanded to tithe from what they earned (Lev. 27:30; Num. 18:25–28; Deut. 14:22–24; 2 Chron. 31:5–6).

Where is tithing first mentioned in the Bible?

So, what does the bible say about tithes? The first tithe made in the bible happened in Genesis 14:19-20. The first person to do so in the bible was Abram. Abram (better known as Abraham) returned from battle and was met by Melchizedek. During their encounter Melchizedek attributes Abram’s victory to God and he blesses Abram. Abram responds to the blessing in gratitude and gives Melchizedek a tenth (aka tithe) of all his possessions.    

And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

Jacob offers the second tithe as recorded in the Bible. Over in Genesis 28:20–22 Jacob responds to a dream he received from God by building an altar and vowing that, in exchange for God’s care and provision, he would give God a tenth of his belongings.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.”

Old Testament scriptures on tithing in the bible

1. Genesis 28:20–22: (Jacob offers a tithe) Jacob made a vow (to God), "If God will be with me and will watch over me…all that You give me I will give You a tenth.”
2. Exodus 35:21: Everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work.
3. Exodus 35:22: All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.
4. Leviticus 27:30: (The tithe is introduced into law) 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.
5. Leviticus 27:32: The entire tithe of the herd and flock-- every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod-- will be holy to the LORD.
6. Numbers 18:21: I give to the Levites (ministers) all the tithes…in return for the work they do while serving (the Lord).
7. Numbers 18:26: (The Levites tithe) Moreover, you shall speak and say to the Levites, “When you take from the people of Israel the tithe that I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present a contribution from it to the Lord, a tithe of the tithe.”
8. Deuteronomy 14:22–23: You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year. And before the Lord your God, in the place that he will choose, to make his name dwell there, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, of your wine, and of your oil, and the firstborn of your herd and flock, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always.
9. Deuteronomy 14:27–29: At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.
10. Amos 4:4–5: (God requires more than the tithe) “Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord God.
11. 2 Chronicles 31:4–5: And he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites that they might give themselves to the Law of the Lord. As soon as the command was spread abroad, the people of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field. And they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything.
12. 2 Chronicles 31:12: God’s people faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes and dedicated gifts.
13. Nehemiah 12:43–44: (God’s people) offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing…could be heard far away.  Men were appointed to be in charge of the storerooms for the contributions, first fruits and tithes.
14. Nehemiah 12:47: All (of God’s people) contributed the daily portions for the singers, gatekeepers…Levites (ministers).
15. Nehemiah 13:11–12: I rebuked the officials and asked them, "Why is the house of God neglected?" Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.  All (God’s people) brought the tithes…into the storerooms.
16. Malachi 3:7–9: Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?'  "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.  You are under a curse-- the whole nation of you-- because you are robbing me.
17. Malachi 3:11–12: (God says to those who bring him tithes and offerings) “I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.  "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land.”
18. 1 Kings 17:13, 8–16: Elijah said to (the starving widow woman), "Don't be afraid…first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry’…She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
19. Exodus 36:3–6: The people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.  So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done."  Then Moses gave an order…"No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more.
20. Malachi 1:6–7: "A son honors his father, a servant honors his master. I am your Father and Master, yet you don't honor me…you despise my name." "Who? Us?" you say. "When did we ever despise your name?"  "When you offer polluted sacrifices on my altar." "Polluted sacrifices? When have we ever done a thing like that?" "Every time you say, 'Don't bother bringing anything very valuable to offer to God!'”
21. Malachi 1:8–10: (God’s ministers tell people) 'Lame animals are all right to offer on the altar of the Lord-- yes, even the sick and the blind ones.' And you claim this isn't evil? Try it on your governor sometime-- give him gifts like that-- and see how pleased he is!… I have no pleasure in you," says the Lord Almighty, "and I will not accept your offerings.”
22. Malachi 1:11: “My name will be honored…from morning till night. All around the world people will offer…pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name shall be great among the nations," says the Lord Almighty.
23. Malachi 1:12–13: (Ministers dishonor God by telling people) God’s altar is not important and encouraging people to bring cheap, sick animals to offer to God.  "You say, 'Oh, it's too difficult to serve the Lord and do what he asks.' And you turn up your noses at the rules he has given you to obey. Think of it! Stolen animals, lame and sick-- as offerings to God! Should I accept such offerings as these?" asks the Lord.
24. Malachi 1:14: “Cursed is that man who promises a fine ram from his flock and substitutes a sick one to sacrifice to God. For I am a Great King," says the Lord Almighty, "and my name is to be mightily revered among the people of the world."
25. Haggai 1:4: "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while (God’s) house remains a ruin?"
26. Haggai 1:5–8: This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it."  This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways…build (My) house…so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored.”
27. Haggai 1:9–11: "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house.  Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.  I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
28. Proverbs 3:9–10: Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
29. Proverbs 18:9: One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.
30. Proverbs 28:22: A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.
31. Proverbs 28:27: He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.
32. 1 Chronicles 29:2–3: (King David said to God’s people) “With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold…silver…bronze…iron…wood…onyx…turquoise…all kinds of fine stone and marble-- all of these in large quantities.  In my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided.
33. 1 Chronicles 29:5–8: (King David said to the leaders) “Who is willing to consecrate himself today to the LORD?"  Then the leaders of families…officers…commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds…and the officials…gave willingly.  They gave toward the work on the temple of God gold…silver…bronze…iron.  Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the LORD.
34. 1 Chronicles 29:9: The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the LORD. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
35. 1 Chronicles 29:11–12: Everything in heaven and earth is Yours, O LORD.  Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
36. 1 Chronicles 29:13–14: (David prayed to God) “God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.  "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”
37. 1 Chronicles 29:16: LORD our God, as for all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name, it comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you.
38. I Chronicles 29:17: (David prayed to God) “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these (offerings) I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.”
39. Ezra 2:68–69: Families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God.  According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work.
40. Deuteronomy 28:12: The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
41. Psalm 50:10: Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills…the creatures of the field are mine… the world is mine, and all that is in it.
42. Deuteronomy 8:18: Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.
43. Deuteronomy 16:10: Celebrate the Feast of Weeks to the LORD your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the LORD your God has given you.
44. Deuteronomy 16:16: No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed.
45. Deuteronomy 16:17: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.
46. Isaiah 32:8: The noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.

        Source: https://get.tithe.ly/blog/106-bible-scriptures-about-giving