Tithes and Priests

What did the priests and Levites do with the tithes? I assume some was for sacrifice but was it also for their own provisions and/or to dispense to the poor?

If you remember, the Levites were the Priestly tribe. The Family of Aaron was a Levite Family, and within his line was the sub-family of Kohath from whom the future priests of Israel would come – the Kohanim. Currently, if you meet someone with the surname “Cohen” you are speaking with a direct descendant of that family!

The Levites were the only tribe not to have been allocated land after Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan. The idea was that they would live dispersed among the People of Israel, following their priestly calling, but not farming their own land with crops or animals.
It was the responsibility of the other Tribes to contribute one tenth of their crops and animals for the Levites. Yes some may have been given to the poor, but tithes were primarily for the Levites to eat. Tithes were not, as we often suppose, primarily financial.

Related Q & A

Lets Ask Phil