"Proof" For Tithing From Non-Food Items - Abram's Booty Argument

Tithe Teachers Attempt to “Prove” That Tithing Was Non-food items ALSO from the Bible!

Question: Abram’s booty must have consisted of silver and gold and othernon-food items, then how can the tithe opponents say that tithing was only from food?

Answer: First of all, Abram's tithe was a description of an event, a narrative, something that took place in the ancient days. It was not a prescription from God when Abram tithed to Melchizadek.

In Genesis 14:20b the "And he gave him tithes of all" does not specify what that"all" consisted of?

In Genesis 14:24 Abram makes a reference about food though - “Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men whichwent with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion” - KJV.

However Hebrews 7:4 unambiguously declares that Abram gave "the best of the spoils" - the Koine Greek word "akrothinion" literally means"the top of a heap" - implying food. 2 Kings 7 says huge quantities of barleyand flour were recovered from the abandoned Syrian camp.

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akrothinion: the top ofa heap, i.e. the best of the spoilsOriginal Word: ἀκροθίνιον, ίου, τόPart of Speech: Noun,NeuterTransliteration:akrothinionPhonetic Spelling:(ak-roth-in'-ee-on)Short Definition: spoil,treasureDefinition: (lit: top ofa heap), first-fruits, spoil, treasure (taken in war).

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While it was possible to conclude that Abram's spoils consisted of silver and gold is within the limits of reason, we have to bear in mind that Abram's tithe might have consisted of the following materials as well:

a) Idols representing pagan deities (King David ordered to burn the idols of the Philistines and King Amaziah took the idols of the defeated Edomites and worshiped him)

b) War materials such as spears, shields, swords, javelins, breast plates etc.

c)Prisoners of war

d) Horses and mules

e) Clothes

f) Jewels

g) Crowns worn by the defeated Kings and other items worn to represent the commander/officer ranks

However according to Hebrews 7:4 Abram tithed ONLY the "BEST of the Spoils" -we do not know what the “best of the spoils” consisted of.

Regardless,Abram's tithe incident was a description of a historical event. It was not a prescription either for the Jews or for the Christians.

In ancient Roman, Greek, Carthaginian, Cretan, Silician, Phoenician,

Chinese,Babylonian, Akkadian, Egyptian, Assyrian, Canaanite, Ugaritic, Morrocan,Persian, Lydian, Syrian, Sumerian, and South Arabian societies practiced tithing but their practices varied in terms of where they gave it, when they gave it, the voluntary nature and the amount.

The diversity of the practices between these societies was greater than the consistency.

For example in Arabia tithes were paid on frankincense … but on ground that was watered by rain (i.e. by Baal) twenty percent was due. Does that mean Christians were required to tithe from Frankincense?

Tithing was introduced as a prescription only in Leviticus 27 and that reveals God's blue print for tithing and we should not take other examples before the Law of Moses as an example.

http://biblehub.com/greek/205.htm